Kok Boru and Kokpar on VIK. Organizers hope to avoid disputes and clashes

The director of the State Agency for Physical Culture and Sports, Kazybek Moldazhiyev, stated that the inclusion of kokpar in the program of the World Nomad Games 2026 is aimed at minimizing potential conflicts and misunderstandings between participating countries. He commented on these competitions, including kok bor and kokpar.

Moldazhiyev emphasized that the organizers insist on the apolitical nature of the sporting events and the preservation of the ethnocultural spirit.

“Sport should remain outside of politics, and we should not allow negative interpretations of a single game. We strive to promote ethnoculture and ethno-sport. That is why kokpar has become part of the World Nomad Games. Our teams are actively preparing for participation, and we hope that Kazakh athletes will also take part,” he added.

According to him, the addition of these two disciplines will help maintain a sporting balance and create equal conditions for all participants.

It is worth noting that during the World Nomad Games 2024 in Astana, an incident occurred during a kokpar match between the teams of Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan. A player from the Kazakhstan national team struck an opponent from Kyrgyzstan with a whip, which led to a scuffle and a stoppage of the game to clarify the circumstances.

As a result of that match, the team of Kyrgyzstan lost to Kazakhstan with a score of 5:4. After that, representatives of the Kyrgyz Republic Kok Bor Federation expressed dissatisfaction with the refereeing, considering it unfair.

The organizers of the World Nomad Games hope that the upcoming competitions will be held in the spirit of fair sportsmanship, respect, and strengthening cultural ties between nations.