After salary controversy, Mikhail Shaidorov makes generous gesture to children

On June 4, Kazakhstani Olympic figure skating champion Mikhail Shaidorov met young figure skaters at Complex Children’s and Youth Sports School No. 3 in Almaty and presented them with gift certificates to purchase sports equipment. 

The meeting was held to mark International Children’s Day, celebrated on June 1 in Kazakhstan. The athlete gifted 30 certificates, each worth about $411, for a total of roughly $12,334.

«Today I met children practicing figure skating at Complex Children’s and Youth Sports School No. 3 in Almaty and presented them with a small gift to mark International Children’s Day — gift certificates for sports equipment. Rakhmet [Kazakh for ‘thank you’] for your support! I’m very glad I was able to give the children positive emotions and confidence in themselves. I will continue striving to support more and more children involved in our wonderful sport,» Shaidorov wrote on Threads.

Context

Earlier, Shaidorov made a public statement that he wasn’t paid a salary, though he had planned the camp and setup of new programs ahead of a new season. After that, the the Sports Development Directorate said the salaries for January and February 2026 had been settled, while the terms of a new contract were under discussion.

The athlete later said that after receiving remuneration for the past months, he would transfer it to support children marking the International Children’s Day. On June 1, Vice Minister of Tourism and Sports Serik Zharasbayev said that the sides had reached an agreement and that the athlete had signed the contract. He promised that all salary obligations set out in the agreement would be fulfilled on time.