Kazakhstan

The Kazakh city of Almaty and Eger in Hungary have been awarded hosting rights to the 2019 and 2021 senior and junior World Para Powerlifting Championships, respectively.

Kazakh boxing superstar Gennady Golovkin has agreed endorsement deals with Swiss watchmaker Hublot and whisky brand Chivas Regal, contracts that are said to make him the sport’s top brand ambassador.

The Russian Biathlon Union (RBU) has said it will fight against the decision to strip hosting rights to the 2021 World Championship from Tyumen as fresh doping controversy hit the sport today (Thursday) to overshadow the start of the 2017 edition in Hochfilzen, Austria.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has stripped a further batch of medals from athletes caught doping at the 2008 and 2012 summer Olympic Games, with Kazakh weightlifting superstar Ilya Ilyin among those sanctioned.

The World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) has moved to suspend the accreditation of the Athletes’ Anti-Doping Laboratory in the Kazakh city of Almaty for a period of four months.

Russia faces another blanket ban from the 2016 Olympic Games after the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) said it is one of three nations it will seek to exclude due to doping violations.

The International Basketball Federation (Fiba) has awarded the 2016 edition of its 3x3 U18 World Championships to the city of Astana in Kazakhstan.

Beijing bid committee members today (Friday) reflected on creating Olympic history after being awarded hosting rights to the 2022 winter Games, as defeated Almaty pledged to maintain its efforts to turn the city into a major winter sports hub.

The bid teams from Almaty and Beijing have made their final cases for selection as the destination for the 2022 winter Olympic Games, as the rocky road towards the assignment of the host city rights comes to an end tomorrow (Friday).

Human Rights Watch (HRW) has called on the International Olympic Committee to fully respect human rights commitments in preparing for and hosting the 2022 winter Olympic Games, adding the forthcoming decision over whether Almaty or Beijing will stage the event will provide an “extreme test” of the IOC’s new Agenda 2020 measures.

The Movement for Credible Cycling (MPCC) organisation has temporarily suspended Astana after the UCI WorldTour team allowed Lars Boom to enter the Tour de France despite an abnormally low cortisol level.

Almaty in Kazakhstan and Beijing in China have integrated their bids for the 2022 winter Olympic Games into long-term development strategies for their cities, according to International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Thomas Bach.

Kazakhstan’s Constitutional Council has struck down a controversial law that would have criminalised dissemination of information supporting homosexuality, with two month remaining until Almaty discovers whether it will host the 2022 winter Olympic Games.

Andrey Kryukov (2022 Bid Vice-Chairman): Almaty 2022’s slogan is ‘Keeping it Real’ and so to put it simply, we are determined to provide the Olympic Movement with a new concept for the winter Games: one that is sensible, affordable and sustainable.

 

The contest to host the 2022 winter Olympic Games may be a two-horse race, but promises to be one of the most fascinating ever. Kevin Roberts explains why, examining the background to the bidding battle and detailing each candidate through the eyes of its bid leader.

The International Cycling Union (UCI) has revealed that the Astana Pro Team, home of reigning Tour de France champion Vincenzo Nibali, retained its elite WorldTour licence because it has stayed clear of doping scandals this season.