Although this year's Winter Olympics in Sochi have just kicked off [1], 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 [2]“, 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 [3] [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 [4] over the last decade.
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 [5]
— Jasur P.Bahrom (@j_pulat) February 7, 2014 [6]
This moment when russian commentator told ‘Tajikistan’ but this was Uzbekistan….. -.- #angrybird [7]
— Sofya R (@SVeloso4) February 7, 2014 [8]
@gubernievd [9] What the fucking you said Tajikistan? It's Uzbekistan, Uz-be-kis-tan @Sochi2014 [10]
— Doston Akramov (@DostonAkramov) February 7, 2014 [11]
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 [12]
назвать узбекистан таджикистаном? губерниев, сделай себе харакири! #Сочи2014 [13] #Sochi2014 [14] #Таджикистан [15] #Узбекистан [16] — Парвиз Хамдамов (@mr_parvizon) February 7, 2014 [17]
Calling Uzbekistan Tajikistan? Guberniev, go perform harakiri [18] [kill yourself]!
Губерниев гори в аду
— Nika (@NikaNigora) February 7, 2014 [19]
Guberniev, burn in hell
Я надеюсь, я верю, – комментаторов выведут в овраг и расстреляют с минуты на минуту
— Rasstriga (@rasstriga) February 7, 2014 [20]
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 [14]
— Abdujalil A (@abdujalil) February 7, 2014 [21]
Russian commentator called “Uzbekistan” as “Tajikistan” in Sochi Olympic games opening ceremony pic.twitter.com/caUe7v4CqJ [22]
— Sadulaev Khurshid (@Mr_Sadulaev) February 7, 2014 [23]
[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 [24] from #Uzbekistan [25]
— Only in Tajikistan (@onlytajikistan) February 7, 2014 [26]
OMG how they could call Uzbekistan as Tajikistan. Couldn't the commentator learn the flags #sochi2014 [27]
— Traumer (@apipretty) February 7, 2014 [28]
Дать бы тебе глобус в руки и усадить за школьной партой Губерниев, да чтобы больше не путал Узбекистан с Таджикистаном #sochi2014problems [29]
— Traumer (@apipretty) February 7, 2014 [30]
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 [29]
Комментатор ошибся,когда выходили спортсмены из Узбекистана…представил как Таджикистан…Считаю он должен извениться!!! — MILA (@nika_eva_09) February 7, 2014 [31]
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 [9] Перед Узбекистаном надо извиниться, Дмитрий. Мы не Таджикистан, при всём уважении к соседу(((( — Акбар Мухаммади (@akbarvik) February 7, 2014 [32]
@gubernievd [9] You have to offer an apology to Uzbekistan, Dmitry. We are not Tajikistan, with all due respect to our neighbours.
@pryatochka [33] Губерниев что такой он несет блин Узбекистан это не таджикистан ! Блин пусть он извиниться перед Узбекистаном! — Бека Давронов (@Beka_Davronov) February 7, 2014 [34]
What the hell is Guberniev saying? Uzbekistan is not Tajikistan! He should offer Uzbekistan an apology now!
Сочи нет слов открытия игр супер! #Д [35].Губерниев извинис перед нами перед Узбекистана! УЗБЕКИСТАН ЭТО НЕ таджикистан — Бека Давронов (@Beka_Davronov) February 7, 2014 [36]
What an opening for the Sochi Games! D. Guberniev, apologize to us, to Uzbekistan! UZBEKISTAN IS NOT Tajikistan.
@gubernievd [9] Буквы нужно свои же русско-кириллские различать если есть истан в конце слова не обязательно Таджикистан!!! — Твиттер одел Чапан (@toshkent1991) February 7, 2014 [37]
@gubernievd [9] You should at least learn your Russian Cyrillic letters. When a word ends in “-istan”, it does not always mean “Tajikistan”!
@gubernievd [9] Ты назвал нашу страну не Узбекистан, а Таджикистан. Хотя было написано на 3х языках. — Gafurov (@m_gafurov) February 7, 2014 [38]
@gubernievd [9] You called our country Tajikistan rather than Uzbekistan although the correct name was there, written in three languages.
@vesti_news [39] какимж придурка должн быть чтоб перипутат сборной Узбекистан со сборной Таджикистан
— M/Z (@MannopZakirov) February 7, 2014 [40]
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 [41]
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 [42]
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?