Press releases

MINSK, 10 June (BelTA) - Belarus can bid to host the Olympic Games, if there is such interest, President of the International Modern Pentathlon Union (UIPM) Klaus Schormann told a press conference in Minsk, BelTA has learned.

"At the moment the host of the summer Olympic Games 2028 has not been chosen yet. Belarus’ application could be very competitive. Many other applicants without regard to the 2028 Games do not have a tenth of what Belarus can offer. The country has a corresponding infrastructure: roads, including towards the first-class sports facilities, high-level hotels, all of which are situated compactly,” Mr Klaus Schormann said. He said that he is on friendly terms with President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Thomas Bach and has already raised this topic on many occasions. "When the discussions come to the place in Europe which could host the event, I always say that it is Belarus. Every time the IOC raises this issue, I say that Belarus is able to organize competitions of the highest level. Countries that apply for holding summer or winter Olympics thus show their keen interest in the competitions, and this encourages them to move forward. I think that Belarus should think of bidding to host the Olympic and it has the chance to get the event,” Mr Klaus Schormann said.

In this regard, a member of the House of Representatives of the National Assembly, the Chairman of the Belarusian Modern Pentathlon Federation Nikolai Ivanchenko said that together with Mr Klaus Schormann they set the goal to invite IOC President Thomas Bach to Belarus. "We have sent such an invitation to Mr Bach. We are in touch with him. In his reply, Mr Bach said that now he must be in Baku for the 1st European Games. But I think that our persevering work will show that we are serious and he will pay a visit to Belarus. The Belarusian Modern Pentathlon Federation has initiated the idea of such a visit. We would like to host very large international competitions in different fields. We have been working together with Mr. Schormann on this,” said Nikolai Ivanchenko.

UIPM President Klaus Schormann emphasized that he and UIPM stand ready to support the initiative to hold competitions of any level in Belarus, regardless of whether or not the country applies for holding the Olympics.