17 people from Kazakhstan who came to Tashkent for a football tournament suffered food poisoning
11 children and 6 adults who arrived from the Karaganda region of Kazakhstan to participate in the Dustlik Cup 2026 festival in Tashkent have been hospitalized with symptoms of food poisoning. Currently, their condition is stable and they are receiving the necessary medical treatment.
17 Kazakhstani citizens who came to Tashkent for a football tournament suffered food poisoning
Athletes who arrived from the Karaganda region of Kazakhstan to participate in the Dostlik Cup 2026 international children's football tournament in Tashkent were hospitalized with symptoms of food poisoning. This was reported by the Embassy of Kazakhstan in Uzbekistan.
According to the report, on November 1, the embassy received information that the health of the festival participants had deteriorated. Following this, Consul Saken Perdebekov immediately visited Clinical Infectious Diseases Hospital No. 5.
A total of 19 people sought medical assistance, 17 of whom were hospitalized. According to the diplomatic mission, the condition of all patients is currently stable, and they are receiving the necessary treatment.
Representatives of the Kazakh embassy visited the patients and met with their parents. It was stated that the causes of the poisoning and the treatment process have been taken under the control of officials from the Ministries of Health of both countries.
Professors from the Tashkent Medical Academy and staff from the Service for Sanitary and Epidemiological Welfare and Public Health have been involved in the treatment process.
On November 3, an official statement regarding the incident was published on the tournament's Instagram page, offering an apology to the teams and parents. According to one of the organizers, the incident may have occurred at a hotel with which they have been cooperating for over four years.
The children were first taken to a hospital in the Uchtepa district and later transferred in the evening to the city clinical infectious diseases hospital.
"We understand that many expected an official response earlier. We apologize for the delay in addressing this; during this time, all our focus was directed toward the children's health, organizing medical care, and resolving the issues that arose. First and foremost, on behalf of our entire team, we express our sincere regret. We are talking about a hotel with which we have been cooperating for over four years. We do not intend to stand aside; we are taking all necessary measures and doing everything in our power to clarify what happened," the organizers' statement reads.
The organizers also added that once the sick children's condition improves, they are organizing their safe return home by plane, and that due to the situation, the award ceremony for the first stage of the tournament was canceled, while postponing or canceling the second stage is currently under consideration.