Mike Tyson and Evander Holyfield arrive in Dushanbe: what is behind the stars’ visit?

On November 5, an event featuring world-renowned figures from various fields will take place in Dushanbe.

Former world boxing champions Mike Tyson and Evander Holyfield, along with several other global stars, have arrived in Dushanbe. In addition to meetings with young athletes, their visit is linked to a promotional program by the construction company TAS International Group.

According to the TV channel “Varzish TV”, on the afternoon of November 5, former world champions Mike Tyson and Evander Holyfield held a master class for young athletes and students at the sports complex of the Tajik National University. In the evening, they are also expected to participate in the “Evening of Great Victories” at the Tennis and Water Sports Palace of Tajikistan.

The TAS International Group, in an announcement about the event, invited partners and clients to a concert evening and the conclusion of a car raffle. Tickets are priced from 5,000 somoni (about 500 dollars).

Those familiar with the situation note that the visit of global stars to Dushanbe is likely aimed at commercial goals, attracting attention to the company and its products. The construction company Amir Holdings, part of the TAS group, is implementing the Dushanbe International District project. The first stone of this complex was laid on September 3 by the President of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon and his son, the Mayor of Dushanbe Rustam Emomali.

It is still unknown how much it cost the company to invite the global stars. However, some activists believe that inviting such stars is too expensive.

Economists believe that TAS International Group is using methods to attract new clients that have not been previously applied in Tajikistan. At the same time, it is unclear whether attracting such a number of global stars is a program of one company intending to attract investments and clients, or if it is a government program in another form.

As part of image building, such events can present Dushanbe as a city with large projects and the ability to invite global stars. Available sources do not report such goals as an official government policy. The interests of the construction company’s advertising campaign cannot be equated with the interests of the national economy of Tajikistan.

Do other countries have similar experience?

Saudi Arabia is one of the most active countries in attracting global sports stars. In 2022, Lionel Messi became the country’s tourism ambassador, and Cristiano Ronaldo began playing for the Saudi club Al-Nassr.

Inviting famous people is closely linked to the development of tourism, hotel infrastructure, and the simplification of entry into the country. According to an OECD report, in 2023, Saudi Arabia welcomed about 27.4 million foreign tourists, which is a 65% increase compared to 2022. Tourism revenues amounted to 141.2 billion riyals (approximately 37.7 billion dollars).

Experts believe that Saudi Arabia, with its vast oil reserves, can spend amounts unavailable to Tajikistan. However, the country’s experience shows that well-known stars should promote what tourists spend their money on for use or purchase.

Uzbekistan also invited these same two boxers. In November 2023, Mike Tyson and Evander Holyfield visited Tashkent as honorary guests of the 61st World Boxing Council (WBC) Convention. According to kun.uz, representatives from over 100 countries participated in the event.

The program in Tashkent was related to the professional activities of the boxers: training for coaches, medical seminars, discussions on boxer rankings and ongoing fights. For the host country, their visit was a good opportunity to organize a meeting between national boxing representatives and international leaders and specialists.

In Kyrgyzstan, the visit of former stars of the FC Barcelona football club in 2023 was timed to the opening of a football academy in Jalal-Abad. A specific outcome was the establishment of a sports institution for children.

The events in Dushanbe, as stated by the organizers, are mainly related to attracting clients and partners for the construction company and a car raffle. The visit of Tyson and Holyfield may enhance the company’s image and assist with product sales. However, the costs of inviting sports stars, movie celebrities, and well-known bloggers, as well as the financial results of these events, are unknown to the public.

In the aforementioned examples of Saudi Arabia, Uzbekistan, and Kyrgyzstan, inviting stars was aimed at promoting tourism, international cooperation in sports, or creating sports institutions. In Dushanbe, however, commercial interests of the organizer are primarily observed. The contribution of these events to the development of tourism or sports in the country is still unknown.

The presence of Emomali Rahmon and his son at the ceremony for laying the first stone in the company’s project also raises questions about possible personal or family interests of the president. But the main question is: what benefit do all these advertising expenses bring to society, aside from the organizing company itself?