Edited version. Originally posted here on 10.08.07

Sounds ridiculous? But Uzbeks did play a role in getting Russia its Sochi-2014 Winter Olympic Games. And here is why.

The President of the Russian Olympic Committee Leonid Tyagachev told in an interview to “Rossiyskaja Gazeta”(RUS): “I can say this with full confidence that the votes given by the representatives of Asian countries in the International Olympics Committee, without which, even if the other votes would be counted, it would be very difficult for Sochi to hope for a victory, (and these were) given to Russia thanks to the goal-oriented work of the representative of Uzbekistan, the vice-president of the Olympic Council of Asia, and Executive Director of the International Federation of Amateur Boxing (and Asian Federation of Boxing), Gafur Rakhimov”.

Gafur Rakhimov is a very controversial figure. In Uzbekistan he is more known simply as G’ofur. When people say his name they say it quietly, but still with somewhat affection in tone. The richest self-made Uzbek businessman, and a philanthropist, as he prefers to be called, holds big shares in large companies, which have partners all over Western Europe, the USA and the CIS.

In addition to being a chairman of a “Mehrjon-Sport” Charity Foundation in Uzbekistan, and supporting up to 6,000 orphan children in Uzbekistan, Rakhimov has been also labeled “a major figure in Uzbekistan’s booming heroin trade” by Britain’s Observer Newspaper, and a full chapter was devoted to Rakhimov in the book “The Great Olympic Swindle” by British author and journalist Andrew Jennings, a longtime IOC critic. Due to this information Rakhimov was barred from entering Australia during Sydney Olympic games in 2000. But a year later he sued the author and the Australian publisher and won the case. Rakhimov’s control of financial flows of Uzbek national airlines, railroads company and automobile transportation corporation, as well as engagement in chemical industry might have been a reason for suspicion of drug-smuggling activities.

He was also accused of conspiracy and involvement in organized crime, which is the matter of his frustration (See the video min. 4:40, WAIT until it loads). He is in good relations with the President of Uzbekistan, whom he substantially helped in the beginning of 1990s. In return of his deeds, he gained exclusive rights for export operations of gas and access to cotton. Gafur Rakhimov was said to cooperate with the Russian billionaire Alisher Usmanov, a chairman of a Gazprom subsidiary, which is the channel for massive slush funds. Allegedly, Uzbek-born Alisher Usmanov might have played a significant role to influence Rakhimov and through him the Asian Olympic Committee. There aren’t any proofs of it, but it was rumored that in an international scandal, where the money of Russian magnats was used to buy luxury villas in Spain’s Costa del Sol, had also gone through the off-shore firms linked to Mr. Rakhimov(RUS).

Rakhimov has been doing a lot these days to change his bad image and clear his name from various allegations. Sponsoring tennis tournaments, and boxers, charity activities are of such measures. But just like the suspicion towards many billionaires in Russia today, who have made huge capital in short time and chaotic political situation, so does the suspicion towards Rakhimov prevail.

What concerns Sochi-2014, one should say that, perhaps, Austrians and South-Koreans, who were the major bidders alongside with Russia, should also consider enlarging the circle of their Uzbek friends, so that they be on a safer side in their next bids for Winter Olympic Games. An Uzbek connection, this is what they lacked.