Lukashenko: II CIS Games are most serious criterion for sports functionaries

The II CIS Games that will be held in Belarus next year will be a serious test for the country’s sports functionaries – as stated today by the President of Belarus, Aleksandr Lukashenko, while being reported by Sports and Tourism Minister Sergei Kovalchuk on certain issues of sports development under the sanctions

Analysing the state of affairs in Belarusian sports, Aleksandr Lukashenko touched upon the topic of the II CIS Games, which are to be take place in our country in August 2023. Addressing those present, the Head of State called these competitions a ‘landmark’ for the entire sports industry in Belarus, “This is the most serious criterion for you... If you fail the II CIS Games, then I will tell you frankly, you have nothing to do in sports.”

The meeting with the President also tackled the participation of our athletes in the 2024 Summer Olympic Games in Paris. It is not yet clear whether and under what conditions the delegations of Belarus and Russia – which are under the sanctions of international federations – will be able to qualify and go to the main start of the four-year period.

Aleksandr Lukashenko noted, “This is also your question. Therefore, we must prepare. If you are talking about the need to support athletes, I agree with you. But only those who show world-class results should be supported. It’s not a problem to compare an athlete’s 100m run with the best result at the world championships. This should be a criterion: a high world level, a high result at the level of first, second, or third place. Then there will be appropriate benefits, subsidies, etc.”