Reduction of Clubs' Budgets by Half
Funding Overhaul Proposed for Professional Sports in Kazakhstan
In a significant move aimed at promoting transparency and efficiency, the Chairman of the Mazhilis, Nurlan Nigmatulin, has requested clarification on the current allocation of funds from the state, local executive bodies, and the quasi-state sector to professional sports. The Minister of Culture and Sports, Aktobe Raimkulova, has revealed plans to address this issue.
The proposed changes aim to establish a unified tariff grid for funding professional clubs, with the intention of reducing the total budget of these clubs, currently standing at 55.5 billion tenge. This move is expected to affect both sports and non-sports professional clubs.
According to Raimkulova, the annual funding for professional sports clubs is proposed to be halved, amounting to 22.2 billion tenge. Notably, the "Astana" club is reported to receive 55.5 billion tenge from 'Samruk-Kazyna'.
In addition to the proposed funding, local executive bodies have already allocated 14.7 billion tenge for the support of mass sports. However, it's worth noting that this figure represents a reduction by half compared to the previous allocation.
The ministry's analytical study, conducted in collaboration with local executive bodies, has identified 98 professional clubs in the country, all of which are funded by local budgets. A unified maximum grid for the salaries of athletes, coaches, and other staff working in these clubs is also being proposed.
While specific figures for funding allocated from Kazakhstan’s state, local executive bodies, and quasi-state sectors to professional sports overall are not readily available, some context on funding and investment in sports and related sectors can be found.
For instance, Bulat Utemuratov, a notable figure in Kazakhstan’s sports philanthropy, has personally invested over USD 150 million into tennis development in Kazakhstan. This significant investment, made through the Kazakhstan Tennis Federation, demonstrates the role of the quasi-private sector in sports funding.
Moreover, the launch of Kazakhstan’s first professional women's eSports league indicates some financial support for new professional sports sectors. Modest initial funding, such as prize pools of 2.5 million tenge (~USD 4,647) for tournaments, suggests that these sectors are growing, but require further investment.
Looking ahead, broader policy frameworks aiming at expanding philanthropic and endowment funding could potentially increase financial resources available to professional sports in the coming years. These include the establishment of schools for philanthropists and endowment funds targeting around USD 94 million capitalization by 2029.
However, explicit forecasts or expected changes in state/local or quasi-state funding levels for professional sports are not detailed in the current information.
The Minister of Culture and Sports, Aktobe Raimkulova, plans to address the issue of funding in professional sports, proposing a unified tariff grid for funding professional clubs to reduce their total budget. The proposed annual funding for professional sports clubs is expected to be halved, amounting to 22.2 billion tenge.
