Renovated Palace of Team Sports of the Armed Forces, in Minsk’s Uruchye residential district, opens its doors to professional sportsmen, the military and all sports lovers, with launch marked by International Children’s Handball Tournament, attended by the President of Belarus
Photo BelTA
The sports centre enjoys a glorious history, having hosted military handballers’ major victories in the 1980s; SKA-Minsk was then named best European club. The team of legendary Spartak Mironovich won the Cup of European Champions three times, and twice won the Cup of Cups. In addition, it regularly won USSR championships and raised eight Olympic champions.
Modern youngsters have a great example to follow, as the President noted in his speech to SKA-Minsk handballers and coaches. He underlined, “We must win! We’ve injected too much money into sportsmen and facilities, yet we haven’t seen proper payback.”
The President pins hopes on handballers’ victories, and Mr. Mironovich hopes to justify this confidence. Present training conditions are certainly improved. Until recently, sportsmen endured poor conditions, with a leaking roof leaving the floor dangerously slippery. He notes, “Now, on entering the hall, it’s like a dream come true. It’s such a wonderful gift. We’ve no excuses not to train hard and play well.”
Only a few columns remain from the former Palace of Sports, and spacious courts have been added for basketball, mini football, tennis, and badminton. The roof is in good order now and there’s also a sauna, with swimming pool and gym.
“I’ve never seen such work-out equipment,” admits Mr. Lukashenko. Speaking to the Chairman of the Minsk City Executive Committee, he asked, “When will we start making our own such machines.” The questions is reasonable: the country has developed super modern rocket equipment in just two years and nothing hampers it from producing sports machinery. The President is assured that his order is being fulfilled.
A wise saying reads: ‘if you avoid running while healthy, you’ll need to run once you fall ill’. Of course, it’s better to take preventative measures, and the country continues working hard to promote physical fitness and sports, by providing top facilities.
The International Handball Tournament coincided with the launch, bringing together squads from Russia, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia and Moldova. Sport not only keeps us fit but strengthens trust and friendship between nations.
After the opening ceremony, Mr. Lukashenko took a tour of the centre, and saw SKA-Minsk handball club and the national badminton team in training. The President chatted with sportsmen, asking about their problems and training conditions, and stressed that he sees much potential for our athletes.
By Mikhail Vetrovsky
