Disappointments and Victories: Uzbekistan’s Mixed Olympic Journey

The historic Paris 2024 Olympics are ongoing, but the performance of Team Uzbekistan, which sent its largest delegation in history, has yet to meet expectations. Medal hopes are fading, and the most disappointing result so far came from Uzbekistan's Olympic football team, which exited the tournament early despite high hopes for a podium finish.

This raises important questions: What went wrong for Temur Kapadze and his players? Were the player selections for the adult team flawed?

To get answers, QALAMPIR.UZ turned to veteran sports journalist Mirzahakim Tokhtamirzaev.

“The head coach, Temur Kapadze, is personally responsible for the outcome. He had the authority to choose the players. If I were in his position or advising him, I would have replaced only one player among Shomurodov, Orunov, and Alikulov.

Oston Orunov is an excellent player, but for this Olympics, I would have chosen Odiljon Hamrobekov instead. Oston thrives during counterattacks, but what we needed was a player capable of neutralizing counterattacks,” Tokhtamirzaev explained.

During the interview, the respected journalist also touched on the participation of other Uzbek athletes, the localization of foreign talent, and notable victories, including Diyora Keldiyorova’s global success in judo.

Tokhtamirzaev offered a thought-provoking analysis of the differences in the attention given to education and sports achievements in Uzbekistan.

“The title of Summer Olympic Champion is eternal. No one refers to them as a 'former champion.' Diyora Keldiyorova not only earned this title but also showcased the strength of Uzbekistan and its judo development to the world.

Now take the case of Rayyona. How many people learned about Uzbekistan through the victory of a Uzbek girl in Germany? I don’t mean to diminish Rayona’s success—she, too, deserves proper recognition—but we must ensure that the achievements of Olympic athletes are honored as they deserve,” Tokhtamirzaev concluded.