Nineteen Football Fans Treated for Suspected Poisoning
Participants in the Dostlik Cup 2026 festival from Karaganda sought medical help in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.
Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Allergies
Nineteen participants in the Dostlik Cup 2026 football festival traveled from Karaganda and sought medical assistance in Tashkent. Seventeen people, including 11 children and six adults, are being treated at Tashkent City Clinical Infectious Diseases Hospital No. 5, and all are in stable condition.
Why it matters
The incident involves a group of international festival participants and raises health-safety questions for mass sporting events that bring travelers across borders. Suspected poisoning is the reported cause, and officials from both countries are overseeing the response.
Of 19 festival participants who sought medical help, 17 are being treated, including 11 children and six adults, at a Tashkent infectious diseases hospital. The specific substance or source behind the suspected poisoning has not been identified.
The players
Akmaral Alnazarova
Kazakhstan's Health Minister, who is personally supervising the response to the illness affecting the Karaganda participants.
Otabek Imamov
Uzbekistan's First Deputy Health Minister, who is personally supervising the situation in Tashkent.
The details
Health officials in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan are supervising the situation, with Kazakhstan's Health Minister Akmaral Alnazarova and Uzbekistan's First Deputy Health Minister Otabek Imamov personally involved. Professors from Tashkent Medical University and specialists from the Sanitary and Epidemiological Service are assisting, while organisers of the Dostlik Cup 2026 are providing support to those affected.
Timeline
- The Dostlik Cup 2026 international football festival took place in 2026.
Health Landscape
The case is handled at Tashkent City Clinical Infectious Diseases Hospital No. 5, the facility that treats acute infectious cases in the city. It is a reminder that mass gatherings bring cross-border health responses that rely on the same clinical and epidemiological services.
Anyone attending large group events should be aware that food or drink exposure can cause illness that requires prompt medical attention. Seek care quickly if symptoms such as vomiting, fever, or unusual weakness develop.
The takeaway
Health incidents at international events can affect people far from home, so keeping track of symptoms and seeking early treatment matters. Organisers and health authorities working together can speed up care for affected participants.
Further reading
For more on related health topics, explore our Allergies coverage.
