Interview with Kazakhstan National Volleyball Federation Secretary General Meirbek Nuguspanov

On September 28, 2026, Meirbek Nuguspanov was appointed Secretary General of the organization by order of the President of the Kazakhstan National Volleyball Federation.

In an interview with the federation’s press service, Meirbek Musabekovich shared his vision for the development of volleyball in Kazakhstan, discussed current challenges, and outlined future prospects.

— Meirbek Musabekovich, the Kazakhstan Volleyball Federation recently underwent re-registration and became the Kazakhstan National Volleyball Federation. What prompted this change?

— This was required under the current Rules for the Accreditation of Sports Federations, approved by the Ministry of Tourism and Sports. Only one national federation can be accredited for each sport in Kazakhstan, and regional federations must be its members. We therefore established a unified structure that brings together all forms of volleyball in Kazakhstan: indoor, beach, sitting volleyball, snow volleyball, and veterans’ volleyball.

On September 26, the first conference of the Association of Legal Entities “Association of the Kazakhstan National Volleyball Federation” took place. It brought together almost all regional federations, as well as the Sitting Volleyball Federation and the Veterans Volleyball Federation of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

The conference elected Madi Tokeshevich Takiev as federation president for a four-year term. The federation’s leadership was then formed by presidential order:

First Vice President — Arman Nurlanovich Kabesov;

Vice President for Sports Operations — Zhandos Baktbekovich Bairkhanov;

Vice President for Sitting, Beach and Snow Volleyball — Duisenbay Nurbayevich Turganov;

Secretary General — myself.

— Could you explain your powers and responsibilities in your new position?

— As Secretary General, I am responsible for the overall development of volleyball.

My responsibilities include leading and managing the day-to-day work of a team that includes the Refereeing Committee, International Committee, Legal Department, Marketing, IT, and the Competition Organization and Licensing Department.

I pay particular attention to the quality of officiating. Qualified referees and inspectors must be assigned to every match. Confidence in our championship depends directly on this.

There are many issues that need to be addressed, and I am not promising rapid reforms. The federation’s immediate priority is to help clubs organize their matches. The First Vice President is visiting all regions. Each region has its own volleyball-related challenges. Arman Nurlanovich meets with regional governors and deputy governors. Implementation is then handed over to me, and I oversee the execution of decisions and agreements reached with regional leadership.

This year, the KNVF strategy focuses on working together with every club to help them resolve their particular problems.

— This season, the format of the men’s and women’s National Leagues has changed from a tournament-based system to a home-and-away format. Two rounds have already been played in the women’s league and one in the men’s league. What challenges have the federation and clubs faced during this transition?

— The main challenge is organizing home matches. Under the previous system, some clubs and cities hosted rounds infrequently, and their infrastructure was not ready for the new format.

For volleyball to develop fully across the regions, every city needs at least one properly equipped arena. This primarily means good lighting, professional sports flooring, and a video replay system. If everything is organized correctly once, the investment will serve the club for a long time: the season is long, and the arena will be used regularly. Spectators also enjoy visiting a venue that looks attractive and modern.

For the federation, the main challenge is the availability of qualified referees. Four matches can take place simultaneously in different cities, requiring eight to twelve strong officials. We are working on this. I am confident that the situation will improve by the end of the season and that all referees will receive equal opportunities to officiate and gain the necessary experience.

One important detail is that reserve teams travel alongside the main squads. The reserve team plays in the morning, while the first team plays in the afternoon or evening.

My task is to make this transition as smooth as possible for both clubs and the federation. Our goal is to build a system that operates without disruptions.

— How do you assess the current state of volleyball in Kazakhstan, and which areas, beyond changing the championship format, need to be improved in the near future?

— Our main advantage is a strong and competitive domestic championship, for both men and women. We must build on this foundation to improve the results of our national teams.

My first proposal is to prohibit clubs from signing foreign players for the setter position. We have strong attackers, while young setters either play for weaker clubs or sit on the bench. At the same time, the national team’s main setters are already older players. Such a restriction would give younger setters more playing time, and the national team would benefit from it.

