300 fans to support Kazakhstan at Winter Olympics

The Kazakhstan Agency for Sports and Physical Education suggests sending 300 fans to cheer on our Olympic team, Tengrinews reports. “We suggest gathering a support group of 300 fans and paying for their meals, accommodation and uniforms,” said the Chairman of the Agency for Sports and Physical Education Tastanbek Yessentayev at the government meeting. In addition to the fan group, Yessentayev thinks it is important to send more experts to help the team during the Olympics. He said that according to the rules of the International Olympic Committee, every participating country can bring support staff in the amount of 50% of the number of Olympic licenses won by the country's athletes. "However, this quota is not enough to bring all the coaches, masseurs, psychologists and doctors who directly influence the athletes' readiness for the competition,” said the Chairman. According to the Chairman, the Agency is working on the list of people needed at the Olympics that includes athletes, coaches, doctors and other personnel. The list will include more than 100 names. Addressing the upcoming EXPO-2017 to be held in Astana, the Chairman said that it was important to set up “a press-center in the Olympic village to promote EXPO-2017 in Astana". It is also proposed to promote Kazakhstan as a possible future host of the Olympic Games. The Olympic team has a goal of improving the results they showed at the Vancouver Olympics and bringing home at least two medals. “We plan to take the 20th-23rd place in the overall team standing,” said Yessentayev. In Vancouver the Kazakh national team won the 25th place. The 22nd Winter Olympics are scheduled to be hold on February 7-23, 2014. By Altynai Zhumzhumina