Kazakh President Convenes with Asian Games Champions, Outlines Aspirations for Future Olympic Campaign
President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev recently met with the winners of the 19th Asian Games and world champion in freestyle wrestling Rizabek Aitmukhan. The national team of Kazakhstan brought home an impressive haul of medals from the Asian Games, including 10 gold, 22 silver, and 48 bronze medals. The President congratulated the athletes and coaches on their achievements and highlighted the victory of 19-year-old Aitmukhan, who became the first Kazakh world champion in freestyle wrestling in the 92-kilogram weight category.
While praising the successes, President Tokayev also acknowledged that there is room for improvement in Kazakhstan’s sports performance. He emphasized the need for open discussions and serious work to address mistakes and enhance the country’s performance in various disciplines such as boxing, weightlifting, freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestling. The President also commended the karate team for winning first place in the team competition and expressed his desire for greater value for the funds allocated to elite sports, with a focus on the development of mass sports and physical culture.
To achieve these goals, President Tokayev highlighted the importance of fundamental reforms in the sports sector. He called for a detailed analysis of the current situation and the development of a new vision for the development of sports. The President stressed the need for better coordination among the Ministry of Tourism and Sports, the National Olympic Committee, and the federations. He also emphasized the importance of improving the quality of management in the sports sector and urged for audits of sports federations financed from the state budget.
In addition, President Tokayev emphasized the need to improve the level of training of national teams, create modern infrastructure for training athletes, and increase wages and social support measures for coaches and other sports specialists. The development of the sports reserve system was also highlighted as a key focus, with the government and mayors instructed to create favorable conditions for promising athletes.
Furthermore, the President emphasized the importance of transparency and objectivity in selection processes, promoting open and fair competition in domestic sports. He urged the lessons to be learned from past competitions and called for careful preparation for the upcoming Olympic Games in Paris.
In conclusion, President Tokayev wished success to the athletes and coaching corps on their journey to future victories and awarded the athletes with certificates of honor. The meeting with the winners of the Asian Games highlighted the achievements of Kazakhstan’s athletes while also outlining the measures that need to be taken to further improve the country’s sports performance.
