The Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) Council of Heads of Government has declared Ashgabat the “City of New Sports Opportunities,” according to a press release from the CIS Executive Committee on 24 May 2024.
The council also instructed the CIS Council for Physical Culture and Sports to develop a 2024-2025 Action Plan to realize this initiative.
Turkmenistan has a history of hosting major international sporting events across various disciplines. Notably, Ashgabat successfully held the 5th Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games in 2017, featuring over 5,000 athletes from 62 countries competing in 21 sports.
In 2018, Turkmenistan spearheaded the establishment of World Bicycle Day, now celebrated annually on 3 June by the United Nations General Assembly. The same year witnessed the successful “Amul-Khazar 2018” rally, retracing the historical Silk Road route, and the World Weightlifting Championship.
Turkmenistan continued its commitment to sports by hosting the 14th Kurash Wrestling World Championship in 2023 and the International Ice Hockey Tournament in 2024.
Recent years have seen Turkmenistan actively participate in CIS sports cooperation. President Serdar Berdimuhamedov proposed hosting the Friendship Games during the 2022 CIS Council of Heads of State meeting. This initiative, open to CIS and interested non-CIS nations, is currently under review by the CIS Council for Physical Culture and Sport, where Turkmenistan has had representation since 2023.
Turkmen athletes displayed their talent at the 2nd CIS Games in Belarus (2023), securing 18 medals (3 silver and 15 bronze), underlining the nation’s strong sporting presence.
The CIS Council of Heads of Government’s decision recognizes Turkmenistan’s growing role in fostering joint large-scale sporting ventures within the CIS. It signifies a valuable contribution to implementing the CIS Agreement on Cooperation in Physical Culture and Sports and strengthens the traditionally friendly ties between CIS member states. ///nCa, 24 May 2024 (based on the materials of the press service of the CIS Executive Committee)