Tatarstan

[TheFirstRabbitoh]

Any reason that Tatarstan (part of Russia) is listed as a separate country on the international page?

 

[ali]

Not sure, maybe because they have played a couple of International seperately from Russia. I do know they are quite keen on independance and I believe the people consider themselves ethnically different and are infact mostly Muslims.

On a Rugby League front, it appears the game is going quite well. The russian comp has been split in two for the final few rounds of the comp, and the top 4 sides include 2 from Moscow and 2 from Kazan, Tatarstan.

 

[TheFirstRabbitoh]

Ethinically, the majority of people in Tatarstan are Russians (who consider themselves Russian regardless where they live).

The Muslim Tatars tried to breakaway a while ago a la Chechnya, but no one ever really thought that was ever going to get off the ground. Either way, the 'Tatars' only make up about 30-40% the population.

Anyone know what percentage of the Russian league playing base is from Tatarstan? And is it ethnic Russians playing there, or mostly Tatars?

 

[ali]

I stand corrected.

Russian news is very hard to come by, and until such time we get a genuine Russian posting on an RL message board, then I don't thing we'll know the answers to those sorts of questions.

My guess is that it would make up a fair percentage of the playing numbers, maybe 30-40%. Just going on the strength of their top 2 clubs and the fact that the goverment declared League one of 3(?) official sports of Tatartstan. I believe 2 million people live in Kazan, so this place has plenty of potential.