Sport in Central Asia under Gorbachev: Uzbekistan (1985 to 1991) Cover Image

Sport in Central Asia under Gorbachev: Uzbekistan (1985 to 1991)
Sport in Central Asia under Gorbachev: Uzbekistan (1985 to 1991)

Author(s): Sevket Hylton Akyildiz
Subject(s): Geography, Regional studies, Post-War period (1950 - 1989), Transformation Period (1990 - 2010), History of Communism, Sports Studies
Published by: Serkan YAZICI
Keywords: communist sport; Gorbachev; Soviet sport; traditional sport; Uzbekistan;

Summary/Abstract: This paper assesses the modern and traditional sports of the Soviet Union shortly before its collapse in 1991. The case study is the Central Asian republic of Uzbekistan under the Communist Party of the Soviet Union (CPSU, established 1917). Central Asia is a crucial historical case because it was a Muslim-majority region that Moscow wished to transform. The study is interdisciplinary and contains primary and secondary sources from the Cold War era. The research question asks: What did the implementation and impact of Soviet sport look like in Uzbekistan under Mikhail Gorbachev (CPSU leader from March 1985 to December 1991). Uzbekistan’s sportspeople, facilities, Spartakiad ranking of 1983, Olympic athletes, and traditional sports are the topics examined.

  • Issue Year: 6/2021
  • Issue No: 1
  • Page Range: 1-35
  • Page Count: 35
  • Language: English