I noticed that one of our recent product reviewers was from Uzbekistan and since I am on this silly crusade become less ignorant of other parts of the world ;) I e-mailed Victor about badminton in his country. I found his response very interesting (thanks Victor) and figured that some of you might also, so here it is:


Badminton in Uzbekistan.

I am live in megapolis Tashkent (capital of Uzbekistan country, 2.5
million citizens). I am 46 years old, former adept badminton-player. My
best achievement was the second place in Uzbekistan badminton championship
(mans doubles) in 1984. Then -a-days uzbekish players were participative in
USSR chamionships. Now, after USSR was broken, situation in all kinds of
games in Uzbekistan is not good, because now we have not enough hard
practice in real competition.

In nowadays we have only some tournaments in our country. Sometimes
our young players compete with players from adjoining country Kazahstan. But
our picked team sometimes goes out in various tournaments to Asia, and,
unfortunately, lack of any victory.

Badminton lies outside of popular professional sports in Uzbekistan.
Popular game sports in Uzbekistan are soccer, boxing, wrestling, tennis.
This is why not any media coverage on badminton in our country.

I know only two indoor places in Tashkent, where constantly going
badminton games : Tashkent State University (4 courts) and school # 110 ( 4
courts). And happily, we have wind in Tashkent very unoften, and many
recreational plaeyrs can play badminton in open playing fields, for
example there are 5 courts in centre of Tashkent, near the main soccer
stadion, in eye-filling place, on river-bank, circumvallate plane trees .
Summer in Uzbekistan very hot. And very hard play badminton in day-time.
This is why sometimes in summer in the deep of night very comic look on
many old and yoang peoples, running, crying and banging raquettes in this
place under bright lamps.

Peoples here know only one popular brand of badminton raquettes: secret
russian weapon - " lastochka- 3" from Russia - 150gr. weight, steel shaft
and aluminium head, and very slow but cheap - 10$ USA. In Tashkent you never
not found any local sports stores, where you can buy modern badminton
equipment. Professional players prefer Yonex, RSL, Yang Yang, Kavasaky. I
have "Yonex Ti 10" 1-normal and 1 -long version, 1-"Yang Yang Tactic 9000",
1-"Yonex Carbonex 10", 1- "Carlton Kevlar High Tension".
Sorry for my not very good english.

Ciao,
Victor

Brett and Victor,

that is very cool. it is always nice to know that some place in the other side of the planet, a place that i will probably never have the chance to step my feet on, there are people who shares the love and passion of the sport as us.

and shame on us, shame on us for playing in nicely paved courts with proper lighting, shame on us for whining about tiredness, soreness, pain, whatever. next time, when you think that there are too much drift in the gym, or when you think the light is glaring on your face, think about the people who have to play outdoor in the darkness, on rock hard concrete courts.

and shame on us who whine about how our titanium/graphite/boron racket isn't good enough. go and use a steel racket.

kwun

I love my steel racquet... Yamasaki or something like that. only cost me $4.00 Canadian in the store! hehe.

Do you know what shuttles you were using in the outdoor???
I'm looking for a good type, to try playing in the outdoor again, with a wooden or steel racquet.
Yes, that sounds lame, but hey!
You can't blame me for loving this sport. ;)

I've still got 7 Carlton 3.7 X racquets hanging on my
wall......

Hey... this is really cool! Thanks Brett and Victor... btw, one of my pals who went trekking in Nepal last December say the kids there play barefooted in carparks on a wintry, -9 degrees celsius day.

cb, nice to see your still lurking here considering you are golfing in the summer.
With your numerous cab 8 and carlton 3.7, you are one heavy metal fan :)

Uzbekistan was the place where I probably played badminton for the first time...always outdoors with friends, I was 10-12 at that time...I lived there for five years and was 13 when I came back to Pakistan.

I remember we used to tie a rope and used to hang some leaves on it which would serve as a 'net' during games...it was fun in Tashkent!