Kazakhstan’s flag bearer Olga Rypakova and Kazakhstan’s flag bearer Kamshybek Kunkabayev and their delegation parade during the opening ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, at the Olympic Stadium, in Tokyo, on July 23, 2021. (Photo by Martin BUREAU / AFP)
Kazakhstan’s president has criticized the country’s performance at the Tokyo Olympics and called for urgent reforms to its sports programs to ensure better results on the international stage.
In a tweet published on Monday, Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev congratulated the country’s bronze medallists from the Tokyo Games but stressed the team’s overall performance had been underwhelming.
“The national team’s final result – 8 bronze medals and 83rd in the medal rankings – does not correspond to Kazakhstan’s sports potential and the significant funds that the state invests in the development of sport,” Tokayev wrote.
The Kazakh president added the team’s performance showed the need to urgently implement reforms to improve the country’s performances.
“We need to draw the right lessons from the Tokyo Olympics in order to show results that meet the expectations of our citizens at the next Games in Paris,” Tokayev added.
Kazakhstan won bronze medals in boxing, judo, karate, weightlifting and wrestling in Tokyo.
At the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Kazakhstan claimed three gold, five silver and 10 bronze medals.