On June 21, 2025, the final games of the 2025 VIRTUS 5x5 World Basketball Championships took place at the Martial Arts Palace named after Zhaksylyk Ushkempirov. The tournament was held under the auspices of the international federation Virtus and brought together more than 180 participants from 11 countries. Athletes with intellectual impairments (category II1) from the following countries took part: Australia, Israel, Italy, Spain, Japan, Portugal, Poland, USA, France, Venezuela, and Kazakhstan.
Tournament organizers:
- NGO "Federation of Sports for People with Intellectual Disabilities" (IDSPORT) Pin-Up
- NGO "National Pin-Up Basketball Federation of Kazakhstan"
- NGO "Kazakhstan Streetball League"
The championship was officially included in the national sports calendar and sanctioned by the international federation Virtus. Pin-Up
Hosting the Virtus World Championship Pin-Up in Kazakhstan marked a significant step in the development of sports for people with intellectual disabilities in Central Asia. Based on the tournament results, the outcomes will be submitted to the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) for consideration of basketball’s potential inclusion in the Paralympic Games program.
