Prominent Kyrgyz athletes reject “corrected” national flag

Prominent Kyrgyz athletes have said they will not perform under the changed national flag.

On Wednesday the Kyrgyz parliament backed President Sadyr Japarov’s plan to ‘correct’ the national flag, so the sun on it does not look like a sunflower.

The decision was taken hastily, within three months of its announcement, and despite strong criticism from civil society and some MPs. 

Twice world wrestling champion Zholaman Sharshenbekov said in a media interview that he was against changing the flag.

“I have the old one. I am not planning to get a new one. In the future I will perform only under the old flag,” he said.

World kickboxing champion Dastan Sharsheyev said he, “like 99 percent of the Kyrgyz people”, did not recognise the new flag.

“Since I was 19 I have performed under this flag you can see behind me, taking it as a honour,” he said in a video statement.

“Our flag is our history and our future. There is no need to change it,” Sharsheyev added.

Footballers Azamat Baymatov and Mirlan Murzayev made similar statements.

“I know only one thing. My dear flag shall be forever in my hand and in my heart!” Baymarov said.

Murzayev, who plays for a Turkish club, said: “I [my club] was Turkish champions five times, and every time I celebrated by bringing out this flag. Our old, dear flag.”

Deputy prime minister Edil Baysakov reacted by saying that all Kyrgyz athletes would in future competitions use the new flag.

“In April [2024] we will host the Asian [wrestling] championship and another official international tournament. Of course, our new flag will be raised there.

“Be that the Paris Olympic games, or any other [competitions], God willing, the new flag will be raised in honour of our hero Zholaman,” he said in an X post.

Speaking last week, President Japarov said it was his idea to change the flag.

“We are not making it blue or white, we are introducing only small changes,” Japarov told a People’s Assembly meeting.

Japarov earlier said that the ‘wavy’ sun rays on the flag made it look like a sunflower. Once the sun rays have been ‘straightened’, according to him, “the sun will shine on us, and smile at us” and from then on ”we shall be a developed and independent country”. 

Days before the parliament’s final vote on the bill, authorities detained the most vocal critic of the move, civil activist Aftandil Jorobekov. He was charged with calls to “actively oppose authorities’ legal orders” and mass disturbances.

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