Sport in Uzbekistan
Encyclopedia
Over the centuries, Uzbekistan
has had a tradition of fostering equestrians and wrestlers (palvins). Some of the sports that originate in the country are the kurash
, which is a type of upright wrestling, along with belbogli kurash, another type of upright wrestling, and turon
, boyqurgan as the other two types of Uzbek wrestling. Other popular sports in Uzbekistan are football, boxing
, wrestling
, and judo
.
, which features 16 teams. The current champions are FC Bunyodkor
, and the team with the most championships is FC Pakhtakor Tashkent
with 8. The current player of the year (2010) is Server Djeparov
. Uzbekistan regularly participates in the AFC Champions League
and the AFC Cup
. Nasaf won AFC Cup in 2011 which is first international club cup for Uzbek football.
, but since its independence in 1991, Uzbekistan has created its own national team
.
is one of Uzbekistan's most popular sports, but nothing special has been achieved.
, two gold medals and two silver medals in wrestling
, and a silver medal in judo
. Uzbekistan's only medal at the Winter Olympics was a bronze medal in cross-country skiing
.
Uzbekistan
Uzbekistan , officially the Republic of Uzbekistan is a doubly landlocked country in Central Asia and one of the six independent Turkic states. It shares borders with Kazakhstan to the west and to the north, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan to the east, and Afghanistan and Turkmenistan to the south....
has had a tradition of fostering equestrians and wrestlers (palvins). Some of the sports that originate in the country are the kurash
Kurash
Kurash is a form of upright jacket wrestling native to Uzbeks, practiced since ancient times. It is an event in the Asian Games and there is an effort to include Kurash in the Olympic games.-Rules:...
, which is a type of upright wrestling, along with belbogli kurash, another type of upright wrestling, and turon
Turon
Turon may refer to:*Turon, Kansas, a town in the United States*Turón, a town in Spain*Turon, a sport originating from Uzbekistan*Turon , a Filipino dessert made of banana and jackfruit, wrapped in an eggroll wrapper, and then fried...
, boyqurgan as the other two types of Uzbek wrestling. Other popular sports in Uzbekistan are football, boxing
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
, wrestling
Wrestling
Wrestling is a form of grappling type techniques such as clinch fighting, throws and takedowns, joint locks, pins and other grappling holds. A wrestling bout is a physical competition, between two competitors or sparring partners, who attempt to gain and maintain a superior position...
, and judo
Judo
is a modern martial art and combat sport created in Japan in 1882 by Jigoro Kano. Its most prominent feature is its competitive element, where the object is to either throw or takedown one's opponent to the ground, immobilize or otherwise subdue one's opponent with a grappling maneuver, or force an...
.
Football
Football is the most popular sport in Uzbekistan. Uzbekistan's premier football league is the Uzbek LeagueUzbek League
The Uzbekistan Professional Football League , is the top division of football in Uzbekistan, and is operated under the auspices of the Uzbekistan Football Federation.-Soviet time champions:*1926 : FC Tashkent*1927 : FC Tashkent*1928 : FC Fergana...
, which features 16 teams. The current champions are FC Bunyodkor
FC Bunyodkor
FC Bunyodkor is an Uzbek football club based in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.The club finished second in the 2007 Uzbek League season and made the semi-finals of the 2008 AFC Champions League...
, and the team with the most championships is FC Pakhtakor Tashkent
FC Pakhtakor Tashkent
FC Pakhtakor Tashkent is an Uzbek professional football club, based in the capital Tashkent. Pakhtakor means cotton-grower in English.Playing in the Uzbek League since 1992, the club has been the undisputed powerhouse in Uzbekistan since the fall of the Soviet Union, winning eight Uzbek League...
with 8. The current player of the year (2010) is Server Djeparov
Server Djeparov
Server Djeparov is an Uzbekistani professional football midfielder who currently plays for Al-Shabab. He has won the Asian Footballer of the Year awards twice, first in 2008 and the other in 2011.-Early life:He was born on 3 October 1982 in Chirchiq, Uzbek SSR...
