Kazakhstan Olympic Boxing Champion Jailed for Drunk Driving After Multiple Crashes

Kazakhstan’s 2016 Olympic boxing champion Daniyar Yeleussinov has been sentenced to 20 days of administrative detention and banned from driving for seven years after being found guilty of driving under the influence and causing several traffic accidents in Astana. According to Astana’s Specialized Interdistrict Administrative Court, Yeleussinov admitted his guilt during the hearing. The ruling has not yet entered into legal force and may be appealed within 10 days. The incident occurred in Astana on July 9, when police detained Yeleussinov after he allegedly drove while intoxicated, causing a series of collisions and leaving the scenes of the accidents. According to the court, Yeleussinov first struck the supporting structure of an underground parking entrance. He then collided with another vehicle, causing it to hit a third car. In a subsequent collision, he struck another vehicle, which was pushed into a Toyota Hilux. The accidents caused mechanical damage to several vehicles and resulted in financial losses. Evidence presented to the court included a medical examination confirming mild alcohol intoxication, police reports, accident diagrams, video recordings, and witness statements. Yeleussinov admitted full responsibility. He was convicted under Article 608, Part 3 of Kazakhstan’s Code of Administrative Offenses, which covers driving under the influence resulting in property damage. The provision carries a mandatory penalty of 20 days of administrative detention and a seven-year driving ban. “The court found no circumstances preventing the application of administrative detention. Since the sanction under Article 608, Part 3 provides no alternative punishment, the court imposed 20 days of administrative arrest and deprivation of the right to drive vehicles for seven years,” the court said. Yeleussinov, who was born in Kazakhstan’s West Kazakhstan Region, enjoyed one of the country’s most successful amateur boxing careers. He won the 2013 World Championships in the 69-kilogram category, claimed Asian Championships and Asian Games titles between 2013 and 2015, and won Olympic gold at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games. After turning professional in 2018, Yeleussinov signed with Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing and won the International Boxing Organization welterweight title in 2021. His professional career subsequently slowed, and he has fought only twice since returning to the ring in 2024. In March 2025, he became the first Kazakhstani boxer to sign with Dana White’s Zuffa Boxing promotion, although he has yet to make his debut under the new banner. As previously reported by The Times of Central Asia, another prominent Kazakhstani boxer, Zhanibek Alimkhanuly, was stripped of one of his two middleweight world titles in March after testing positive for a banned substance.

“I Felt Like an Uzbek in Russia”: Russian Woman Detained in Almaty After Video Sparks Backlash

A Russian citizen has been sentenced to 10 days of administrative detention in Almaty after publishing a video criticizing bureaucratic procedures in Kazakhstan and using offensive language, according to Kazakhstan’s news agency KazTAG and the Almaty police department. The woman had traveled to Almaty to obtain a bank card and later posted a video on social media describing her frustration with queues, paperwork, and banking procedures. In the recording, she said she felt “like an Uzbek in Russia,” a remark that drew criticism online, particularly among users in Kazakhstan who viewed the statement as offensive. The video quickly circulated on social media, prompting calls for authorities to investigate. Commenters argued that visitors to another country should respect local laws and social norms. Almaty police said an administrative case was opened under provisions related to minor hooliganism. During the investigation, officers concluded that the woman had used obscene language in a public place and violated public order. “Based on the inspection results, it was established that the foreign citizen used vulgar obscene language in a public place, thereby violating public order and the requirements of the legislation of the Republic of Kazakhstan,” the Almaty police department said in a statement. The Specialized Interdistrict Administrative Court of Almaty later ruled that the woman should serve 10 days of administrative detention. The incident has reignited discussion in Central Asia over how foreign nationals are treated under local laws and how public comments involving ethnicity or migration can trigger strong reactions. The issue follows other recent cases involving foreign nationals and public conduct in the region. The Times of Central Asia previously reported that a court in St. Petersburg fined and ordered the deportation of a citizen of Uzbekistan after finding him guilty of illegal missionary activity for leading prayers in a public place under Russian legislation regulating religious activity.