Tag Archives: sport

Uzbek MMA fighter dies in car crash

JULY 19  2021 (The Bulletin) — Murad Hanturayev, Uzbekistan’s most successful mixed martial arts (MAA) fighter and one of the best-known people in the country, died in a car crash aged 34. Known on the MMA circuit as the Asian Bear, Hanturayev had reportedly fought 12 times since he started his career in 2013, losing only twice. Reports said Hanturayev was driving his BMW X5 on a motorway outside Tashkent when he lost control and crashed. 

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— This story was published in issue 493 of the Central Asia & South Caucasus Bulletin, on July 22 2021

— Copyright the Central Asia & South Caucasus Bulletin 2021

Tokyo police arrest Uzbek Olympic official for alledged rape

JULY 18 2021 (The Bulletin) — Police in Tokyo arrested a part-time Olympic Games staff member from Uzbekistan for rape, media reported. Police said that the Uzbek staff member has denied the rape allegations. The Olympic Games officially begin on July 23.

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— This story was published in issue 493 of the Central Asia & South Caucasus Bulletin, on July 22 2021

— Copyright the Central Asia & South Caucasus Bulletin 2021

Uzbekistan starts building first cricket ground

JULY 18 2021 (The Bulletin) — Uzbekistan began the construction of the first cricket ground in Tashkent, media reported. The International Cricket Council (ICC), cricket’s governing body, wants to broaden the reach of the sport and on the same day that work on a permanent cricket pitch began in Tashkent, it said that Tajikistan, alongside Mongolia and Switzerland, had been made members.

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— This story was published in issue 493 of the Central Asia & South Caucasus Bulletin, on July 22 2021

— Copyright the Central Asia & South Caucasus Bulletin 2021

Kazakh weightlifter fails drugs test

JUNE 10 2021 (The Bulletin) — The International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) disqualified  Kazakh weightlifter Anna Nurmankhambetova from the 2012 Olympic Games because of a failed drugs test, stripping her of the silver medal that she had been awarded retrospectively because other athletes had also failed drugs tests. Several Kazakh athletes, weightlifters and cyclists, have previously failed drugs tests too.

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— This story was published in issue 48 of the Central Asia & South Caucasus Bulletin, on June 16 2021

— Copyright the Central Asia & South Caucasus Bulletin 2021

Spaniard wins Baku F1 GP

JUNE 6 2021 (The Bulletin) — Spain’s Sergio Perez, driving a Red Bull-Racing Honda, won the Formula 1 Grand Prix in Baku after championship leaders Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen both crashed out. The Baku circuit has earned a reputation as one of the most exciting Grand Prixs with drivers racing through the city’s streets.

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— This story was published in issue 487 of the Central Asia & South Caucasus Bulletin, on June 9 2021

— Copyright the Central Asia & South Caucasus Bulletin 2021

Cycling world championships moved from Ashgabat

JUNE 3 2021 (The Bulletin) — The Switzerland-based UCI, cycling’s governing body, moved its 2021 World Championship from Ashgabat to Glasgow. It didn’t give a reason for the change of venue but UCI has been under pressure to scrap the Ashgabat event because of the increasingly eccentric behaviour of Turkmen leader Kurbanguly Berdymukhamedov who denies that there has ever been a case of the coronavirus inside Turkmenistan. Mr Berdymukhamedov considered hosting the cycling championships as a boost to his prestige.

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— This story was published in issue 487 of the Central Asia & South Caucasus Bulletin, on June 9 2021

— Copyright the Central Asia & South Caucasus Bulletin 2021

Azerbaijan waives coronavirus restrictions for Euro2020

JUNE 3 2021 (The Bulletin) — Azerbaijan said that it would waive coronavirus quarantine rules for football fans travelling to Baku for the delayed European Championship 2020. Baku hosts four games, including a quarterfinal match. For the first time, the European Championships matches are spread across the continent.

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— This story was published in issue 487 of the Central Asia & South Caucasus Bulletin, on June 9 2021

— Copyright the Central Asia & South Caucasus Bulletin 2021

Azerbaijan’s F1 GP to go ahead without spectators

MARCH 3 2021  (The Bulletin) — Azerbaijani officials said that the F1 Grand Prix, touted as the highlight of Azerbaijan’s sporting calendar since it was inaugurated in 2016, will go ahead this year but without any spectators. Last year, like many of the F1 Grand Prix, the race was cancelled because of the coronavirus. The race, through the streets of Baku, is considered a fine city circuit. It is scheduled for June 6.

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— This story was published in issue 474 of the Central Asia & South Caucasus Bulletin, on March 5 2021

— Copyright the Central Asia & South Caucasus Bulletin 2021

Astana beats Man U 2-1

NOV. 28 (The Bulletin) — Stunning the football world, Astana FC beat Manchester United 2-1 in their UEFA Europa League match in Nur-Sultan, recording arguably their top ever win. The match was a dead tie as Manchester United has already qualified for the next round but the roar from the crowd of around 30,000 when Astana won from 1-0 down showed how much the win meant to fans.
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— This story was first published in issue 430 of the weekly Bulletin.

Azerbaijan’s five year F1 Grand Prix deal

FEB. 5 (The Conway Bulletin) — Azerbaijan signed a deal with Liberty Media, the owners of the Formula 1 franchise, to hold an F1 Grand Prix in Baku for the next five years. The Baku F1 race has become an important part of Azerbaijan’s national branding since it first hosted it, as the European Grand Prix, in 2016. >>See Comment on page 2
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>This story was first published in issue 399 of The Conway Bulletin on Feb. 8 2019
Copyright The Conway Bulletin 2019