Opinions & Interviews

Bahdanovich: When our athletes stand on the podium, the world knows they are from Belarus

Paris is playing host to the Summer Olympic Games, which look to become one of the most scandalous Games in history. The non-admission of national teams, a shocking opening ceremony, street robberies of athletes and guests in the French capital... This is not a complete list of the upsets at the 2024 Olympics. Is it easy to be an athlete in a situation where double standards are applied, and what gives strength to our Olympians. We address these and other questions to Aliaksandr Bahdanovich, the 2008 Olympic champion, multiple winner and medalist of the world and European championships, chairman of the Ice Hockey Federation of the Republic of Belarus.

Mr Bahdanovich, you are a world-class athlete, Olympic champion, patriot of Belarus. What do you think of the IOC’s decision to ban Belarusian athletes the 2024 Olympic Games?

Any professional athlete works very hard every day from early childhood, overcomes challenges to achieve their dream, to bring success to their coaches, sports schools, and the country. Many of our athletes faced a number of restrictions. Some did not make it to Paris. We are not represented in rhythmic gymnastics, track-and-field and rowing which we traditionally have good medal chances. This, of course, is upsetting, but the Belarusians have already achieved great success at the Games and I hope that sports functionaries will rethink their idea of the spirit of fair competition and equality for athletes. All the strongest athletes should be represented at the Olympic Games, regardless of citizenship or religion, and Belarusians should undoubtedly be among them. Our medals speak about this more eloquently than any words.

In the run-up to the Olympic Games, there was a heated discussion in social and mainstream media about whether individual athletes should compete under a neutral flag or whether the entire team should refuse to go to the Olympic Games. How do you feel about this difficult choice for any athlete?

Indeed, no athlete should be faced with such a choice. But at the same time, having experience of performing at the Olympic Games, I understand the athletes who went there, despite external pressure and restrictions. After all, this is the crown of many years of painstaking work of an athlete, the main exam of their sports career. Only a few people from the world of sport get the opportunity to perform at the main event of the four-year period, and giving up such a chance can be tantamount to giving up a dream to which you have devoted your whole life. But I am sure that now, when our guys top the podium, even without an anthem and a flag, the whole world knows that they are from Belarus.

Is it difficult for an athlete to perform without the national flag and anthem? Where to look for strength?

Any external pressure (the absence of the national anthem and flag is a form of external pressure) can affect the psychological state of the athlete. Getting on their marks, each of them feels the support of thousands of fellow countrymen. Believe me it is an indescribable feeling to know that thousands of people in your homeland are watching you.. Your family, friends, neighbors, many others who get inspired by your results. That is why it is so important to show your support, to write to athletes in social media, to welcome them back at the airport. These are the moments of a lifetime for them that give them the strength to move forward.

Can you comment on the situation with the Polish customs officers refusing to let Yauheni Zalaty's boat across the border? He had to find a new one, right?

Even during my professional career, I repeatedly faced restrictions, when the reasons were far-fetched and no one bothered to apologize after the circumstances were clarified. Such situations are unpleasant, but they can get you motivated to perform even above your own expectations, against all the obstacles and naysayers. It is good that the problem was quickly solved and Yauheni was able to adjust to a new boat, which is not an easy thing to do by the way. Athletes perceive themselves and their gear as one whole. This fact only increases the value of Yauheni’s medal. He did really well!

Doping scandals, bans, intrigues of the Polish customs seem to be the links in the same chain, which are designed to show that there are athletes from the “right” countries (USA, Canada, EU) and the rest. Can we say that the spirit of the Olympic Movement has been severely undermined in recent years, or have such events taken place for a long time already?

To be honest, a certain division has always been there. I would like to emphasize that this is not about athletes from different countries (I am on good terms with many of my former rivals), but rather about sports functionaries who are trying either to get the best conditions for “their ownathletes”, or to create artificial confrontation between athletes. The right thing to do in such situations is to remain a human being, to remain true to yourself, your country and your sport. Then no tricks will be able to break you.

Do you think the Olympic Movement will remain as we have known it for the last hundred years? Or will it transform into something different, with the countries of the West holding their Olympics and the countries of the East having the BRICS Games?

As an Olympic champion, I would like to say that whatever format the Games may have in the future, they should be open to the world’s best athletes regardless of the country they represent, the faith they profess or other beliefs they pursue. Time will show if the Games return to their original format, with all participants enjoying equal rights.

Does the ban of Belarusian and Russian athletes from the Olympic Games 2024 lower the sports bar? It is clear that both teams have athletes ready to compete for gold medals.

As I have mentioned many times, the Olympic Games, or any sports competitions, should be held among the strongest athletes. Only in this case sport events can be recognized as competitive and respectable. The results of our athletes at the European and world championships, at the ongoing Olympic Games in Paris only confirm their right to compete among the strongest. I do not even know what other proofs are needed.

What do you think of the opening ceremony of the 2024 Olympic Games? Can you compare it with the ceremonies of previous years?

All ceremonies I have attended represented the best from the history and culture of the countries hosting the Olympic Games, linking the origins of the Olympic Movement with its present. As for the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympic Games, I can't share the idea of the organizers. I am not the only one, as it turned out. Some things are absolutely sacred to every Christian. There are values that are shared by the overwhelming majority of the world's population. This Paris performance, unfortunately, was contrary to all these values. I do not share this idea.

Despite all the obstacles created by international sport functionaries, Belarusians have already won three Olympic medals. Do these obstacles undermine the morale of the athletes?

Professional athletes don't have time to think about what would have happened if the way to victory had been different. You have to rapidly adapt to all the changes, try to find advantages in any situation, because if you look around, you can see someone bypassing you. All these artificial obstacles distract athletes, but they shouldn't get them out of the rut. They knew the probability of such a scenario in Paris, and I think they were ready. As we can see, they persevered and did well. I hope things will continue this way.

The motto of the 2024 Olympic Games is "Games wide open", which sounds mocking in the current context. Can we hope that Team Belarus will go to the next Olympic Games?

As a professional athlete, the chairman of the Belarus’ NOC Athletes Commission, and the head of the sport federation, I am sincerely glad that a group of our athletes had an opportunity to represent our country in the international arena, literally allaying all the fears of sport officials related to the presence of Belarusians in world sport. At the same time, we all have a lot of work to do to lift all the restrictions on Belarusians, primarily their neutral status. I am sure that the opportunity to perform under their national flag would give them even more strength to achieve high results.

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