A nation known for its wrestlers is now looking up to its football stars to dispel some gloom in the economic scene that has been a part of its existence ever since the erstwhile Soviet Union fell apart in 1991. For Kyrgyzstan, nothing can be more motivating than the exploits of the Iraqis at the recently concluded AFC Asian Cup. “Iraq are an inspiration for all the countries. The way they overcame seemingly insurmountable odds to scalp a sensational win over much fancied rivals, is a great example of the way sport can motivate and unite people,” said Amangeldy Muraliev, the former Prime Minister of Kyrgyzstan, and also the president of Football Federation of Kyrgyz Republic (FFKR), who is in the Capital as the head of the delegation of his team at the ongoing ONGC Nehru Cup football tournament.Kyrgyzstan, a nation of just 5 million people, is still struggling to find its feet following the dissolution of the Soviet regime. So naturally, sport is not on top of the agenda of the government. “We are in the process of economic and social reforms so it is but obvious that sports will take a back seat for the time being,” added Muraliev, who was the Prime Minister from April 1999 to December 2000.The central Asian nation has a good sporting tradition centered mostly around wrestling, but football has had its heydays even when they were part of the erstwhile Soviet Union.A number of Kyrgyz players, most notably Sergei Fokin, were a part of the Olympic gold medal-winning Soviet team of 1988 and several others have found place at the big clubs from Moscow, including Spartak Moscow. But lack of funds has thrown football development out of gear.“There is not much support from the central government, so the national federation and clubs have to meet the expenses from their own pockets and that is not a sustainable model for growth,” laments Muraliev, who was also the first Finance Minister of his nation in 1991.He added that the governing body of international football (FIFA) and their Asian counterparts AFC have been very supportive of Kyrgyzstan football and whatever little infrastructure they have been able to build was due to funding by FIFA’s Goal project. Kyrgyzstani players impressed several observers during the 2006 World Cup qualifiers, when they ran Bahrain close and Iraq and even defeated Syria in an away match. “We have been able to build some grassroot network but the problem is that players have nowhere to go once they graduate from the junior level. Our clubs don’t have money, they cannot pay salaries. As a result players either migrate to neighbouring countries like Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and even Turkey or they leave football,” said Muraliev.The seasoned hexagenarian, however, is hopeful that his nation’s sporting tradition will revive if the corporate sector plays a more active role. “We are working towards a more active support from the government but we can only grow as a sporting nation if the involvement of the corporate sector grows. We are making efforts. Let’s hope for the best,” he added.Muraliev also served as the president of the Kyrgyz Stock Exchange from 2001 to 2004 and his network might be the key to future for Kyrgyz football. India has had a historical relationship with Kyrgyzstan as the central Asian nation was a part of the famous Silk trade route. The relationship has remained strong ever since and today it extends to several sectors, most notably in Information Technology. The former premier hopes that the co-operation will include sports and culture as well.
