“The moon shines but does not heat”-The deeds of the former leader are summarized

On 17 February, at an extraordinary meeting of the Executive Committee of the National Olympic Committee of Uzbekistan, the application of Rustam Shoabdurakhmanov, Chairman of the National Olympic Committee since May 2019, was considered. Thus Shoabdurakhmanov has been dismissed from the post of president of the National Olympic Committee of Uzbekistan.

So what benefit did his “reign” bring? Let’s look at successes and failures together.

Governor or chairman of National Olympic Committee?

After the dismissal of Umid Akhmadjanov who had been appointed the post of President of the Committee, on 15 May 2019 at an extraordinary meeting of the General Assembly of the National Olympic Committee, Rustam Mavzurovich Shoabdurakhmanov was elected President.

At first glance, it may seem a little strange when a leader who is not engaged in sports is placed in charge of a sports organization. We may have seen this kind of situation in the operation of many federations, but the National Olympic Committee was a whole other thing.  That is, if a sports federation has shortcomings that result in the downgrading of one sport, then mistakes of the Olympic Committee could lead to a sports crisis throughout the country.  We have seen this in practice.

One step from a fan to the presidency.

Now it’s time to look at the officials who worked for the National Olympic Committee.

 How many of them had little interest, but ended up leading the sport?

Obid Nazirovich Nazirov (1992-1994). Nazirov, who was the first president of the National Olympic Committee for two years, was chairman of the State Sports Committee from 1990 to 1992, before becoming chairman of the Committee. Unlike the last Chairman Shoabdurakhmanov, the first President Nazirov was a master of sport, a wrestler, an honored worker of physical culture and a sport representative.  He was an honored athlete of the Republic of Uzbekistan and was worthy of his position in every way.  

Sobirjon Sobitovich Roziev (1994-2003). Nazirov was followed by Sobirjon Roziev, Chairman of the Committee for Physical Culture and Sport. Rosiev, like Obid Nazirov, was a man of sport. He achieved three-time World Champions in the rapier style of professional fencing (1974, Grenoble; 1979, Melbourne; 1981, Clermont-Ferrand), three-time World Cup winner (1974, 1975, 1977, Bonn), two-time Giovanni Cup winner (1974, Bologna; 1979, Venice). He was also a silver medalist at the Moscow Olympics (1980).

Aziz Nosirovich Nosirov (2003-2005), who held the posts of First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Uzbekistan Soviet Youth Organization (1987-1991) and Governor of Samarkand (1993-1999), was engaged in sports in 2003. He was given the vacant post of Rosiev-President of the National Olympic Committee of Uzbekistan. This was the first step to the National Olympic Committee taken by the governor and non-sports professionals.

Kurbanov Rustambek Javdatovich (2005-2009). Before taking up his post, Kurbanov worked as a plasterer at the 1st Housing and Construction Combine under the Tashkent 2nd Building Administration from 1971 to 1973, and then he served in the Armed Forces from 1973 to 1975. From 1976 to 1985 he worked as a plasterer, a foreman, an instructor-Methodist, a secretary of the youth organization, a foreman of the 6th building trust of the 47th building department in the Main Building Department of Tashkent. In 1985-1989— Methodist of the organizational department of the Tashkent District Party Committee, manager of the production department, Sabir Rakhimov - head of the organizational department of the party’s district committee, and in 1989-1990 - methodologist. In the Tashkent City Committee of Party, he worked as a Methodist.

In 1990-1992, he was the head of the organizational and personnel department of the Council of People’s Deputies of the Executive Committee of the Tashkent City Hokimiyat, then in 1993 the first deputy khokim of the Yunusabad district.  In 2004, he became Khokim of Bektemir district of Tashkent.

Malik Kurbanalievich Babayev (2009-2013). The National Olympic Committee «hotel» continued to receive guests. Now it was the turn of a specialist in English and Arabic languages who graduated from the Faculty of Oriental Studies of Tashkent State University (now the National University of Uzbekistan).

