Press releases

MINSK, 18 February (BelTA) – Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko has sent a complaint to President of the International Olympic Committee Thomas Bach with regard to how the Belarusian aerial skier Anton Kushnir had been judged. Alexander Lukashenko made the relevant statement after he cast his vote as part of the municipal elections campaign on 18 February, BelTA has learned.

Alexander Lukashenko said: “Our federation tried to lodge a complaint after that, tried to talk on good terms in a friendly manner with their colleagues in PyeongChang — with the international federation. You can guess what the answer was. I had to wake up the Ministry of Foreign Affairs staff that night and contact the embassy in the Republic of Korea. I had to immediately send a government telegram to [Thomas] Bach. I told him everything I wanted to say in, I think, mild terms. We are going to publish all of it. We are not going to hide it.”

Alexander Lukashenko noted that people from the office of the president of the International Olympic Committee had already phoned him and had said that instructions had been given to look into the case and take measures. “The entire sport community is indignant. People say that such things are abnormal,” said Alexander Lukashenko.

The head of state stressed that he had signed the complaints intended for the IOC leadership not only as the president of the National Olympic Committee of Belarus but also as the head of state. “I don’t think that they will make decisions in our favor. If they are not made, then this matter as well as other issues and problems now plaguing international sport should be taken to the platform of the International Olympic Committee. In the 20 years I’ve worked as the president of the National Olympic Committee I’ve never attended these sessions but I think I should attend them soon in order to give a wakeup call to this sleepy and politicized realm. They live too well over there. They rank people in advance and distribute medals according to the political power. Whoever holds more political power gets the medal. Things should not be done this way!” stressed Alexander Lukashenko.