An unexpected scandal in Kazakhstan's national team ahead of the 2025 Asian Games has taken a new turn.

As Alexander Klenko explained, athletes were informed that the formation of the team for the 2025 Asian Games would be based on the results of the Kazakhstan Championship. After running his distance (1500 meters), the athlete did not see his name on the lists, even though he finished second in the race.

Klenko received support from the regional sports department, which sent a letter to the Ministry of Tourism and Sports of the Republic of Kazakhstan. Kazinform also reached out to the Ministry of Tourism and Sports of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

The head coach of the national speed skating team of Kazakhstan, Alexander Panfilov, also commented on the situation regarding the athlete from Kostanay.

According to him, when forming the team for international competitions such as the Asian Games, many criteria are considered, including sports results, athletes' physical condition, their specialization, recommendations from the coaching staff, and the overall strategy for the team's performance.

— This decision was made solely in the interest of the team, taking into account the common goals, — he assured.

Alexander Panfilov noted that the coaching staff, together with the federation, identified priority distances where athletes have the highest chances of winning medals. The focus was on the team race, consisting of 8 laps, which requires coordination among participants.

— Out of 10 athletes, we needed to select the most cohesive team. The quota for participation was limited to 10 men and 10 women from the country. This requirement forces us to make difficult decisions, — said the head coach.

Furthermore, according to him, the deadlines for submitting named applications to the National Olympic Committee of Kazakhstan were set before December 1. At the same time, the Republic of Kazakhstan Championship took place from December 18 to 21.

The decision on the team composition was made by the coaching staff based on the analysis of the current condition of the athletes and their readiness to compete in key distances, he emphasized.

— Alexander remains an important part of the national team, and we hope that he will continue his career and bring us new achievements, — said the head coach.