Kazakhstan jails Belgian football fans for ‘Borat’ stunt
A court in Kazakhstan has sentenced three Club Brugge supporters to short jail terms after they dressed as the film character Borat during a Champions League match in Astana.
The fans were detained on Tuesday at the Astana Arena during Brugge’s 4-1 win over Kairat Almaty. Police said they were drunk, removed their clothes in the stands and caused a disturbance.
On Thursday, a court in the capital said the three Belgian citizens had been found guilty of disrupting public order and were each given five days of administrative detention.
Videos shared online showed the men wearing bright green “mankinis”, the swimsuit made famous by Borat, the fictional Kazakh journalist played by British actor Sacha Baron Cohen.
The 2006 comedy film, which portrays Kazakhstan in an exaggerated and mocking way, has long upset authorities in the country. Jokes linked to the movie are rarely welcomed, and officials have previously taken action against similar stunts at football matches. At the same time, the country has tried to embrace the Borat phenomenon by using his famous “very nice” catchphrase in a tourism campaign.
#FlandersNewsService | Club Brugge fans in the stands during their Champions League match in Astana, 20 January 2026 © BELGA PHOTO BRUNO FAHY
Related news
