Opinions & Interviews

MINSK, 13 April (BelTA) – There is a need to strengthen the responsibility of the sport federations for the results, NOC First Vice President Andrei Astashevich said as he spoke during a meeting to discuss winter sports development with the participation of Belarus President, NOC President Alexander Lukashenko.

Andrei Astashevich spoke about the activity of the sport federations and noted that the trilateral contracts between the NOC, the Sports and Tourism Ministry of the Republic of Belarus and the federations are concluded every time the Olympic cycle is over. The parties also draw up the programs on the development of a particular sport and on the training schedule. “The documents describe the responsibilities of each side during the Olympic cycle but the accountability for the execution of the programs is really formalistic. The federations deliberately set the bars too high before the Olympic Games to get more money for the preparation, both from the budget and off-budget sources. In fact, there is no accountability for the money spent,” said Andrei Astashevich.

Andrei Astashevich suggested strengthening the responsibility of the sport federations for the results, drawing up the regulations that would formalize the staffing schedule of the sport national teams, reviewing the staff component and staffing levels of the sport federations taking into account the structures of the national teams and vesting the Sports and Tourism Ministry with the control over the funds the federations receive from the international organizations.