Kazakhstan, which had just narrowly failed to obtain tenth place in the overall ranking at the London Olympics in 2012, didn’t win a single gold medal during the previous Olympics in Tokyo in 2021. This result was perceived to be a significant setback for the Kazakhstani sports. The disappointment of Kazakh sports fans didn’t end there.

At the 19th Asian Games, held from 23 September to 8 October 2023, in Hangzhou, China, Kazakh athletes won 80 medals – 10 gold, 22 silver, and 48 bronze – surpassing their previous worst one, set at the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta and Palembang. At that time, six years ago, the Central Asian nation had taken 9th place in the overall medal standings. Thus, Kazakhstan for the first time since its participation in these continental complex competitions held every four years had left the top 5. Before that, Kazakhstan had been entering the top four at five out of six Asian Games, behind just China, Japan, and South Korea, and only once, in 2010, it gave up this position to Iran and moved to 5th place.

So, after the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta and Palembang, articles appeared in Kazakhstan under headlines: “Asian Games 2018: flop for Kazakhstan”, and “Total failure. Kazakhstan had the worst performance in the history of the Asian Games”. If one proceeds from the foregoing, one may assume that Kazakhstan experienced an even more total failure, as it now dropped from the top 10 and only managed to come in eleventh at Hangzhou 2023.

Therefore, it comes as no surprise that such a situation caused serious concern at the highest levels of the Kazakhstani government. On October 11, 2023, while receiving Kazakh medalists of the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou at his residence in Astana, Kazakh President Tokayev noted that the nation’s performance in sports leaves much to be desired. “This situation is unacceptable; there is a need to carry out cardinal reforms in this sector”, he added.

Let’s see what is the situation now. The Paris Olympics now are in full swing. Before they began, there had, as far as can be judged, been certain excited expectations among the Kazakh high-ranked officials concerning possible Olympic wins by some of the Kazakhstani athletes. In this sense, there seemingly were high hopes for Elena Rybakina.

She has been on a special account at the Kazakh political elite lately. The Kazakh President’s attitude towards her has been unique. Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has time and again congratulated Elena Rybakina on her victories in regular tennis tournaments. He has also greeted her with Happy Birthday just recently. Accordingly, the Kazakhstani society has developed a unique feeling of elation towards her. This all has been widely covered by the national mass media. Accordingly, the Kazakhstani society has developed a unique feeling of elation towards her. Confirmation of this is, as evidenced by Vassily Konov, a Russian journalist, a huge picture of Elena Rybakina on the wall of the Embassy of Kazakhstan to France in Paris not far from Arc de Triomphe.

And all anything, Yes only Kazakhstan can no longer expect anything from Elena Rybakina at the Paris Olympics in 2024. The country’s top tennis stars like Elena Rybakina and Yulia Putintseva, another native of Russia, withdrew from the Olympic games citing illness, injury, and fatigue. Here’s how Sportskeeda, in a report entitled “Exactly why players shouldn’t be bought” – Fans react to Yulia Putintseva joining fellow Kazakh Elena Rybakina in withdrawing from Paris Olympics”,........

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