Kazakhstan

Kazakhstan is considering submitting a bid to host the 2026 Fifa World Cup international football tournament, according to the head of the country’s football association, Yerlan Kozhagapanov.

Almaty 2022 has unveiled revisions to its winter Olympics masterplan that it states will cut more than $500m (€439.8m) from its budget, should the Kazakh city win the right to stage the Games.

The International Cycling Union (UCI) has today (Friday) requested that the WorldTour licence of the Astana Pro Team, home of reigning Tour de France champion Vincenzo Nibali, be withdrawn amid anti-doping infringements surrounding the squad.

Almaty 2022 has expressed its confidence over its bid for the 2022 winter Olympic Games after the International Olympic Committee (IOC) today (Wednesday) rounded off a five-day visit to the Kazakh city.

The bid committee for Almaty’s candidacy for the 2022 winter Olympic Games has ruled out the prospect of sharing event hosting with Kazakhstan’s capital city Astana.

HE Idrissov, Yerlan, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan opened the session and reiterated full support of the Government. Theme briefings on Accommodation, followed by Transport, Media Operations and part 2 of the Sports & Venues theme were conducted.  A venue tour of the City Zone held in the afternoon demonstrated the compactness of the Games Concept.

International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Thomas Bach has reiterated that the 2022 Fifa World Cup should not be moved to clash with the winter Olympic Games, stating such a decision would result in a “lose-lose situation.”

Organisers for the 2017 winter Universiade in Almaty have announced the budget for the construction of three competition venues.

Almaty and Beijing today (Tuesday) submitted their candidature files for the hosting rights to the 2022 winter Olympic Games, with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) stating work will continue to reflect the reforms implemented by ‘Agenda 2020’ in their respective masterplans.

International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) president Rene Fasel has stated Beijing is the favourite to win the race for the 2022 winter Olympic Games.

Kazakhstan's President Nursultan Nazarbayev has stated the country’s capital city Astana will play a role if Almaty wins its bid to host the 2022 winter Olympic Games and has played down concerns over the level of investment needed to stage the event.

The scandal-hit Astana Pro Team has retained its WorldTour licence for 2015, but the International Cycling Union (UCI) has withdrawn elite status from Team Europcar for financial reasons.

Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Culture and Sports has said the state will provide only a third of the budget for Almaty’s staging of the 2022 winter Olympic Games, should the city defeat Beijing to land the hosting rights.

The International Cycling Union (UCI) has asked the sport’s licence commission to review the status of Astana after a third positive doping test this year emerged from the leading WorldTour team.

Kazakh Cycling president Kairat Kelimbetov has stated his desire to bring the Tour de France Grand Depart to the country before 2020.

The Astana Presidential Professional Sports Club has hailed Vincenzo Nibali’s victory at the Tour de France as a validation of its nation-building through sport strategy, adding that it is now determined to build on this success through its other sports interests.