Turkmenistan's Sporting Tragedy - Glory to the State, Money

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 ASHGABAT 001254 SIPDIS STATE FOR SCA/CEN (PERRY, NICOLAIDIS) SIPDIS SENSITIVE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV ECON PINR TX SUBJECT: Turkmenistan's Sporting Tragedy - Glory to the State, Money to Athletes and Managers Summary -------------- ¶1. (SBU) Political machinations, corruption and greed are literally and figuratively bankrupting Turkmenistan's sports. Since independence, the Soviet athleticism legacy has been eroding and hit the proverbial new low when Turkmenistan's soccer team withdrew from the 2006 Asian Games, one week prior to the start of the tournament, citing "doubts about how the team would do." This incident confirmed anecdotal information on the demise of athletic competition in Turkmenistan and provided evidence that, as in other social sectors, deeper political and economic factors are impairing sports development. End Summary. No More Sports for the Masses -------------- ¶2. (SBU) Turkmenistan inherited a centralized state-run sports system from the Soviets. However, during the country's 15 years of independence, the government has eliminated central budget support for national sports. Often, individuals and teams must find international sports NGOs and private businesses to support their efforts or rely on athletes' personal money streams. The government's promotion of sports on a massive level has decreased, resulting in fewer people playing sports. In the late 1990s, President Niyazov, probably responding to budgetary shortfalls, cancelled all school physical education classes, stating that people should play sports in specialized facilities, such as stadiums and gyms, not schools. Niyazov further argued that privatizing sports would lead to increased international sports achievement. Bringing Glory to the Motherland: Tools of the Trade -------------- -------------- ¶3. (SBU) The government's priorities have shifted from mass sports to high-level international sports which provide publicity for the government, both for national and foreign audiences. Raising Turkmenistan's flag in international sports fora is one way of making Turkmenistan known and brings the country closer to becoming "a developed nation," a goal high on Niyazov's political agenda. But more importantly, it is a useful domestic propaganda tool for Turkmenistan's people to believe that their country is "conquering international heights in all fields, including sports, under the relentless leadership of Saparmyrat Turkmenbashy the Great," as 
described by the state-owned media. For this reason, the government occasionally recognizes outstanding athletes by granting them honorary titles, state and financial awards, and material privileges, such as free apartments. ¶4. (SBU) Athletes, managers and media have learned to play along and "supply" the government with good results. Athletes travel to tournaments where they think there will be weaker opponents, play non-mainstream sports in which they have greater opportunities for success, and host tournaments without inviting strong athletes and teams. The President's Cup, an annual international soccer tournament sponsored by the Government of Turkmenistan, is an example of hosting an event to "reap" good results. The annual event features a few teams from neighboring countries, mostly from the CIS. Turkmenistan's teams often end up winning the tournament, mostly with the "assistance" of referees. Conversely, Turkmenistan's soccer team withdrew from the 2006 Asian Games because the country's soccer association "had doubts about how the team would do," according to the November 16 Associated Press report. A local sports reporter confirmed to PolAsst on November 27 that "the team is very weak now and soccer managers did not want the team to lose badly against strong teams, such as Japan and North Korea." Not Every Champion a Turkmen Champion -------------- ¶5. (SBU) In addition to picking the right tournaments to win, the right athletes need to do the winning. In fact, Turkmenistan is home to the reigning world champion disabled power lifter. This athlete receives neither press coverage nor any support from the state. Instead, he wins in complete anonymity in a dingy gym with equipment provided by USAID. In past years, Turkmenistan has attempted to prevent U.S. assistance from reaching its Special Olympics team, claiming the group was not registered correctly. The government also has tried to block USG attempts to attract disabled students to apply for its educational exchange programs. And the ASHGABAT 00001254 002 OF 004 government refused to publicize a recent U.S. contribution of 240 wheelchairs to the National Disabled Sports club. Clearly, and chillingly, disabled athletes do not qualify for the president's vision of a great Turkmen nation. Co-opting Foreigners -------------- ¶6. (SBU) Another tool to glorify the state is having one's picture taken with well-known people during trips to tournaments abroad, especially while handing the celebrity the president's book, "Ruhnama." The photos are then published in local media as a sign