RUGBY IN KAZAKHSTAN

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RUGBY IN KAZAKHSTAN

Kazakhstan Rugby Union was founded in 1993. It develops traditions of rugby existing in Kazakhstan since 1966 when the first men's rugby team of Kazakh Soviet Republic was formed.Now we can be proud for our women's team which in 2002 became the Asian Champion the third time.
Our men's team is becoming stronger and stronger participating in major international tournament. We launched the cross border rugby development project for Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Kyrgizstan. Kazakhstan is the ninth biggest country in the world territorially. Though the population is made up of many different ethnic minorities, its official languages are Kazakh and Russian. The population is quite small, standing at about 17 million. The main economic activities are exploitation of oil and gas, mining and farming. Kazakhstan was a part of the Soviet Union until the break up of the USSR in the early nineties. It now poses itself as a Eurasian state. Mainly soldiers played rugby until that time. Rugby was a tough game for tough people. Good players were offered better wages and placements within the army to play. In Soviet times there was only ever one domestic investor in the game and that was the state.

Competitions were played between the various republics of the USSR, and like all other sports in the USSR, academic awards were conferred on players for their achievements on the field.
The break up of the Soviet system lead to the break up of the army, and in turn the break up of rugby structures within these countries. The new independent Kazakhstan assessed its priorities and decided that they would only sponsor Olympic sports. Rugby in Kazakhstan now had no facilities, no structure and no financing. Then it started to lose its players. They left and went to Russia where the game had become professional. In turn, Russia was losing players to French clubs.
Current State of Rugby in Kazakhstan:
The lack of finance means that the players lack any real equipment. The national team doesn't have proper boots, kit, tackling bags, scrum machines and most of all facilities. In all of Kazakhstan there is not one official rugby pitch with rugby goals. The actual pitches that they do play on are used for so many other sports that they are in terrible condition by the time that the rugby teams get them. Even with these problems, the national senior and youth teams have traveled to Asia and the Middle East on tour. They have also beaten Sri Lanka in the RWC Qualifiers, but missed out after losing against China.
The Federation of Rugby of Kazakhstan (FRK) has taken a number of steps to tackle the problems they face. They have set up competitions for every oblast (the equivalent of a province). The winners of these regional competitions then proceed to the national championships. These championships are held in one location, for example, the city of Taldykorgan. All of the teams travel to the same location and play an intensive two-week long league tournament. This may solve the problem of costs and geography, but it means a lack of consistent competitive matches for the big teams.
The FRK are doing all they can to promote the game in Kazakhstan, offering it to parents and children as an alternative to the social problems that their developing country faces. Rugby is seen as a way of keeping children off the streets, away from crime and drugs. It is also a way for children and youths to express themselves in an enjoyable way. As a result, the number of clubs in the region has increased. It is estimated that there are over fifty clubs in Central Asia, 10 of which meet the requirements to play in the national championships of Kazakhstan. Championships are held from the age of Under 12 upwards.
The FRK faces stiff opposition from football. Kazakhstan has just been admitted into UEFA, which means Kazakh players can hope to one-day play Champions League football against Manchester Utd, not to mention the huge amounts of capital that an organization of that size will introduce. Despite the competition from UEFA they have been successful in spreading the game to neighboring Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan. Clubs from both these countries took part in Kazakh competitions in 2002. This makes the problem of geography even more difficult. The game and its competitions are now stretched over a huge area.
In looking out for the interests of its players, the FRK have secured a number of lucrative deals to help their players. They sponsor the education of some of their players, and help them in finding college placement and work placements. They also cover the travel and living costs of players during competitions. They have also made a unique agreement with the government whereby any conscripted rugby players will automatically be sent to serve in the town of Taldykorgan, the nucleus of Kazakh rugby.
There is also a lack of officials for the game and as a result players do not learn the rules properly. Rugby without proper monitoring of the rules is not doing anything to improve standards. The players are all very fit, but they cannot develop their skills and talent because of the lack of trainers and officials.
To meet with the needs of training players and officials alike they have begun two significant projects. One is the purchase of a stadium in Taldykorgan with two quality pitches, a large clubhouse, a gym and sauna. The clubhouse will also operate as a rugby school, where players will study and eventually graduate with recognized qualifications as international players, trainers, referees, coaches and managers. The pitches are the first of their kind in Central Asia.
The FRK has also begun setting up a rugby academy in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. The reason this project was set up in Bishkek and not in Almaty was because of the opposition posed by corrupt government officials in Kazakhstan. This academy will have the status of a third level institution and so will its qualifications.
The Future of Rugby in Kazakhstan:
Without financing, the Federation can do very little. They have been lucky enough in securing membership of the IRB and the sponsorship that goes with it, but this falls short of the money needed. The future of rugby in Kazakhstan depends in large part on finance. State help will come once rugby is truly elevated to the status of an Olympic sport, but in the meantime it will depend on other organizations. The FRK couldn't send a team to the Asian Games because of lack of funding. This was a missed opportunity, and the FRK were force to choose between the Asian Games in Korea or the Asian Rugby Championships in Thailand. They opted for the rugby-orientated competition.
They need to secure sponsorship from the large energy companies, but to do this they need a development officer and to increase their profile with these companies through media. An increase in status can come with help from the IRB and media attention in the bigger rugby countries. Most foreigners don't know where Kazakhstan is, let alone that they play rugby there. The issue of securing finance from big companies is also something that could be dealt with by a full time development officer.
A development officer (English-speaking) could also find ways to secure equipment. With official backing that an officer of this sort could secure free kit for the Kazakhstan National team from a company like Kooga or Gilbert. The more development and money that is seen going into the game in a legitimate way will keep players loyal and interested. With further sponsorship the top players can be offered contracts. The development officer responsible for fundraising would also be responsible in ensuring transparency in the financial affairs of the FRK.
There is also the idea of International Rugby House in Ireland. This would offer players a chance to work, study and play in their off season, bringing the skills they learnt back to Kazakhstan where they will influence their peers.
A network of kit donors can be set up with Irish clubs, whereby they send their old jerseys to Kazakhstan. Kids teams can be seen playing in football strips at the moment and it doesn't do the image of the game any favours.
A restructuring of the national championships is now underway. After an initial Oblast Championship, the best teams and Oblast champions will play a game every week, every second game being an away match. This will reduce the costs and ensure that the best teams play in the best competition.
The setting up of the school and academy opens the way for academic exchanges and scholarships too. The main thing is securing finance to ensure that these facilities are developed to their full potential. They have paid for the vast majority of building themselves. The FRK are currently also paying for the activities of the Uzbek and Kyrgyz teams too from their own budget.
Finally, while Russia move towards European integration, and Kazakh football too, the current situation makes more logistical and financial sense for the FRK to move towards Asia. They should play teams of similar ability on a regular basis in competitions such as the Asian Games or a Eurasian Cup.

Design: Kozlovcev Alexander Е-mail: regbist9@mail.ru