In the Tselinograd district of the Akmola region, a 14-year-old schoolboy died during a private game of kokpar. The teenager fell from his horse and lost consciousness, but he could not be saved.
WHAT IS KNOWN ABOUT THE TRAGEDY
The tragic incident occurred on 26 May 2026 in the rural district of Rakhymzhan Koshkarbayev.
According to the Instagram account nayza_kokshe, citing the official response from the district akimat, the training sessions were held on the private initiative of citizens and were not an official sporting, cultural, or other event organised by local executive bodies.
The akimat stated that it had not been notified of the event. No official applications or requests for approval were submitted to the local executive body.
WHO TOOK PART IN THE GAME
Immediately after the tragedy, questions arose about who organised the competition and how a minor came to be involved.
According to preliminary information, only adults took part in the game. The exception was the minor, who arrived at the venue with relatives and was brought into the game as a replacement for one of the absent participants.
POSITION OF THE AKIMAT AND SPORTS DEPARTMENT
Earlier, the regional sports department stated that it had no involvement in these competitions. The akimat also confirmed that the event was not an official one.
Furthermore, the district akimat noted that there are no state-sponsored kokpar sports sections in this settlement that are maintained by district or regional institutions.
WHERE THE TRAINING SESSIONS WERE HELD
According to the district akimat, the event took place on a land plot owned by M.S. Narikbayev KAZGUU University JSC.
The designated purpose of the plot is for a recreation area. However, the facility has no official name.