of the country's international success. Having famous sports figures come to Turkmenistan is an even better publicity opportunity. In 2005, emboff attended a banquet in honor of Hidetaka Nishiyama, a world-renowned karate master, who visited the country at the invitation of the local traditional karatedo federation, scoring the federation brownie points with the government. ¶7. (SBU) All of these glorification tricks are accompanied by sports managers' lies and exaggerations about their athletes' international performances to reporters. According to a state news agency sports reporter, "Many sports journalists have gotten into the habit of simply believing the facts athletes and their managers provide them and including them in their reports." Most reporters do not have Internet access to verify the results, and all local journalists and editors are known to practice self-censorship; they do not publish articles about unsuccessful performances. A local sports writer was surprised when his article that mentioned Turkmenistan's declining performance over the years at the Asian Games passed the editor's review. He suspected that the editor missed the nuance in what he wrote. Showy Sports Palaces -------------- ¶8. (SBU) Another instrument in the government's propaganda vis-a-vis sports is construction of lavish sports facilities. Two stadiums, a hippodrome, an ice-skating rink and a swimming complex are some of the projects commissioned in the past few years, totaling hundreds of millions of dollars. These facilities were built to support Niyazov's Ashgabat city beautification program, but they could have created an improved environment for sports development. The new facilities are often poorly maintained after construction because the ministries tasked with maintaining the infrastructure either do not have sufficient funds or the relevant maintenance expertise, or both. Many facilities are rented to commercialized gyms, which charge fees that are unaffordable to an average citizen. In addition, professional coaching salaries remain insufficient to attract the best qualified for these positions. Gray Money to Athletes -------------- ¶9. (SBU) Athletes and managers also participate in Turkmenistan's sports programs in order to compete internationally and reap the financial benefits of foreign currency conversion. The State Committee for Tourism and Sports reviews sports project proposals then forwards their funding recommendations to the banking department at the Cabinet of Ministers. Only the Cabinet of Ministers can grant permission for banks to convert sports Government NGOs' (GONGOs) or athletes' local currency (manats) into foreign currency at the official exchange rate, which is five times more beneficial than the black market rate. Using rounded numbers, the government will exchange an approved athlete's 25,000 manats for $5.00 vice the $1.00 conversion rate the athlete would receive on the black market. (Note: Currency exchange operations in Turkmenistan, from dollars to manats, usually take place on the black, aka, commercial, market, where the exchange rate is more favorable. End Note.) Previous athletic success often results in ministerial approval for conversion; hence, the exaggerated publicity of international competition achievements in various non-mainstream sports or not-so-competitive events (festivals, scholastic and university competitions). Sports organizations and athletes also illegally benefit by providing documents with forged costs and overstating expenses related to participation in international tournaments, thus reaping more ill-gained dollars. ¶10. (SBU) The dual exchange rate system could have provided considerable assistance to develop sports, but has been abused by ASHGABAT 00001254 003 OF 004 sports GONGOs and government sports officials, who appreciate the opportunity for graft. The government often sponsors Turkmenistan's athletes' participation in official events, such as World or Asian championships or Olympic Games, but to get conversion for other tournaments, athletes often need a "connection," a person who lobbies for conversion approval. The lobbyer and an official at the State Committee for Tourism and Sports keep their share of the exchange profit. This results in preferential treatment for some sports. A sports reporter told PolAsst, and other sports practitioners confirmed, that a chess federation director general, for example, has "excellent" connections with a deputy minister of sports. The reporter said, "That was the reason this chess practitioner got one of the two presidential Independence Day anniversary decorations allocated for sports." Even if a traveling team has the sports ministry's support, it is not uncommon that a currency conversion decision is delayed until a day or two before a competition to ensure that athletes and sports managers share their financial windfall with officials. ¶11. (SBU) Once a conversion request is approved, team managers and coaches may request that athletes or their families pay a fee in excess of what is required in order to make money for themselves. Athletes often pay, because they still receive subsidized travel to