Shymkent coach strikes underage volleyball player during match in Pavlodar

A coach from Shymkent physically struck a minor member of his team during a youth volleyball match in Pavlodar, a video of the incident shows. The footage, recorded on Monday, October 26, circulated widely on social networks and prompted immediate action by the sport's authorities.

The coach has been identified as Izesen Hamit Mirzabekov. In the clip he calls over his player—wearing a red uniform and playing as the team's libero—then strikes her on the head before sending her back onto the court. The girl continued to play after the blow.

The tournament in Pavlodar is for girls born in 2009 and later, and the match took place at the Bayantau sports complex. Local volleyball officials confirmed Mirzabekov's identity and said they had dismissed him and imposed a two-year suspension.

Police investigate, federation orders training

The Pavlodar regional police opened a preliminary investigation after the video was shared on social media. "An investigation has been launched into the use of physical force by the coach against a minor member of the volleyball team. All participants in the incident have been identified and taken to the police station. The investigation is ongoing," the authorities said.

The Kazakhstan Volleyball Federation announced support for the girl and her family and said it would introduce mandatory training for coaches and regional federation representatives on sports ethics, preventing violence and protecting athletes' rights. Officials reiterated a zero-tolerance policy toward violence in sport and stressed that the health, dignity and rights of young athletes must be an unconditional priority.

Photo: Egghead06 / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)