Second, we need more matches in youth volleyball. Youth volleyball is growing rapidly, and young players need competitive experience at the national level. We are proposing a pilot project that would divide the country into four zones. Zonal tournaments would take place in autumn, winter and spring, with the best teams meeting in a final tournament in summer. If approved, the project would launch in a year. In the longer term, I would like to see a full youth regular-season championship, with teams playing one another on weekends throughout the school year.

Third, we need to pay more attention to the national teams by organizing training camps and ensuring comprehensive preparation for international competitions.

Finally, we are developing regulations for the Kazakhstan Snow Volleyball Championship and plan to launch it in 2027. This is a promising discipline for us: Kazakhstan is one of the northernmost countries in Asia, and our beach volleyball players are already performing successfully at international level.

We will first discuss all these proposals within the federation, then at the Executive Committee, and subsequently with clubs and regional federations. Such issues cannot be resolved overnight, but consistent work will certainly produce results.

— How important is it to establish unified requirements for clubs regarding infrastructure, medical support, youth development and fan engagement?

— This is one of the key issues. National League clubs are already required to have reserve teams. The next step we are preparing is to require every club to establish a youth academy with three or four teams across different age groups, as in our youth championship.

In addition, each club must have its own playing hall or rent one with good lighting and seating for a specified number of spectators.

Medical support is another important area. A doctor must be present at every match, and players must undergo comprehensive medical examinations before the season. Athletes’ health is not an area where savings should be made.

Fan engagement is equally important. Every club should maintain its social media accounts, announce matches in advance and make its home games visually appealing. We want people to come to the arena not only to watch volleyball but also to enjoy the experience. The home-and-away format gives clubs an opportunity to build a regular fan base in their own cities.

At the same time, we take the actual capabilities of each region into account and cannot demand everything at once. Negotiations with clubs are ongoing, and our task is to help everyone move towards a common standard over time.

Volleyball cannot develop without infrastructure. Wherever I have been in the world, the process always begins with building the necessary foundation. Only then can we talk about results and mass participation.

One of my goals is to invite an expert coach from the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB). The expert would visit the regions and conduct seminars for youth coaches.

— How do you see the development of a commercial model for volleyball clubs that would gradually reduce their dependence on public funding and attract more private partners?

— This is a must-have for every club. A sponsor is a financial safety net. Even if a partner covers just five to ten percent of a club’s budget, that is already significant support. If a sponsor covers half the budget, the club’s situation changes considerably.

I am confident that the move to a home-and-away format has made volleyball much more attractive to businesses because audience reach has increased. The very first round of the Women’s National League attracted around 45,000 online views, and this figure will continue to grow as many people watch matches on demand.

We schedule clubs’ home matches during the evening prime-time window. This gives clubs an opportunity to invite sponsors and regional officials. The federation has provided the foundation by introducing a new championship format. Now it is up to the clubs to turn it into a show and learn how to sell it. Good lighting, quality flooring and an attractive venue are the foundations of a commercial product.

There are already examples of success. Some clubs have organized their home rounds very well and are filling their arenas. I believe that by the middle of the season, such clubs could introduce paid tickets and season passes.

The federation is also seeking partners for the championship and national teams. The stronger the league brand becomes, the easier it will be for individual clubs to negotiate with their own sponsors.

— What role should digital platforms, social media and modern fan-engagement tools play in the development of volleyball?

— Today, everyone has a smartphone, and people receive most of their information through it. The digital environment is no longer an optional extra; it is an integral part of modern life. If we want to attract an audience, we need to be where people spend their time — on their phones.

All National League matches are now broadcast. Fans anywhere in the world can visit the federation’s portal and watch their team play live or on demand.

But broadcasts are only the beginning. We need to cover all of Kazakhstan’s volleyball systematically: results, schedules, statistics, video highlights, and interviews with players and coaches. People are interested not only in matches but also in stories: how a team lives, what happens in the locker room and the journey a player has taken. This is the kind of content that turns viewers into fans.

