Opinions & Interviews

There should not be excessive politics in sport, the Belarusian President said. “Athletes from large and rich countries should not be the only winners. All athletes should be equal. Therefore, I am totally against any closed topics in sport, including doping issues. I am against solving issues with the help of money because a rich country will win. There should be more justice in sport,” the head of state said.

Alexander Lukashenko praised the fact that there are excellent specialists in the world track and field athletics. “Many functionaries in various sports lack this understanding, the understanding of an athlete. I think that such people like you, former athletes showing excellent results, can make a difference in sport,” the President said.

The President remarked that the visit of Sebastian Coe to Belarus and the events connected with this visit are very important for the Belarusian side. “We see it as a sign of respect, it gives us hope for the future cooperation,” the Belarusian leader concluded.

Sebastian Coe, in turn, stressed that politicians can be divided into two groups: those who understand sport and those who do not. “It is a pleasure to meet with such a high-ranking official who not only understands sport very well but also understands athletics. It is also good that we have similar opinions about the role of sport,” he said.