“The Anti-Corruption Service has identified corruption risks during an external analysis of sports funding that negatively impact the development of sports. Specifically, 278 instances of the use of forged diplomas by individuals engaged in coaching and sports activities were uncovered, including 9 administrators, 248 coaches, and 21 other staff members. The majority of these cases were found in the Turkestan (44), Atyrau (30), Almaty (26), Zhambyl (22), and Akmolinsk (20) regions,” said Daniyar Bigaidarov at a briefing in the Anti-Corruption Agency.
According to him, in Astana, one of the heads of a youth sports school of Olympic reserve was working with a fake higher education diploma.
A similar case occurred in the Mangistau region, where the deputy director of a regional specialized youth sports school of Olympic reserve also operated with a fictitious diploma.
“Materials regarding all identified cases have been forwarded to law enforcement agencies, and pre-trial investigations are currently underway. In line with the measures taken, employment contracts have been terminated with 250 individuals. The resolution regarding the remaining dismissals will be determined based on the investigation outcomes. To eliminate such risks in the future, the Agency has provided the Ministry of Tourism and Sports and regional akimats with appropriate recommendations to prevent similar incidents. Work in this direction continues,” the spokesperson concluded.