Month: September 2023

ASTANA, Kazakhstan, Sept. 25, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — Elections to the International Tennis Federation (ITF) Board of Directors were held in Cancun, Mexico. Under the auspices of a special election commission and independent auditors, voting took place through secret ballot among eligible ITF members. Bulat Utemuratov, President of the Kazakhstan Tennis Federation, was re-elected to the Board of Directors for a new term, running from 2023-27. It will be his third term as a member of the Board.

Such recognition and trust on the part of the global tennis community is testament to the consistent delivery of election promises and the implementation of vital tasks to advance the global tennis agenda. Over the past four years, Bulat Utemuratov has helped pay special attention to issues of transparency within the organization, as well as to increasing organizational effectiveness through the introduction of necessary governance changes, such as the separation of roles between President and CEO, in line with best corporate practices. Relevant amendments were made to the ITF’s constitution and internal documents to incorporate these developments.

As Vice President of the ITF, Bulat Utemuratov also worked to advance children’s tennis, particularly in the under-12 age categories, by holding various regional team competitions. This age is critical for children’s development because they need international tournament practice, but the majority of young players do not have sufficient resources to travel. To address the problem, five of the most in-need regions of the world were awarded support: Oceania, Africa, Latin America, the Caribbean and Asia. The KTF President personally awarded more than $3 million in additional funding to help stage the regional team championships, in which more than 1,000 children from the five regions participated.

“I believe that the tennis community should unite as much as possible to realize the enormous potential of our sport, which is in the top-3 in terms of audience, but barely in the top-10 in terms of financial income. We need to make every effort to realize our opportunities, deliver significantly more resources to build new courts and facilities, stage tournaments, and fund talented players in all corners of the world,” Bulat Utemuratov said after the announcement of the voting results.

In 2021, Kazakhstan increased the number of votes it has to exercise at the annual general meeting (AGM) from 5 to 7. This is the third-highest of six ITF membership levels awarded to national federations. Representatives of 155 countries voted for this decision at the 2021 AGM — a sign of the significant progress made to develop tennis in Kazakhstan, which is now among the world’s top 20 tennis powers.

SOURCE: Kazakhstan Tennis Federation / https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/president-of-kazakhstan-tennis-federation-bulat-utemuratov-re-elected-to-itf-board-301937658.html

ASTANA, Kazakhstan, Sept. 11, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — Anna Danilina together with Finnish player Harri Heliovaara won the US Open 2023 mixed doubles title.

In the finals, the Kazakh-Finnish duo defeated top seeds Americans Jessica Pegula and Austin Krajicek 6:3, 6:4.

Ranked No.29 in doubles on the Hologic WTA Tour, Danilina has won her first Grand Slam and delivered Kazakhstan its first Grand Slam mixed doubles title.

“I have no words,” Danilina said. “It was an amazing run. It’s been a pleasure. To many more.”

During the awards ceremony, Danilina also congratulated her opponents, expressed her gratitude to her partner Harri Heliovaara, and thanked her fans, the tournament organisers, and her team for their support.

“I would like to thank Bulat Utemuratov, our President of Tennis Federation who came here today, and the whole federation for supporting me and tennis in Kazakhstan. It’s been an amazing opportunity, and I am so happy that we won this title for the first time ever!” she added. 

Bulat Utemuratov, the President of the Kazakhstan Tennis Federation and the Vice-President of the International Tennis Federation also commented on Anna Danilina’s victory, “This is the first Grand Slam victory for Anna Danilina and yet another success for Kazakhstani tennis! Anna is our country’s best doubles player and her achievement makes us more confident about the upcoming Billie Jean King Cup World Team Championships, where Danilina will be one of the leaders of Kazakhstan’s national tennis team.”

He added, “Last year, she played in the Australian Open finals, but unfortunately, didn’t return home with a victory. Experience, perseverance and a high level of play earned her the Grand Slam mixed doubles title this year. Anna’s constant progress makes us very optimistic about the victories ahead of her!”

SOURCE: Kazakhstan Tennis Federation / https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/kazakhstan-tennis-federation-anna-danilina-claims-us-open-championship-301923298.html?tc=eml_cleartime

• New school in Kazakhstan, providing innovative and progressive education for 3,000 pupils
• $16.5 million project with state-of-the-art educational, sports and recreational facilities
• Accessible for students with physical and visual impairments
• Will help alleviate the shortage of school facilities in Kosshy and Kazakhstan

ASTANA, Kazakhstan, Sept. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — The Bulat Utemuratov Foundation (the “Foundation”) is pleased to announce the opening of a new municipal school in the town of Kosshy, in Kazakhstan’s Akmola Region. It is set to be one of the leading schools in the country and will provide an innovative and progressive curriculum for local children.

The Foundation has fully financed the 7.5 billion Tenge ($16.5 million) project, which caters for 3,000 pupils, and has now donated the completed school to the local government of Kosshy to own and operate.

The school has state-of-the-art educational facilities, including bespoke classrooms, recreational areas, modern workshops, an information technology (IT) center, laboratory and art studio.

Additionally, the school has numerous sports facilities, including a basketball and volleyball court, a stadium with a mini football pitch and racetracks, as well as playgrounds.

Student wellbeing is a key focus, and the school has been made accessible with ramps and tactile paths for physically and visually impaired pupils, while its 17,500 square meter site has been landscaped with local species of grass, trees and shrubs.

Kazakhstan has seen a major increase in pupils in recent years, with 400,000 first-graders starting education in 2021, resulting in a significant burden on schools, including in Kosshy. This project will provide much needed educational facilities for local students, supporting the national “Comfortable School” initiative.

Almaz Sharman, Chair of the Board of Trustees of the Bulat Utemuratov Foundation, commented: “Education is a key focus of the Foundation, and I am delighted to open this state-of-the-art school. The shortage of quality educational facilities is a key issue at both national and local levels, and our new school will play an important part in helping the next generation of pupils in Kosshy to flourish.”

SOURCE: https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/the-bulat-utemuratov-foundation-opens-cutting-edge-school-in-kazakhstan-301916115.html