Turkmenistan: Former leader’s football team sweeps league

Turkmenistan’s major league football team made a spectacular debut by taking home the national championship in its inaugural campaign.

Arkadag, however, is no common club. It was established by autocratic former president Kurbanguly Berdymukhamedov and boasts the majority of the national team members.

According to reports, supporters of various groups have complained about match-rigging.

Last year, Mr. Berdymukhamedov, who oversaw a restrictive, mysterious state, gave his son Serdar the presidency.

He now serves as the head of the Turkmen congress.

The Arkadag team was established by the original president in April, and it was inaugurated in June in a fresh display area of the same name that was constructed within five years. He created the group’s uniform.

The official name of Mr. Berdymukhamedov senior, Arkadag, which means protector or guardian, is also used.

Before the start of the season, the team acquired the majority of its adversaries ‘ best people.

With four games remaining, it claimed the top spot in the division on Sunday after winning all of its league game.

It only faltered again, drawing 1-1 with Besa Doberdoll of the second division of North Macedonia in a friendly match in Bulgaria.

The team is currently aiming for a triple victory.

According to scorer Didar Durdyev, who was quoted by AFP on Tuesday,” This encourages us to get more victories, we may try for the Turkmenistan Cup.”

However, one supporter of a foe team was cited by the Europe-based web Hronika Turkmenistana as saying that officials were openly aiding Arkadag’s victory.

The fan claimed that the referee badly gave Arkadag a sentence in the 91st minute of their game against Shagadam, giving them the victory.

The enthusiast continued by saying that Arkadag was stifling interest in the sport across the nation.

Former President Berdymukhamedov, then 66, was well-known for winning a number of sporting events while in office, including biking, horseback riding, and motor racing. He frequently appeared in videos showcasing his athletic skill.

He also led large works, walks, and cycles rides to actively encourage activity among locals and government representatives.

All of these were viewed as characteristics of what was regarded as an authoritarian regime, in which he oversaw a shoddy record on human rights while maintaining both his cult of personality and his position monopoly on the media.

Under his brother Serdar, who took office in March 2022, not much has changed.