Executive Director of the Kazakhstan Chess Federation, Gulmira Dauletova, stated the amount of financial support provided to Bibisara Assaubayeva throughout the year. Dauletova speaks about the money from the federation, and notes additional support from the Sport Qory fund.

Gulmira Dauletova

Gulmira Dauletova

Kazakhstan Chess Federation Executive Director

“If we consider only the federation’s money — we have a special grant allocated for our athlete, World Blitz Champion Bibisara Assaubayeva. We disburse these funds throughout the year.

80 million tenge (~$165,000) is allocated specifically for the athlete’s preparation. She independently decides which tournaments to allocate these funds for, if she needs to travel somewhere.

Or she uses these funds to prepare for specific competitions. These are either training camps or training with foreign coaches. Our job is to allocate the funds, and then she independently determines which coach to work with and when.

In addition to our funds, there are of course funds from the Sport Qory fund, 100 million tenge (~$200,000), which Vice-Minister Zharasbaev mentioned. These are also funds directed toward the athlete’s preparation. Bibisara or her team independently manage these funds.”

Kazakh GM Bibisara Assaubayeva recorded a video addressed to the President of Kazakhstan, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev on June 10. Bibisara described her funding situation, said she hasn’t paid her seconds for the Norway Chess, and asked the president for help. On June 11, Bibisara published a post following the video, criticizing the Ministry of Sports’ reply on the situation.

Credit: Michal Walusza / FIDE