. Uzbekistan regularly participates in the AFC Champions League
AFC Champions League
The AFC Champions League is the premier Asian club football competition hosted annually by Asian Football Confederation . The tournament is contested among the top thirty-two clubs from the top 10 Asian leagues, two of which must qualify through the playoffs...
and the AFC Cup
AFC Cup
The AFC Cup is an annual international association football competition between domestic clubs sides run by the Asian Football Confederation . Qualification to the competition is to clubs from AFC-affiliated countries which fall into the AFC's 'developing nations' category as laid out in their...
. Nasaf won AFC Cup in 2011 which is first international club cup for Uzbek football.
Rugby union
Uzbekistan used to be part of the Soviet Union national rugby union teamSoviet Union national rugby union team
The USSR national rugby union team was a sporting side that represented the Soviet Union in rugby union until the early 1990s.-History:Although such tournaments as the Soviet Cup and the Soviet Championship existed, rugby never became a major sport in the USSR...
, but since its independence in 1991, Uzbekistan has created its own national team
Uzbekistan national rugby union team
The Uzbekistan national rugby union team represents Uzbekistan in international rugby union. Uzbekistan are a member of the International Rugby Board , and have yet to play in a Rugby World Cup tournament. The Rugby Federation in Uzbekistan was established in 2001.-External links:* on IRB.com...
.
Handball
Handball is one of Uzbekistan's most popular sports, but nothing special has been achieved.Rugby league
Rugby leagueRugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
is one of Uzbekistan's most popular sports, but nothing special has been achieved.
Olympics
Since its independence in 1991, Uzbekistan has taken part in the Summer Olympics and Winter Olympics with increasing success. Uzbekistan has competed 4 times at the Summer Olympics, collecting one gold medal and 5 bronze medals in boxingBoxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
, two gold medals and two silver medals in wrestling
Wrestling
Wrestling is a form of grappling type techniques such as clinch fighting, throws and takedowns, joint locks, pins and other grappling holds. A wrestling bout is a physical competition, between two competitors or sparring partners, who attempt to gain and maintain a superior position...
, and a silver medal in judo
Judo
is a modern martial art and combat sport created in Japan in 1882 by Jigoro Kano. Its most prominent feature is its competitive element, where the object is to either throw or takedown one's opponent to the ground, immobilize or otherwise subdue one's opponent with a grappling maneuver, or force an...
. Uzbekistan's only medal at the Winter Olympics was a bronze medal in cross-country skiing
Cross-country skiing
Cross-country skiing is a winter sport in which participants propel themselves across snow-covered terrain using skis and poles...
.
Noteable athletes
- Djamolidine AbdoujaparovDjamolidine AbdoujaparovDjamolidine Abdoujaparov is a former professional road racing cyclist from Uzbekistan. Abdoujaparov was a sprinter, nicknamed "The Tashkent Terror" as he was so ferocious in the sprints...
, cyclist - Artur TaymazovArtur TaymazovArtur Taymazov is an Uzbek wrestler of Ossetian origin, and Uzbekistan's most decorated Olympian. Making his Olympic debut in Sydney in 2000, he won Uzbekistan's first Olympic wrestling medal in the 130 kg weight class, losing to Russian David Musul'bes in the final...
, wrestler - Ruslan ChagaevRuslan ChagaevRuslan Chagaev born October 19, 1978 in Andijan, Uzbek SSR, Soviet Union) is an Uzbekistani former WBA heavyweight boxing champion of Tatar ethnicity...
, boxer - Michael KolganovMichael KolganovMichael Kolganov is a Soviet-born, Israeli sprint canoer and former world champion. Competing in three Summer Olympics, he won the bronze medal in the K-1 500 m event at Sydney in 2000...
, sprinter - Alexander ShatilovAlexander ShatilovAlexander Shatilov is an Israeli artistic gymnast. He specializes in the floor exercise, in which he won several medals at world and European championships, and reached the final at the 2008 Summer Olympics.-Biography:...
, gymnast