Kazakhstan NOC Elects New President

(ATR) Two months after losing a narrow vote, 44-40, to Beijing for the right to host the 2022 Winter Olympics, the Kazakhstan National Olympic Committee has elected a new president.

Timur Kulibayev succeeds Temirkhan Dosmukhambetov, who held the position since 2006.

Kulibayev, 49, who is president of Kazakhstan’s boxing federation and a vice-president with the International Boxing Association (AIBA), was unanimously elected at Kazakhstan’s 17th Congress in Almaty on September 28.

Kazakhstan’s new NOC president emphasized the importance of upcoming tasks for the governing body, stressing attention on the nation’s preparation for the 2016 Rio Games.

"Nowadays, progress is impossible without modern approaches, that means all of our aspirations should be based on innovation and proven best practices," Kulibayev said.

Kulibayev is the son-in-law of Kazakhstan president Nursultan Nazarbayev.

The newly elected president also asked for closer cooperation between the IOC, Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC), the Olympic Council of Asia and International Sport Federations.

Kulibayev’s other main goals domestically include outlined transparency, enhancing the role of the National Federations, close cooperation with the Ministry of Culture and Sport, training of high qualified athletes and mass development of sport within Kazakhstan.

The Congress in Almaty also saw the appointment of the executive board members who will work under Kulibayev.

Timur Dossymbetov, Kairat Boranbayev, Andrey Kryukov and Askar Mammin were elected at NOC vice-presidents on the executive board. Daniyar Abulgazin was appointed NOC secretary general.

Kazakhstan’s capital of Almaty will host the 2017 Winter Universiade.

Written by Brian Pinelli

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