Kazakhstan's world nomad games marred by final match violence
The fifth World Nomad Games took place in Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan, from 8 to 13 September. The event, featuring 21 sports disciplines, gathered over 2,400 athletes from 89 countries. The finals ended in conflicts, including a fight in a kokpar match and intervention by law enforcement.
Kokpar is one of the most renowned disciplines during the Nomad Games. Its rules are broadly similar to football, except that the players are on horseback and an artificial goat carcass replaces the ball. Unfortunately, this year's event ended in a physical confrontation between the teams of Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan.
The referees were accused of bias, which, according to the Orda portal, led to a tense situation requiring the intervention of the SOBR special forces. Additionally, witnesses reported that “after a Kyrgyz player was struck in the face twice with a whip, the referees ignored the incident.”
During the games, 97 sets of medals were awarded. The hosts won a total of 112 medals, including 43 gold, 32 silver, and 37 bronze, making them the undisputed winners.
During the games, numerous cultural events were held, such as scientific conferences and music concerts, which attracted both local and international stars. Extensive advertising campaigns promoting this sporting celebration could be seen along the streets of Astana.
However, it was the controversies during the kokpar final that dominated the image of the games. According to PAP, it all began when "the Kyrgyz team refused to continue playing and began to leave the field". As a result, a fight broke out, encompassing not only the field but also the stands, from which Kyrgyz journalists were chased out.
We, journalists, started filming what was happening. At that moment, we were chased out of the area from which we had been broadcasting without hindrance for several days - said a journalist from Kyrgyzstan, Beksultan Usenaliev.
The closing ceremony was modest compared to the impressive opening ceremony, witnessed by, among others, the President of Kazakhstan, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. The official reason for the modest closing ceremony was the decision to reduce costs in favour of providing aid to flood victims.
