Sport in Abkhazia

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Football is a major sport in Abkhazia (a territory in the Caucasus). During Soviet times, the main club within Abkhazia itself was FC Dinamo Sukhumi, but Abkhazian footballers were prominent in the Georgian team FC Dinamo Tbilisi and in other Soviet teams. In 1994, after its declaration of independence from Georgia, Abkhazia organised a nine-team amateur league.

Outside football, many Abkhazian sportsmen participate in international competitions as Russian citizens, especially in boxing and freestyle wrestling. A basketball team based in the capital Sukhumi plays in a Russian league.

Football

Football was the most popular sport in Abkhazia during

Temuri Ketsbaia and Akhrik Tsveiba
were among the most prominent footballers of the Soviet Union.

Dinamo Sukhumi achieved their best result in 1991 finishing in 10th place in the first league (second tier of Soviet football).

Dinamo
's coach in 1990–1991.

After Abkhazia broke away from Georgia, it organised its own amateur Abkhazian football league in 1994 which is not part of any international football union. The league consists of 9 teams: Nart (Sukhumi), Gagra, Kiaraz (Pitsunda), Samurzakan (Gali), Afon (New Athos), Ertsakhu (Ochamchire), Kudry (Gulripsh) and Abazg-AGU (Sukhumi).[3] The Gagra football club was the 2006 champion.[4] The Abkhazian team will probably participate in the Amateur League of the Southern Federal District (fourth tier of Russian football pyramid).[5]

The

Umaglesi Liga
, the top division in Georgian football.

Since 2012 Abkhazia has been operating its own

Syrian national football team
until 2016 and made 81 caps before playing for Abkhazia.

Other sports

The majority of Abkhazia's population have Russian citizenship, so Abkhazian sportsmen participate in international competitions as Russian citizens. They had their biggest successes in boxing (2005 European Champion David Arshba;[6] 2006 Russian Championship prize-winner Aslan Akhba) and freestyle wrestling (2006 American Airlines Freestyle Wrestling Tournament winner Denis Tsargush[7]).

The national basketball team of Abkhazia played its first game ever with the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus on 27 May 2015, where Abkhaz team won by 76–59.[8] Abkhaz basketball team "Apsny" also plays in the Russian Basketball League's Third-Tier in Krasnodar Krai.

See also

References

  1. ^ 1st league of 1991 Soviet Championship Archived 21 October 2015 at the Wayback Machine
  2. ^ A. Sentyabryov. Healthy sport in healthy society. nasledie.ru
  3. ^ Завершились игры 14-го тура Чемпионата Абхазии по футболу – Новости России – ИА REGNUM. Regnum.ru (8 September 2006). Retrieved on 2019-01-23.
  4. ^ Апсныпресс – государственное информационное агентство Республики Абхазия
  5. ^ Official site of the Amateur League of the Southern Federal District. Footballufo.ru. Retrieved on 23 January 2019.
  6. ^ Аршба Давид Борисович. Official site of the Boxing Federation of Russia.
  7. ^ The official website of USA wrestling. Themat.com. Retrieved on 23 January 2019.
  8. ^ Abhazya Basketbol Milli Takımı KKTC Milli Takımını 76–59 Yendi. Altinpost.org (28 May 2015). Retrieved on 23 January 2019.
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