Tokayev’s grandnephew donates state-backed sports university after investigative report
Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s 23-year-old grandnephew, Nurassyl Medeu, announced on October 17 that he would donate the Kazakh National University of Sports (KNUS) to the state, just two days after an investigative report examined his family connections and the government support received by two educational ventures he founded.
Medeu presented the decision as a voluntary act of patriotism, describing it as a gift to Kazakhstan rather than a sale, a transfer into trust management, or a move made under pressure. However, the timing has drawn attention to questions about the relationship between his businesses and the state.
A gift to the state
In announcing the handover, Medeu said the decision was intended to benefit the country and its people. “Everything we created must serve our youth, our people, and our country,” he said, describing the contribution as a great honor.
Comparing KNUS to a ship, he said he had built it to be “powerful, reliable, and unbreakable.” He also published a farewell message on Instagram, describing the transfer as the end of an important chapter in his life and the beginning of a new story for the university.
Medeu did not explain whether the decision was connected to the investigation published the previous day. His announcement made no reference to the reporting.
Investigation examines two educational ventures
The investigation by Radio Azattyq and the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) identified Medeu as the grandson of Karlyga Izbastina, Tokayev’s sister. It examined how two universities founded by the young entrepreneur obtained state participation and access to significant public resources.
One of the ventures, Qazaq AI Research University (QAIRU), was established as Kazakhstan pursued an ambitious plan to become a digital state, with artificial intelligence playing a central role. Tokayev had promoted the creation of a research university with special status as part of that strategy.
According to the investigation, the state-owned company QazExpoCongress subsequently acquired a minority stake in QAIRU. The company confirmed to reporters that it owned 5 percent of the venture.
The institution also relocated to an eight-story spherical building in Astana, originally constructed as the centerpiece of EXPO 2017. The move placed the university in a prominent public facility associated with Kazakhstan’s international exhibition and development ambitions.
The investigation raised questions about transparency and potential conflicts of interest given Medeu’s family relationship with the president and the government’s involvement in his ventures. However, the reported arrangements do not, by themselves, establish that political connections improperly influenced state decisions.
A sports academy moves into a $250 million facility
Medeu established his sports academy when he was 18. Last year, it was rebranded as the Kazakh National University of Sports and moved into a state-owned facility valued at approximately $250 million, according to the investigation. The government also acquired a minority stake in the business.
The arrangement raised questions about how a privately founded institution operated using valuable public infrastructure and how the interests of the university, its shareholders, and the state were protected.
In an interview with EU Reporter, Medeu defended the university’s presence on the state-owned campus. He said the agreement governing the facility explicitly prohibited privatization, disposal, or the transfer of the property into private ownership.
That distinction is important: operating an institution on public property does not necessarily mean owning the property itself. Nevertheless, the terms of the agreement, the state’s financial involvement, and the university’s ownership structure remain relevant to assessing the arrangement.
Development plan raises further questions
KNUS’s strategic development plan through 2030, approved last year, did not envisage a complete transfer of ownership to the state. Instead, the document proposed transferring a 5 percent stake.
Publicly available documents cited in the investigation indicate that a state-owned company acquired that exact stake in August of the previous year. Medeu’s October announcement therefore represents a potentially significant change from the ownership arrangement outlined in the plan.
The legal details of the donation, including the identity of the receiving state entity and the treatment of existing ownership interests, will be important in determining how the transfer changes the university’s governance and financial structure.
Medeu denies receiving special privileges
Medeu previously rejected suggestions that his family ties gave him preferential treatment. In an interview with state-run Qazsport TV, he questioned the origins of such claims and argued that establishing a university was not extraordinary if the necessary license could be obtained.
“I do not know where such assertions come from,” he said.
Neither Radio Azattyq nor OCCRP received a response from Medeu before publishing their investigation. His earlier remarks, however, indicate that he has disputed suggestions that his family connections explain the development of his businesses.
The central questions concern not simply his right to establish universities, but also the transparency of state participation, access to public facilities, and the safeguards governing public resources.
The AI University remains outside the announcement
Although Medeu announced the donation of KNUS, he disclosed no comparable plans for Qazaq AI Research University. The AI institution remains a separate venture linked to Kazakhstan’s efforts to expand research and accelerate digital transformation.
The sports university’s proposed transfer therefore does not resolve questions about QAIRU’s ownership, the government’s 5 percent stake, or the circumstances surrounding its access to public resources.
The timing of the announcement has attracted scrutiny, but there is no publicly established evidence in the cited reporting that the donation was made in response to the investigation. Nor does the reporting, on its own, prove wrongdoing.
Ultimately, the transfer’s significance will depend on the legal arrangements and the degree of transparency surrounding the university’s future. Publishing the relevant ownership documents, clarifying the state’s responsibilities, and explaining how KNUS will be governed could help answer outstanding questions.
For now, Medeu’s announcement marks a major change in the stated future of the sports university, while the ownership and governance of his AI venture remain unresolved. The episode highlights the importance of transparent oversight whenever private businesses, politically connected individuals, and public resources intersect.
Anita Mathur is a Special Contributor to Blitz.