From 1984 to 1987 he worked as an economic adviser to the USSR Embassy in Baghdad, Iraq. From 1991 to 1997 he was the CEO of the foreign economic company «Intersport».

From 1993 to 1994 and from 2001  to 2009, highlighting two separate times he served as Secretary-General of the National Olympic Committee of Uzbekistan.

From 1999 to 2012 he was a member of the Information and Statistics Committee and later a member of the Legal Committee of the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA).

He is also a member of the Executive Committee of the International Boxing Association (AIBA) and Vice-Chairman of the AIBA World Cup Organizing Committee.

Mirabror Zufarovich, Usmanov (2013-2017). Now it is time for the more prominent people. Even after taking over the NOC, Usmanov continued to work for several organizations. In particular, he worked as the member of the Senate working on a permanent basis on foreign policy issues under the Oliy Majlis (Parliament) of the Republic of Uzbekistan (2005-2019), President of the Football Federation of Uzbekistan (2006-2017) and President of the Football Association of Central Asia (2015-2018).

Usmanov graduated from Samarkand Cooperative Institute as an «economist» in 1978. From 1961 to 1967, he worked as a level 6 cook for the restaurant «Bakhor» in Tashkent. In 1970 – Head of production department of the restaurant "Gulistan" in Tashkent, in 1970-1986 – Director of the restaurants "Dustlik" and “Zarafshan", Director of the Tashkent Restaurant Trust, in 1986-1990 – at Tashkent City Executive Committee Usmanov ran his career. He was the Trade Minister of the Republic of Uzbekistan, from 1990 to 1992, between 1992 and 1994 the Chairman of company «Uzbeksavdo», from 1994 to 2005 – Deputy Prime Minister for Trade of the Republic of Uzbekistan.

Alisher Saidabbosovich Sultonov (2017-2018). After the resignation of Mirabror Usmanov, Alisher Sultanov, Chairman of the Board (2015-2018) of the National Holding Company «Uzbekneftegaz» took his place.

Before that in 1991 he worked at the Institute of Applied Physics of the Academy of Sciences, in 1993 in Tashkent, the trade union of workers and entrepreneurs of rental, joint and private enterprises, in 1996 in the joint-stock company «Uznefttepererabotka» on construction of the Bukhara refinery. In 1998, he worked in the Association of Foreign Economic Relations of «Uzbekneftegaz», in 1998-2002 in the National Holding Company «Uzbekneftegaz», in 2002-2013 on the “Shurtan” gas complex. In 2013, he was appointed the first deputy chairman of the board of the National holding company «Uzbekneftegaz».

Umid Mukhammadjanovich Akhmadjanov (2018-2019). Akhmadzhanov briefly served as chairman of the committee. However, his presidency is remembered in the NOC as well as that of Mirabror Usmanov.

Akhmadjanov began his career in government with sports. In 2002, at the age of 25, he was appointed Secretary-General of the Federation of Sports of Disabled Persons of Uzbekistan. Akhmadjanov was Vice-President and acting General Secretary of the National Paralympic Association of Uzbekistan in 2007-2017, Vice-President of the Judo Federation of Uzbekistan, Vice-President of the National Olympic Committee of Uzbekistan, and Vice-President of «Paxtakor» football club.

From 12 September 2017, to 10 January 2018, he headed the Football Association of Uzbekistan. From January 2018 to 14 June 2019, he served as First Vice-President of the Football Association of Uzbekistan.

What could Shoabdurakhmanov do for sports?

Let’s get back to the main topic. What did Shoabdurakhmanov give to Uzbek sport and what did he get? Why are some federation leaders dissatisfied with this? What is his contribution to achievements from 2019 to the present? We have knocked on many doors to find answers to these questions. Some people did not want to go into the subject and analyze it because of the way they work today. These people are prominent football commentators and those who once served as presidential advisers to the NOC.

In addition, there are many people who respond to his past mistakes by putting their finger on their lips and indicate that he will simply remain anonymous.

The chairman of the National Karate Federation of Uzbekistan, Nurhon Nafasov, did not evade the question. An athlete who suffered from the neglect of his federation, listed problems with the National Olympic Committee.

