My career in sport field started in 2018 when I joined the National Olympic Committee of the Republic of Kazakhstan. In 2018 National Olympic Committee of the Republic of Kazakhstan opened a new Department of Sport Medicine and Anti-Doping. I started working as a senior manager of this department. Our department was responsible for sports medicine specialists (sports physicians, massage therapists, psychologists, biomechanics specialists and etc.) working in National Olympic Teams, provision of pharmaceuticals necessary for National Olympic Teams in collaboration with “Center for Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation” (Almaty city), organizing conferences on sports medicine and anti-doping.
My first experience in preparing for big international event was an Asian Games “Jakarta-Palembang 2018”. Our department was responsible for medical staff and provision of all necessary equipment and pharmaceuticals in collaboration with “Sport Medicine and Rehabilitation Center”. Since that time our department was involved in all national and international sporting events.
I was also responsible for organization of projects under support of Olympic Solidarity – global development initiative of International Olympic Committee (IOC). In 2019 our department organized the International medical scientific-practical conference “Multidisciplinary approach to medical support in the system of training high-class athletes” under support of Olympic Solidarity. Such a large-scale event for sports medicine was held in Kazakhstan for the first time. I was responsible for invitation well known international speakers from IOC: prof. Yannis Pitsiladis (University of Brighton, UK), Dr. Yorck Olaf Schumacher (Aspetar Orthopedic and Sports Medicine Center, Qatar), Dr. Rod Whiteley (Aspetar Orthopedic and Sports Medicine Center, Qatar). Also, our department organized educational master-class for the sport medicine specialists inviting five-times Olympic Coach and Sports Physician Dr. Homayun Gharavi – who has been the consultant to many professional world class athletes & teams and has helped them to exceed their previous performability after injury.
In 2020 I decided that I want to stay in sport field and started searching for the master’s program in sport management. My choice was undoubtedly Dream Together Master’s Program at Seoul National University. Dream Together Master’s Program had an excellent program which has interested me to join the program. In addition to that one of my colleagues Olzhas Besbayev graduated this program and the other colleague Bektur Kiyatbay was currently studying and they said that this is one of the best programs in sport management in the world. In March, 2021 I’ve applied to the program and in May I received an email that I’ve accepted to the program, which was the best news of the year and beginning of my academic journey.
In January, 2023 I was appointed as a President of Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation Association of Kazakhstan. It is a newly opened association and I became a 1st President. In my opinion I was appointed to this position thanks to my work experience in sports medicine field in Kazakhstan and my education in Dream Together Master’s Program in Seoul National University. Studying in Dream Together Master’s Program gave me opportunity to learn and get experience from world leading specialists on different topics of sport management, which will undoubtedly help me in my new position as a President of Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation Association of Kazakhstan. I will use all the knowledge and experience, which I learned during my studies on Dream Together Master’s Program in aim to develop the sport medicine field in Kazakhstan.
I’m planning to establish collaboration with Sports Science Lab’s of the Department of Physical Education of Seoul National University, Korea Institute of Sport Science and Korean Society of Sport Medicine in aim to develop bilateral relationships.
Written by Olzhas Togizbayev (Kazakhstan, 9th batch)