an international tournament. Weaker, but wealthier, athletes are often selected by coaches and managers to participate in tournaments abroad because they are able to "sponsor" coaches and other strong athletes by paying a large sum. ¶12. (SBU) International assistance to sports in Turkmenistan is also abused, including grants from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to the National Olympic Committee of Turkmenistan. According to one sports bureaucrat, eight athletes currently receive four-year IOC grants to prepare for the 2008 Olympics. The grants are for $1,000 per month, but the athletes receive only $200 in cash. Athletes are told that the balance is spent to cover medical and other expenses. Apart from the IOC, Turkmenistan's athletic organizations receive assistance from the international organizations FIFA (soccer),IAAF (track and field),ITF (International Tennis Federation) and from foreign governments as a diplomatic outreach tool; for instance, Japan subsidizes judo and karatedo. However, absent mandatory reporting, their support leaves space for abuse; equipment and uniforms provided by international NGOs and governments are often sold privately. ¶13. (SBU) Not everyone likes the gray economic incentives. Many skillful athletes and coaches leave Turkmenistan to work in other countries where they are paid better and do not encounter bureaucratic obstacles. A Turkmen soccer coach working in Russia, Gurban Berdiyev, has led his club team, "Rubin," to success in Russia's premier league for three consecutive years. Depending on the circumstances, many of the sports migrants are regarded as betraying their motherland. The only female chess grandmaster in Turkmenistan, Mahri Geldiyeva, who won medals in prestigious international tournaments, was not welcomed back after she worked as a coach in Singapore for several years. According to several chess players, many thought she would not be allowed to represent Turkmenistan in international events, but she was "forgiven" and earned fourth place on December 4 in a women's individual event during the Asian Games. Mainstream Sports Languish -------------- ¶14. (SBU) Those legitimate athletes participating in mainstream sports where there is next to no chance of winning on the international scene, e.g., tennis, receive no financial support. A former number one junior player in Turkmenistan said she had to pay her own way to all international tournaments and also pay for all her court time and equipment. Given the lack of Internet and normal supply routes, access to competition-quality equipment is difficult. This player told Charge that members of the tennis federation travel to Dubai as shuttle traders and then resell the equipment in Turkmenistan. This player now makes her living giving tennis lessons, but has to pay for court time and receives no support from the Turkmenistan Tennis Federation of Turkmenistan. (Comment: She said she had tried to apply for law school but couldn't afford the $14,000 admittance bribe. Though she was born and raised in Turkmenistan and was a nationally ranked athlete, she is ethnic Dagestani and not Turkmen, therefore the bribe to go to law school was the "foreigners rate," twice the domestic rate. End Comment.) She says the Federation even has to pay rent to the Ministry of ASHGABAT 00001254 004 OF 004 Sports and Tourism of approximately $800/month for the six courts located on the periphery of the "Olympic Stadium," thereby depriving the Federation of any revenue it might acquire from payment of court fees by tennis enthusiasts. ¶15. (SBU) There is no budget for junior tennis players wishing to compete internationally. The recent local winner of a 13 year-old and under tournament in Malaysia had her plane ticket funded by the Turkish Ambassador. Charge has been approached repeatedly by trainers and parents asking for travel support for their children to compete internationally. Nevertheless, the courts are almost always full with talented children and parents hoping they'll get the "big break." Comment: Where Are Turkmenistan's Sports Headed? -------------- -------------- ¶16. (SBU) Inflated government-led propaganda in sports and financial schemes that lack clarity and integrity have negatively influenced Turkmenistan's athletic achievements. Too much financial uncertainty and too many unnecessary bureaucratic headaches distract athletes and prevent them from advancing professionally. There are basically no initiatives coming from the government aimed at encouraging athletes' professional development. Any successful result is immediately attributed to "the great leader's attention and care for sports," and -- like society in general -- athletes are captive to the government's strict control mechanisms. Athletes are not able to independently finance their professional work, and every year, sports are succumbing to the political pressure of corrupt leadership. More attention on true athletic achievement, coupled with promoting successful athletes as role models for younger generations, could nurture a future desire for a true sporting environment...and by extension, a healthier lifestyle. End Comment. BRUSH