This is directly connected to commercial development. Sponsors today look at audience reach and engagement. The stronger the digital presence of the league and its clubs, the easier it becomes to attract partners. We will therefore encourage clubs to maintain active social media accounts and invest in content.

And, of course, this is a way to reach young people. A child who sees an engaging volleyball video may well decide to take up the sport.

— What changes are needed in sports coverage to raise the profile of players, clubs and national teams?

— First of all, we need to build anticipation. Look at any major sporting event in the world: the FIFA World Cup, UFC tournaments, boxing or judo competitions. Interest begins to build long before the event starts. Volleyball needs the same approach, not only on social media but also on television and radio. Volleyball must remain visible and relevant to the public.

Content formats must also be modern: short videos, interviews, team stories and highlights. People need to connect emotionally with athletes. To achieve this, we must show the full range of emotions: the joy of victory, the disappointment of defeat and life behind the scenes. This kind of content turns a player into a personality whom people want to follow.

Second, we need higher broadcast standards. Three cameras and a commentator are the minimum. We must go further by introducing drone footage, a mobile camera operator courtside, unexpected camera angles and replays of key rallies. We will start with the National League and gradually extend these standards to the Higher League, youth volleyball, sitting volleyball and beach volleyball.

Third, we need to promote standout personalities. Some of our players already have large social media followings, and they can help us attract new audiences to volleyball. A recognizable player benefits the entire sport: the club, the national team and sponsors.

— What three outcomes would you like to achieve by the end of your first year in office?

— First and foremost, we must fully settle the federation’s outstanding debts to referees and national team players. As I have already said, it is impossible to talk about development until this issue is resolved.

Second, every National League club should have a home arena of an appropriate standard. We regularly encounter shortcomings, and not every team is ready to host matches. Our goal is for any city to be able to host a round to a high standard at any time. Once this is achieved, clubs will be able to focus seriously on commercial activities: selling tickets, season passes and sponsorship packages. Clubs themselves should be the ones generating revenue in the first instance.

Third, we need to approve key reforms. These include a new zonal format for the youth championship, which we want to launch in 2027, and restrictions on foreign setters, which could take effect from the 2027/28 season.

If, in a year’s time, we can say that the debts have been paid, the arenas are ready and the reforms have been approved, then our first year will not have been wasted.

— What results, several years from now, would objectively demonstrate that volleyball in Kazakhstan has reached a new stage of development?

— First and foremost, the results of our national teams. They are the main measure of a country’s volleyball standard. All our work on the championship, young setters and youth volleyball must ultimately contribute to the success of the national teams.

The second indicator is audience reach. We have leagues to look up to: South Korea, Türkiye, Brazil, the United States and Russia. Our championship must also become a prominent, recognizable product. A strong, well-promoted league will help attract major partners for both clubs and the federation.

The third indicator is mass participation. We want to see more people playing volleyball across all disciplines and age groups, including children, young people and veterans, as well as beach and sitting volleyball. Beach volleyball is developing actively in Kazakhstan, and our players are achieving good results at Asian level. It is important that courts and tournaments are established not only in major cities but also across the regions.

Sitting volleyball is a discipline we are particularly proud of. Our athletes won bronze medals at the World Championship and currently rank second in the world rankings. In just a few days, they will compete at the Asian Para Games in Japan, and we will all be cheering them on. Our task is to enable as many people with disabilities as possible to take up the sport. This requires local clubs, coaches and accessible sports halls in every region.

This is a major undertaking that requires time, professionalism and the involvement of everyone connected with volleyball in Kazakhstan.

I would also like to take this opportunity to address our referees. I know that many of you have waited a long time to be paid for your work, and I understand how difficult that has been. Thank you for your patience and for continuing to officiate matches to a high standard despite these circumstances. We have already settled part of the outstanding debt and are continuing to work on the remainder. I give you my word: the federation will pay all outstanding amounts in full. Referees are an integral part of our volleyball community, and we will treat your work with the respect it deserves.