Russian Commentator Mistakes Uzbekistan for Tajikistan at Olympics Opening Ceremony · Global Voices
Alexander Sodiqov

Although this year's Winter Olympics in Sochi have just kicked off, social media users in Tajikistan and Uzbekistan are already angry at Russia, the country hosting the Games.
Thousands of people in the two Central Asian nations turned on their TVs earlier today to watch the opening ceremony for the Olympics shown live on “Russia-1“, a state-owned Russian television channel (available via satellite in the both countries). As athletes from Uzbekistan were walking into the stadium behind an Uzbek flag, renowned Russian sports commentator Dmitry Guberniev [ru] announced, “Tajikistan”. He thus confused the two countries that were once part of the Moscow-dominated Soviet Union and have had a strained relationship over the last decade.
“That moment when Uzbekistan was called Tajikistan”. Image circulating widely on social media sites.
It did not take too long for angry reactions to appear on Twitter. Below are just a select few from hundreds of tweets posted by netizens from Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. Many of these tweets are addressed to Guberniev (@gubernievd), shaming the commentator and demanding an apology.
My country was announced wrongly. How could commentator make this mistake??? Uzbekistan was announced as Tajikistan. #SochiProblems
— Jasur P.Bahrom (@j_pulat) February 7, 2014
This moment when russian commentator told ‘Tajikistan’ but this was Uzbekistan….. -.- #angrybird
— Sofya R (@SVeloso4) February 7, 2014
@gubernievd What the fucking you said Tajikistan? It's Uzbekistan, Uz-be-kis-tan @Sochi2014
— Doston Akramov (@DostonAkramov) February 7, 2014
Oh yes,Uzbekistan is so lucky,so it had to be introduced as Tajikistan in the opening ceremony.Russian olympic commentator go hang yourself!
— Viktoriyas (@Viktoriyas8) February 7, 2014
назвать узбекистан таджикистаном? губерниев, сделай себе харакири! #Сочи2014 #Sochi2014 #Таджикистан #Узбекистан — Парвиз Хамдамов (@mr_parvizon) February 7, 2014
Calling Uzbekistan Tajikistan? Guberniev, go perform harakiri [kill yourself]!
Губерниев гори в аду
— Nika (@NikaNigora) February 7, 2014
Guberniev, burn in hell
Я надеюсь, я верю, – комментаторов выведут в овраг и расстреляют с минуты на минуту
— Rasstriga (@rasstriga) February 7, 2014
I hope, I believe that the commentators will be takes to a ravine nearby and executed [shot dead] any minute now
Uzbek bloggers are angry at Guberniev, Russian commentator for confusing Uzbekistan with Tajikistan, its arch enemy #Sochi2014
— Abdujalil A (@abdujalil) February 7, 2014
Russian commentator called “Uzbekistan” as “Tajikistan” in Sochi Olympic games opening ceremony pic.twitter.com/caUe7v4CqJ
— Sadulaev Khurshid (@Mr_Sadulaev) February 7, 2014
[Text in the image reads, “Here is Tajikistan”. “It is Uzbekistan, you idiot!”]
Apparently Russians working at the Winter Olympics can't really tell #Tajikistan from #Uzbekistan
— Only in Tajikistan (@onlytajikistan) February 7, 2014
OMG how they could call Uzbekistan as Tajikistan. Couldn't the commentator learn the flags #sochi2014
— Traumer (@apipretty) February 7, 2014
Дать бы тебе глобус в руки и усадить за школьной партой Губерниев, да чтобы больше не путал Узбекистан с Таджикистаном #sochi2014problems
— Traumer (@apipretty) February 7, 2014
Guberniev, I wish I could give you a globe and put you behind a school desk so that you learnt not to confuse Uzbekistan for Tajikistan #sochi2014problems
Комментатор ошибся,когда выходили спортсмены из Узбекистана…представил как Таджикистан…Считаю он должен извениться!!! — MILA (@nika_eva_09) February 7, 2014
The commentator made a mistake when athletes from Uzbekistan were entering [the stadium]… he introduced them as being from Tajikistan… I think he should apologize!!!
@gubernievd Перед Узбекистаном надо извиниться, Дмитрий. Мы не Таджикистан, при всём уважении к соседу(((( — Акбар Мухаммади (@akbarvik) February 7, 2014
@gubernievd You have to offer an apology to Uzbekistan, Dmitry. We are not Tajikistan, with all due respect to our neighbours.
@pryatochka Губерниев что такой он несет блин Узбекистан это не таджикистан ! Блин пусть он извиниться перед Узбекистаном! — Бека Давронов (@Beka_Davronov) February 7, 2014
What the hell is Guberniev saying? Uzbekistan is not Tajikistan! He should offer Uzbekistan an apology now!
Сочи нет слов открытия игр супер! #Д.Губерниев извинис перед нами перед Узбекистана! УЗБЕКИСТАН ЭТО НЕ таджикистан — Бека Давронов (@Beka_Davronov) February 7, 2014
What an opening for the Sochi Games! D. Guberniev, apologize to us, to Uzbekistan! UZBEKISTAN IS NOT Tajikistan.
@gubernievd Буквы нужно свои же русско-кириллские различать если есть истан в конце слова не обязательно Таджикистан!!! — Твиттер одел Чапан (@toshkent1991) February 7, 2014
@gubernievd You should at least learn your Russian Cyrillic letters. When a word ends in “-istan”, it does not always mean “Tajikistan”!
@gubernievd Ты назвал нашу страну не Узбекистан, а Таджикистан. Хотя было написано на 3х языках. — Gafurov (@m_gafurov) February 7, 2014
@gubernievd You called our country Tajikistan rather than Uzbekistan although the correct name was there, written in three languages.
@vesti_news какимж придурка должн быть чтоб перипутат сборной Узбекистан со сборной Таджикистан
— M/Z (@MannopZakirov) February 7, 2014
What an idiot could confuse the national team of Uzbekistan with that of Tajikistan?
Искренне задело!!! Узбекистан, а не Таджикистан!!! — Катюша Сергеевна (@Katyusha_Smile) February 7, 2014
This is offensive! Uzbekistan, not Tajikistan!
Русским нужно срочно учить географию и флаги, чтобы научиться отличать Узбекистан от Таджикистана. И эта страна хочет править Ц/Азией???
— Шапараки Овора (@du15yak30) February 7, 2014
Russians urgently need to study geography and flags in order to learn to tell Uzbekistan from Tajikistan. Is this the country that wants to rule [Central] Asia?