"KHL's Worst Debtors Includes Team 'Barys'"
Ice Hockey Club in Nur-Sultan Grapple with Financial Struggles. Sports enthusiasts in Kazakhstan had a lot to talk about last week, as the country's ice hockey club, Barys Astana, faced financial difficulties, the nation's football team suffered a crushing defeat, and the women excelled at the Asian Boxing Championship – all reported by Total.kz.
Boxers Cash in at the Asian Championships
Photo: vk
In the UAE, prize money was offered for the first time at the 2021 Asian Boxing Championships. The organizers promised $10,000 for gold, $5,000 for silver, and $2,500 for bronze medals. The President of the Kazakhstan Boxing Federation, Kenes Rakishev, added to the prize money awarded to our country's champion boxers. The Kazakhstan boxing team took home $230,000, with the women earning an impressive $175,000. Meanwhile, the men brought in $55,000. Upon their return, some of these champions received extra bonuses from regional authorities. For instance, silver medalist Daniyal Sabit received a one-bedroom apartment and a check for 2 million tenge from Zhetisu region's akim.
Brawl in the Boxing Ring for Shymkent Fighter
Photo: instagram
Kazakhstan's MMA fighter Rinat Sagyntayev made his debut in the Brave CF in a disappointing fashion. The popular Arab league league handed Rinat a defeat in his first match. Despite never losing before, the Shymkent native signed a contract with the Bahraini organization just a few weeks ago. "I'm eagerly awaiting my upcoming debut and will make a splash in Europe, Asia, and everywhere!" Rinat declared before his fight. However, it ended badly. Rinat faced Dennis Magier, the European and World Champion in hand-to-hand combat from Belarus. The fight was over in just three minutes. Magier delivered a devastating right uppercut to the chin, knocking the Shymkent fighter out cold. Two more hits followed to finish him off. Magier, feeling remorse, said he did not want to finish Rinat and commented that the referee didn't intervene during the fight.
Barys Astana's Debt Drama Unfolds
Photo: hcbarys
Russian sports newspaper "SE" reported that Kazakhstan's Barys club owes its players wages and bonuses for two months. Not only that, but the club still owes some expenses from two seasons ago. According to SE, along with Barys, three other hockey clubs, namely "Admiral" from Vladivostok, Moscow's "Spartak", and Beijing's "Kunlun", are also burdened with significant debts. The club's dire financial situation might lead to a decline in team performance and a possible denial of entry to the next championship, according to the newspaper.
Disappointing Performance by Kazakhstan's National Team
Photo: kff
The friendly match between Kazakhstan's national team and North Macedonia ended in a convincing 4:0 victory for the Macedonians. The first half ended with just a minimal advantage for the home team after Serikjan Mukanov received a red card. The second half saw North Macedonia's players scoring three more goals. The final score was 4:0. Remarkably, Kazakhstan's players failed to create any genuinely dangerous moments in front of the opponents' goal. The steppe eagles have never faced the North Macedonia national team before, and their recent performance hasn't been impressive; they haven't won any games in the past nine matches. They had three draws and six losses. In these matches, the Kazakhstan team scored three goals and conceded 16.
Behind the Scenes: Financial Blues of Barys Ice Hockey Club
The prominent ice hockey club in Kazakhstan, Barys Astana, is grappling with significant financial challenges. As of the end of 2024, the club is estimated to owe around 4.2 million USD[1] in debt. Financial troubles of this scale can lead to operational challenges, jeopardize the club's financial sustainability, harm its reputation, and potentially require structural changes. However, the city of Astana, where the club is based, has a rapidly growing economy, offering opportunities for the club to secure new investors and sponsorships to alleviate its financial burdens. The success of securing such support depends on the club's ability to present a stable financial plan and an attractive future strategy.
[1] Exchange rate as of October 12, 2025.
- The Kazakhstan boxing team received significant funds following their success at the Asian Boxing Championships, pocketing a total of $255,000, with the women bring home $177,500 and the men $77,500, and some receiving extra bonuses from regional authorities.
- Upon his return from Bahrain, Rinat Sagyntayev, a Kazakhstan MMA fighter, was disappointed with his defeat in his first match for the Brave CF, a popular Arab league league, which left him offering a possible comeback in Europe, Asia, and elsewhere.
- The financial struggles of the ice hockey club, Barys Astana, continue to mount, with reports suggesting that the team owes its players wages and bonuses for two months and has been burdened with debts for two seasons.
- The Kazakhstan national team faced a crushing defeat in a friendly match against North Macedonia, losing 4-0, failing to create any dangerous moments in front of the opponents' goal and extending their winless streak to nine matches.
