Citi Becomes an Official Partner of Kazakhstan Para Volleyball Federation

Astana, Kazakhstan, March 26, 2024 – Republican Public Association Kazakhstan Para Volleyball Federation and Citibank Kazakhstan JSC (affiliated with Citigroup) have partnered to advance para sport in the country while helping change perceptions of people with disabilities.

Citi will sponsor projects that help enable physical education among people with disabilities and further promote a culture of inclusivity in Kazakhstan, while also supporting the 2024 Kazakhstan Men’s Sitting Volleyball team as they prepare for this year’s Games in Paris.

According to Saule Zhakayeva, Chair of the Management Board of Citibank Kazakhstan JSC, “Citi is a long-standing supporter of the Para Movement at a global level, and we are honored to contribute to the development of Para Sport in our country, namely our talented Kazakhstan Men’s Sitting Volleyball team and to help train for the Games. We are so proud for the team as they recently secured their first Paralympic Games berth following their performance at the World Para Volley Sitting Volleyball Asian Zone Championships. We wish our athletes every success in Paris! Citi Kazakhstan has a long history of supporting local communities through various charitable, volunteering, and sponsorship projects. This year’s partnership aligns with Citi’s 30th anniversary in Kazakhstan, underscoring the
bank’s commitment to the communities we’ve served for 30 years».

“We are pleased to begin cooperation with Citibank. This cooperation opens a unique opportunity for us to involve a dedicated scientific team in training our national team, thereby enabling our athletes to realize their full potential at the upcoming Paris competitions. This initiative marks the first experience of its kind for Kazakhstani para-athletes. By adopting this approach, we aim not only to achieve exceptional results in competitions but also to assess the effectiveness of such methodologies for the future development of the entire Kazakhstani para sport. Furthermore, we plan to allocate the funding towards purchasing sports and recovery equipment, nutritional supplies, and enhancing media coverage», – says Bauyrzhan Takhauov, Head Coach of the National Men’s Team.

Over recent years, Citi has become a valued supporter of Para sport and Para athletes, inspiring athletes and fans across the globe and raising awareness and excitement for Para sports. Kazakhstan is one of the most active markets for Citi’s partnership – both in terms of support for national teams and athletes as well as Citi employee engagement. In addition to supporting the National Paralympic Committees, Citi also supports Team Citi, a group of 49 Para athletes globally, and has supported events such as the 2019 World Para Athletics Championships, 2019, 2022 and 2023 World Para Swimming Championships.