Lukashenko: flag cannot be torn out of a real athlete's heart
Discussing the development of sports under sanctions, President Aleksandr Lukashenko expressed his attitude to participation of Belarusian athletes in international competitions without national symbols
“It is bad that without symbols: without the flag, without the anthem – though this is not a catastrophe! The flag cannot be torn out of the heart of a real athlete (not those who have run away, let them run: they ran here, and they run there). It should be in the heart if we are speaking of real sportsmen! They should understand that they perform primarily for people," the Head of State said.
In his report, the Minister of Sports and Tourism, Sergei Kovalchuk, fully agreed with the criticism of the President, noting that not sanctions determine the development of sports in Belarus at present. Aleksandr Lukashenko responded in a clear way, “Sanctions determine only for the better. A pressure on an athlete will inspire him to show a result, if he has character.”
Mr. Kovalchuk informed that, at the moment, Belarusian athletes participate in different world tournaments in six sports: tennis, football, checkers, chess, sambo and boxing. He also noted that the Ministry monitors the results of the athletes who fled Belarus abroad: they are not improving.
“They will never show results there, they are second-class people there,” the President immediately commented.
Mr. Kovalchuk also said that some of the coaches – who left the republic – are looking for ways to return back, not enjoying in their new countries a huge support that was provided to them in Belarus.
