According to Freedom Holding Corp. CEO Timur Turlov, it is high time for Kazakhstan to abandon the idea that football is «not our» sport. He believes football is the best way to engage a large number of people in sports and achieve positive results for the entire country, provided the approach is sound and no immediate results are expected.
The businessman explained why he is explicitly focused on this sport. Football remains the most popular sport in the world and the undisputed leader in Europe. Therefore, if the goal is to create a large-scale project that reaches as many people as possible, football is the obvious choice, he said.
At the same time, Turlov acknowledged that he often encounters skepticism toward football in Kazakhstan, as people say Kazakhs aren’t as good at football as they are at wrestling, for example.
«Football isn’t our game, several of my friends have told me — and what I want to say is that this isn’t true,» Turlov said.
He is convinced that Kazakhstanis have great potential in the sport. The key point, he said, is that mass sports require a completely different type of infrastructure than individual sports, which Kazakhstan traditionally excels in. Infrastructure, of course, is the most expensive and complex part of the system, the businessman noted.
Furthermore, Turlov said he has great faith in the country’s youth football, which could — and should — be managed much more effectively. This is something he wants to demonstrate in practice himself.
Speaking about Kazakhstan’s football development, the businessman mentioned the case of Kairat Boranbayev, describing it as very positive.
«He is now reaping the fruits of his long-term efforts and inspiring others to pursue similar achievements,» Turlov said, referring to Boranbayev’s FC Kairat qualifying for the Champions League, Europe’s most prestigious club competition.
Given that 90% of funding in Kazakhstan goes to adult teams rather than youth football, Turlov suggests that by increasing investment in youth development, attracting professionals and properly organizing the process, Kazakhstan will be able to develop far more young football talent.
Ultimately, he believes the national football system will allow the country to perform significantly better than it does today.
Freedom Holding Corp. is a leading brokerage and investment holding company in Central Asia and Eastern Europe, led by CEO and majority shareholder Timur Turlov.
In Kazakhstan, the holding provides brokerage services under the brands Freedom Broker (Freedom Finance JSC, a KASE member) and Freedom Finance Global (an AIX member). Other Freedom Holding Corp. subsidiaries also operate in the country, including Freedom Bank and insurance companies Freedom Insurance and Freedom Life.
Earlier this year, a subsidiary of Freedom Holding Corp. acquired FC Shakhter Karagandy.
