The meeting participants discussed further measures for the development of mass sports, the preparation of national teams for the Olympic Games and the Paralympic Games in Tokyo in 2020 and other relevant issues.

The meeting was attended by Minister of Culture and Sports Aktoty Raimkulova, Director of the Directorate of Sports of the National Olympic Committee Elsiyar Kanagatov, Executive Director of the National Paralympic Committee Yerlan Suleimenov, as well as representatives of sports federations and head coaches of national teams.

“As you know, the country's leadership has set specific tasks for the development of mass sports and sports of the highest achievements. In the field of mass sports, the priority is to increase the coverage of the country's population with systematic physical education and sports. This year this indicator should reach 30%,” Saparbayev said.

However, he pointed to the small number of licenses won for the 2020 Olympic Games.

“There are 8 months left before the Olympic Games, and our athletes have won 21 licenses. Before the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro in the same period, we had 45 licenses. Your task is to win at least 100 licenses,” said the deputy prime minister.

According to Raimkulova, the country has 38 thousand sports facilities, including 27 thousand educational facilities and 11 thousand sports facilities. According to statistics, 5.5 million Kazakhstanis regularly engage in physical education and sports.

Among the problems that impede the development of mass sports, the minister highlighted the lack of instructors and methodologists. The highest shortage of specialists is in the Akmola region.

“Equipping sports equipment also leaves much to be desired. According to our data, only 66% of schools are equipped with special sports equipment,” she stated.

In his turn, Kanagatov said that 339 sets of medals in 33 sports will be played at the Tokyo Olympics. For the first time, 5 sports are included: karate, rock climbing, baseball, skateboarding and surfing.

“After the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, a set of measures was taken to prepare for the upcoming Olympic Games. First of all, we drew attention to areas where, in our opinion, we had weak positions – this is sports medicine and the creation of conditions for the training of athletes. Now in all kinds of sports the combined teams have doctors, masseurs, nutritionists and other specialists who accompany the teams at training camps and competitions. Today, we have attracted more than 100 sports medicine specialists who, together with the coaching staff, are involved in the preparation of national teams,” assured Kanagatov.

According to him, special attention is paid to anti-doping work. Only in this quarter, 15 seminars were held. Active cooperation has been established with the Kazakhstan National Anti-Doping Center.

This year, Kazakhstan athletes won a record number of medals at the World Championships – 19, which indicates the potential.

Summing up the meeting, the deputy prime minister noted the need for interaction among all interested parties.

“There should be close interaction between the relevant ministry, the national Olympic committee, federations and regions. Then we can achieve good results. Along with this, we must actively engage in the development of mass sports. In Kazakhstan, over 11 thousand sports facilities, 86% of schools are equipped with gyms. It is necessary to popularize sports and healthy lifestyles among the population, to develop children and youth sports in order to educate future champions. All the possibilities are there. The government has always supported, and will continue to support, the federations. Our main task is to adequately represent Kazakhstan at the Tokyo Olympics,” Saparbayev summed up.