«Shoabdurakhmanov has no contribution to medals achieved in the Olympic Games »

Nurhon Nafasov, President of the National Karate Federation of Uzbekistan, Honored Coach of Uzbekistan:

— Rustam Shaoabdurahmanov may be a good man, but not a specialist. The reason is that the person who works for the Olympic Committee must be someone who knows the details of the sport, a champion of the sport, or at least someone who does the sport. Rustam Shoabdurahmanov was a government man.  

I hope this man will be followed by a specialist in sports. The Karate Federation did not qualify for the Olympic Games because it did not understand this sport. In the last six -seven months (before the Olympics) we have approached the Federation 10-15 times.

Uzbekistan could have won more than five medals. I don’t think Shoabdurakhmanov has any contribution to the Olympic medals. Why? My students went to him. There was a competition in Paris that could have licensed them for the Olympics. They told him: "The wrong team is leaving. Give us a chance. We will get a license from there (Paris). You are responsible as the President for sports". He replied: «Stop, (a) team was appointed».

Umid Akhmadjanov was the strongest and most influential leader of the Olympic Committee. He had principles. He understood the sports from within. He called me and said: «Nurhon, we are accountable to the people and the president. I don’t care how but you must win at least three medals at the Olympics». Then I said that I could not win three medals. "If you can not do it, you are better to be dismissed. You will bring a medal not to me, but to Uzbekistan», he said. Since then, my respect for him has grown. I believe that’s what a leader should be.

According to world karate champion Nafasov, during the reign of Shoabdurakhmanov a large amount of money did not reach the Karate Federation, but was transferred to the account of the Tashkent city branch.
Loss of Leadership in Boxing

We are far from superficially considering the issue. But an analysis of the last few years has led us to conclude that what our interlocutors say is true. For example, Uzbekistan, which fought for the world boxing title, is no longer a leader in Asia. We saw this at the 2021 World Championships in Belgrade, Serbia. Uzbekistan, which participated in the tournament with 13 boxers, won the championship without a single champion, with one silver and one bronze medal. At the 2019 World Championships in Yekaterinburg, the Uzbekistan national team won 3 gold, 1 silver and 1 bronze medal in the team-wide standings.

In football, too, the situation deteriorated. Uzbekistan’s national team failed to advance to the third round of the World Cup qualifying tournament for the first time in history. Everyone has different views on the issue, but many people point to the system as the cause.

Sanat Sharipov, who worked as a consultant to the Football Association of Uzbekistan for some time, is now in the United States. He also spoke about the problems of NOC and Uzbek sport in general.

«Most sports officials have fun»

Sanat Sharipov, sports specialist, football agent:

— The reputation of our national team has fallen. We were not respected. Friendly matches have been cancelled. However, every day, UFA reports: «Irmatov went there, accepted someday». But in real life, we don’t see results. Most officials in sports have fun. Travel, banquets and luxury abound. Our overall results have fallen. Most athletes and officials have also become kings of Instagram. At the airport, we’re welcomed by trumpets, but it’s no more than a prank. I sometimes wonder what sports officials do. Everywhere I go, I know, they give media interviews, play from the podium, or wear medals of athletes. But I don’t see anything new or creative.
Someone who gives his life for sport and fights for the honor of the country must come. Current officials prefer to sending in an honored report to the office of the President so that their shortcomings will be forgotten.

The same goes for the committee. The events in Tokyo with the flag have also outraged the people.

Tokyo 2020 and Shoabdurakhmanov

The main objectives of the National Olympic Games are to popularize the Olympic movement and amateur sports, ensure the participation of national athletes in the Olympic Games and develop friendly relations between Uzbek athletes and the world.

But in recent years, most of those challenges were forgotten. The pandemic may have impacted on this, but it is not enough. At the 2016 Olympics in Rio, the Uzbek delegation won 13 medals. Five years later, we limited ourselves to five medals at the 2021 Olympics (because of the pandemic 2020 Olympics in Tokyo was postponed to 2021). None of the stars discovered in Rio 2016 proved themselves in Tokyo. Yes, it was a great loss for the country’s sport.

