Theme : sport

Basketball
See also: Uzbekistan national basketball team and Uzbekistan women's national basketball team
Uzbekistan used to be part of the powerful Soviet Union national basketball team. After the dissolution of the team, Uzbekistan founded its own team which was moderately successful between the mid-90s and mid-2000s.
Baseball
See also: Uzbekistan national baseball team
Ice Hockey
Uzbekistan used to be part of the Soviet Union national ice hockey team.
Humo Tashkent, a professional ice hockey team was established in 2019 with the aim of joining Kontinental Hockey League (KHL), a top level Eurasian league in future. Humo will join the second-tier Supreme Hockey League (VHL) for the 2019-20 season. Humo play their games at the Humo Ice Dome costing over €175 million; both the team and arena derive their name from the mythical Huma bird, a symbol of happiness and freedom.[6]
Humo Tashkent was a member of the reformed Uzbekistan Ice Hockey League which began play in February 2019. The UIHL consisted of three other teams Binokor Tashkent, HK Tashkent, & Semurg Tashkent, with all of the teams playing out of the Humo Ice Dome.[7] Semurg became the champions in the playoffs.[8]
Uzbekistan Hockey Federation (UHF) began preparation for joining IIHF as a member and forming national ice hockey team in participating IIHF competitions.[9]
Rugby union
Main article: Rugby union in Uzbekistan
Uzbekistan used to be part of the Soviet Union national rugby union team, but since its independence in 1991, Uzbekistan has created its own national team.
Handball
Handball is one of Uzbekistan's most popular sports, but nothing special has been achieved.
Water polo
Uzbekistan's women's national under-20 water polo team qualified to the 2021 FINA Junior Water Polo World Championships.[10]
Chess
Uzbekistan scored a surprise win at the 2022 chess olympiad held in Chennai, India.[11] The Uzbek team was undefeated, beating the higher-seeded Armenian and Dutch teams, and drawing the top seeds India and USA. The Uzbek team proved their staying power by placing second at the world team championships held at Jerusalem in November 2022.[12] Uzbekistan's top player, Nodirkbek Abdusattorov is the current world champion of rapid chess, winning the 2021 rapid world championship in a playoff against Russian grandmaster Ian Nepomniachtchi.[13]
Notable athletes
Ruslan Chagaev
Djamolidine Abdoujaparov, cyclist
Artur Taymazov, wrestler
Ruslan Chagaev, boxer
Lina Cheryazova, freestyle skier
Elvira Saadi, gymnast
Maksim Shatskikh, footballer
Nodirbek Abdusattorov, chess player
Kopkari is struggle, that is lead by a skilled horseman to win the race with certain conditions. Usually in the kopkari competition the referee throws to the middle of the pitch carcass of the goat filled with salt which is called uloq. This carcass is pressed by horseman’s leg to saddle. Horseman should race through his rivals in the pitch and be first to bring the carcass to the appointed spot. Horsemen can compete in groups and divide the prize among each other. The prizes can be a TV, a carpet, national overcoat, a cattle or some amount of money. The most nimble dzhigit (skilled horseman) on a strong and swift-footed horse picks up the thrown goat. As a rule he is surrounded by friends or fellow-villagers to protect and assist him from the competitors till the finish line. Horsemen handed down the secrets of correct feeding and training of fast horses across the generations. During the World War II some horses trained for racing in kopkari made incredible deeds. However, kopkari is a peaceful game which has played a significant role in the education and formation of strong men. At present it is still organized in several districts of Kashkadarya, Surkhandarya, Samarkand and Bukhara regions. It has become a good tradition to organize the kopkari on the conventions of farmers, gardeners, cotton growers, Navruz holiday as well as in harvest festivals. The traditions of old horsemen and runners is being restored again. This is very important that one of the ancient interesting game traditions is revived and is experiencing a new stage of its development.