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.
Bayer 04 Leverkusen go into today’s match at TSG 1899 Hoffenheim stung from their first league defeat in 16 months. Leverkusen were beaten 3-2 at home by RB Leipzig before the international break, the first loss since May last year for the reigning league and cup champions. While any defeat, particularly against a likely title rival, would have disappointed coach Xabi Alonso, the way in which it happened would be most concerning. Just as they did in the Supercup against VfB Stuttgart and in the league opener to Borussia Moenchengladbach, Leverkusen scored first, but were pegged back. However, while Leverkusen rallied late to
The lights dimmed and the crowd hushed as Karoline Kristensen entered for her performance. However, this was no ordinary Dutch theater: The temperature was 80°C and the audience naked apart from a towel. Dressed in a swimsuit and to the tune of emotional music, the 21-year-old Kristensen started her routine, performed inside a large sauna, with a bed of hot rocks in the middle. For a week this month, a group of wellness practitioners, called “sauna masters,” are gathering at a picturesque health resort in the Netherlands to compete in this year’s Aufguss world sauna championships. The practice takes its name from a
Japanese players are moving to English soccer in record numbers and more look set to follow with clubs attracted by their quality, strong work ethic and value for money. Kaoru Mitoma is the standout talent of five Japanese players in the English Premier League, with eight more in the Championship and two in League One. Liverpool midfielder Wataru Endo, the captain of Japan, believes his compatriots are “being held in higher esteem” by English clubs compared with the past. “The staff at Liverpool ask me about lots of Japanese players, not necessarily with a view to a transfer, but just saying this or
Taiwan yesterday survived Bosnia and Herzegovina to win their Davis Cup World Group I tie at the Taipei Tennis Center. The tight series started on Saturday with world No. 123 Jason Tseng losing 3-6, 7-5, 6-4 to Mirza Basic in the opening singles matchup. However, teammate Tony Wu kept the tie even, dominating world No. 86 Damir Dzumhur 6-2, 6-1. Yesterday, 24-year-old Ray Ho and partner 25-year-old Hsu Yu-hsiou kept up the momentum, making short work of Basic and Nerman Fatic, winning 6-3, 6-4. Tseng then suffered another defeat, losing 6-4, 2-6, 6-2 to Dzumhur in a brutal match that lasted more than two