It should be noted that for the first time in the history of the Tokyo Olympics, Uzbekistan won the Taekwondo Medal. In addition, weightlifter Nuriddinov took the position of Olympic champion of Rio Ruslan Nuriddinov, who had been eliminated from Tokyo due to doping scandals. Uzbekistan took over the first position in reference to the quantity of medals in Central Asia at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics under Shoabdurakhmanov. But what was the role of Shoabdurakhmanov?

Unanswered questions

The 2016 Olympics silver medalist Shahram Giyosov commented on the expected results of Tokyo 2020:

— I do not believe that the results of Rio 2016 will be repeated in Tokyo. The team of that time, the unity of that time, no longer exists. I don’t see it in athletes or coaches. We had unity back then. Now we don’t have that. It’s hard to get results in this situation.

In the end, Giyosov’s words were confirmed. It was not just a coincidence. There was a reason that it affected the environment to such an extent that the result was destroyed. Uzbekistan recorded the best result in its history in Rio (4 gold, 2 silver and 7 bronze). Two years later, the XVIII Asian Games of 2018 in Jakarta and Palembang also recorded the best result in history. And now? Will the results of the 2022 Asian Games in Hangzhou be as fragmented in Jakarta as they were in Tokyo? Can we say no? It was noted that as of 31 January 2022, the National Olympic Committee had signed 31 orders for the organization of international and local training fees of national teams, and 7.3 billion som had been sent through the «UzASBO» system of treasury in sports federations. In any case, it’s not a small amount. 

Shoabdurakhmanov resigned of his own accord. What was the reason for this? Interestingly, neither the committee’s official website nor any other source gave reasons for his departure. Is it resignation from the post after recognizing the decline in sports over the last two years? or is it an escape?

What conclusions did NOC draw from the failure at the Tokyo Olympics? What is under plan for Paris 2024? Why is the system of federations not transparent? Why are the problems in chess and karate not over? Many such questions remain unanswered.

Meanwhile, while a nationwide debate is under way about the disaffection of World Champion Nodirbek Abdusattorov with the federation and the departure of Gulrukhbegim  Tohirjonova from Uzbekistan to defend American honor, the NOC and the Shoabdurahmanov do not seem to have anything to do with the incident.

Will the mistakes of the past remain?

Why when a person who heads the big committee of the country is fired, we just follow him with «applause»? Let’s applaud, sing, hold the pink flowers, write him a poem. But is it not time to learn from history, rather than repeat it, by pointing not only to their good deeds but also to their mistakes?

Since last night, the title “ex” has been used for Shoabdurakhmanov. What about his mistakes? Leaders change; however, mistakes remain unresolved. As it was said in old Uzbek proverb: “A good man creates a garden, a bad man-disaster.”

All is quiet! Many do not write about the «merits» of the person who for almost three years headed the most influential sports committee in the country. What has Rustam Shoabdurakhmanov and Uzbek sport done in recent years, or what has our sport lost with him? Why are questions from the public and journalists unanswered? However, before leaving, it was not difficult to organize a press-conference for the “ex”-leader, to answer the questions and asking for the consent of the people. If Rustam Shoabdurakhmanov had behaved well, he should have been followed. «Escaping» from their positions by writing a slow application is not a good case for managers. Especially if the organization he works for is financed from the state budget… Nobody but Rustam Shoabdurakhmanov knows what the taxpayer’s money is for, right? Shoabdurakhmanov had many questions, but unfortunately there were no answers. It will probably not happen again.
Indeed, the National Olympic Committee will not be without a leader. The new occupant of the vacant seat will soon be found. But everyone is interested in who will lead the committee. Is it the dismissed governor or the «multi-faceted hero» who leads several organizations at the same time? Or an experienced sports professional? These questions will soon be answered. But one thing is clear now, if the builder builds, the cook cooks, the seamstress sews, no business will crumble and we won't go any further than discriminating athletes in front of a TV by punching a pillow and slapping our foreheads.