(4 March 2026 | Source: Service ‘Judicial Cabinet’)
A court in Kostanay has declared illegal the refusal of the Ministry of Tourism and Sport of the Republic of Kazakhstan to pay monetary rewards to two Kazakh athletes. This concerns wrestlers Anatoly Veklich and Murat Kintonov, who won prizes at world veterans’ championships in sambo and judo and sought payments through the courts.
WHAT RESULTS THE ATHLETES ACHIEVED
As follows from the ruling of the Specialised Inter-District Administrative Court of Kostanay Region, the athletes competed at international events representing Kazakhstan.
Anatoly Veklich took several prize places:
- 1st place at the World Sambo Championships in 2016, in the city of Poreč (Croatia)
- 1st place at the World Sambo Championships in 2017, in Thessaloniki (Greece)
- 2nd place at the World Sambo Championships in 2018, in Casablanca (Morocco)
- 3rd place at the World Judo Championships in 2017, in Olbia (Italy)
Murat Kintonov took:
- 1st place at the World Sambo Championships in 2016, in Poreč (Croatia), in the 100 kg weight category.
WHY THE MINISTRY REFUSED
In June 2025, the athletes submitted appeals through the e-Otinish portal to the Ministry of Tourism and Sport requesting monetary rewards. However, on 1 July 2025, the department issued decisions refusing the payment.
The department cited two arguments:
- the athletes were not part of the national team;
- the deadline for applying for the payment had been missed.
It was also stated that the current rules for forming national teams do not provide for the inclusion of veteran athletes in national squads.
WHAT THE COURT DECIDED
The court concluded that these grounds cannot serve as a reason for refusal.
The ruling notes that legislation does not contain a prohibition on paying monetary rewards to veteran athletes if they have won prizes at international competitions.
The court also indicated that victories at world championships are significant not only for the athletes themselves but also for the international image of Kazakhstan.
As a result, the court:
- declared unlawful the ministry’s decisions of 1 July 2025 refusing the payments;
- ordered the Ministry of Tourism and Sport of the Republic of Kazakhstan to make payments for the prize places;
- awarded in favour of Anatoly Veklich 300,000 tenge in legal costs for representation;
The court also ordered the ministry to remedy the violations of the plaintiffs’ rights within one month of the decision entering into force.
According to media reports, the amount of possible payments could be around $2,300 for Murat Kintonov and $11,400 for Anatoly Veklich, although the court ruling does not specify exact amounts. The payments must be calculated by the ministry in accordance with current rules.
The decision may be appealed at the Kostanay Regional Court within two months.