Artur Taymazov
Who was Artur Taymazov?
Olympic gold medalist in freestyle wrestling who won gold at the 2008 Beijing Olympics in the 120kg category. He later entered politics and has served in governmental positions in Uzbekistan.
Biographical data adapted from Wikipedia’s article on Artur Taymazov (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Biography
Artur Borisovich Taymazov, born on July 20, 1979, in Nogir, is an ethnic Ossetian who represented Uzbekistan in international freestyle wrestling. He studied at Khetagurov North Ossetian State University, balancing academics with his athletic career. Taymazov became Uzbekistan's most celebrated Olympian in freestyle wrestling, a status later affected by doping investigations.
He competed in heavyweight freestyle wrestling and excelled on the world stage. Taymazov won gold in the 120kg category at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and the 2012 London Olympics, marking him as a top wrestler of his time. His victories earned him significant recognition in Central Asia and Russia, along with several state honors, such as the Order of Outstanding Merit in 2008, the Order of El-yurt hurmati in 2012, and the Order of Honor.
However, Taymazov's achievements were marred by the International Olympic Committee's retesting program. On April 5, 2017, it was revealed that doping tests from the 2008 Beijing Olympics were positive, leading to the revocation of his gold medal. Further testing on July 23, 2019, confirmed a doping violation for the 2012 London Olympics, and that medal was also stripped. Both medals were reassigned to Russian wrestlers, a move Taymazov commented on with irony, as he felt he had inadvertently contributed two golds to Russia.
After his wrestling days ended, Taymazov turned to politics. In 2016, he was elected to the 7th State Duma of the Russian Federation with the United Russia party. His political shift is part of a wider trend of Russian and post-Soviet athletes moving into politics, using their fame to build political careers. He has since held positions that link him to both Russia and Uzbekistan.
Before Fame
Artur Taymazov grew up in Nogir, North Ossetia, a place known for its combat sports and wrestling traditions. His Ossetian background placed him in a community that has a history of producing top-level wrestlers both nationally and internationally. He studied at Khetagurov North Ossetian State University, spending his early years in the North Caucasus region.
He rose to international fame through a path similar to other top post-Soviet wrestlers, training under the strict coaching methods that continued after the Soviet Union broke up. Taymazov decided to compete for Uzbekistan, a choice reflecting the mixed national and ethnic identities of many athletes from the former Soviet republics. Competing for Uzbekistan, he became a key figure in their Olympic wrestling program during the 2000s and early 2010s.
Key Achievements
- Won gold medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics in freestyle wrestling, 120kg category (later stripped for doping)
- Won gold medal at the 2012 London Olympics in freestyle wrestling (later stripped for doping)
- Became Uzbekistan's most decorated Olympian during his competitive career
- Elected to the 7th State Duma of the Russian Federation in 2016 representing United Russia
- Recipient of the Order of Outstanding Merit (2008), Order of El-yurt hurmati (2012), Order of Honor, and The Pride of Uzbekistan
Did You Know?
- 01.Both of Taymazov's Olympic gold medals were reallocated to Russian wrestlers after his disqualification, a fact he acknowledged by saying he was happy to have 'brought' two golds to Russia.
- 02.He competed under the Uzbek flag despite being an ethnic Ossetian born in the Russian republic of North Ossetia.
- 03.His 2008 doping disqualification was not announced until April 2017, nearly nine years after the Beijing Olympics took place.
- 04.Taymazov received the Order of El-yurt hurmati in 2012, an Uzbek state honor, the same year his second Olympic gold was later stripped due to doping.
- 05.He was elected to the Russian State Duma in 2016 representing United Russia, transitioning directly from athletics into federal legislative politics.
Awards & Honors
| Award | Year | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Order of Outstanding Merit | 2008 | — |
| Order of El-yurt hurmati | 2012 | — |
| Order of Honor | — | — |
| The Pride of Uzbekistan | — | — |