Deep in the region of Russia’s Volga river, a largely Muslim city has emerged as a new sporting giant.
The success of Kazan, the capital of the Tatarstan region, has not only become the pride of Muslim Tatars but Russians across the country.
Kazan’s flagship act are Russian soccer champions Rubin Kazan, who beat Barcelona 2-1 at the Camp Nou last year and held the Spanish giants to a draw at home this year.
Kazan ice hockey club Ak Bars added to the sporting fame of Tatarstan, clinching four domestic crowns including the last two seasons and also winning the European Champions Cup in 2007.
Volleyball and basketball teams in Tatarstan have gained their places among their league’s leaders, providing the traditional favorites with tough opposition.
After the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991, Tatarstan’s sports teams slowly improved their position in the country’s leagues and clinched their places among the top divisions’ leaders.
Mintimer Shaimiev, the leader who presided over Tatarstan from 1991 until stepping down this year, is a passionate sports fan. He placed sports and a healthy way of life among his main social policy priorities.
Under Shaimiev, the local government established an up-to-date and easily accessible sporting infrastructure across Tatarstan.
Energy-rich Tatarstan made noises about independence from Russia in the early years after the fall of the Soviet Union but separatism later died down and the region now enjoys the status of a republic within Russia.
In 2006 Kazan launched a bid for the right to host the World Student Games and just two years later the international student sports ruling body granted the Tatarstan capital the right to host the 2013 Universiade.
That sign of confidence boosted significantly sports development in Tatarstan, not only inspiring the republic’s athletes but also bringing in solid investments into the sports sphere.
Regional oil companies and many others joined the band of investors and sponsors of Tatarstan sport teams adding their money to the budget funding.
The new funding allowed the republic’s clubs to bolster their line-ups with a set of players that boosted their performances.
In 2008, Rubin won their first ever national title along with Ak Bars, who became the first winners of the multi-national Continental Hockey League.
The next year both clubs repeated their successes.
After Shaimiev’s resignation earlier this year, his successor as Tatarstan president Rustam Minnihanov may go even further in developing sports in the republic.
Minnihanov is not only a passionate fan but also a former top-class sportsman, who won two Russian titles in auto racing.
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