Uzbekistan to link coaches’ salaries to performance amid regional fitness concerns

According to the presidential press service, these bonuses will be awarded in addition to existing incentives to foster healthy competition between institutions. However, the meeting also served as a platform to address significant systemic shortcomings. Inspections revealed that approximately 15 schools in Tashkent maintained only "nominal" sports clubs, with actual attendance as low as three to four students. Furthermore, physical fitness remains a concern in the provinces; last year, roughly a quarter of students in the Jizzakh, Kashkadarya, and Fergana regions failed to meet minimum physical fitness standards.

The president criticized many sports schools for their lack of grassroots scouting, noting that many institutions focus on already-trained athletes rather than identifying new talent within local communities. Infrastructure utilization also remains inefficient. In Samarkand, the existing facilities could theoretically support 100,000 young people, yet actual participation is currently three times lower. Similarly, the Navoi and Surkhandarya regions are utilizing only about half of their available sporting capacity.

A lack of performance distinction between specialized and general sports schools was also highlighted. In one notable comparison, four specialized schools in Termez failed to match the achievements of a single sports school in Jarkurgan, which secured six medals at Asian and world championships last year. In response, regional governors have been instructed to overhaul the working methods of directors and coaches, with a new emphasis on linking salaries directly to the competitive success of their athletes.