Opinions & Interviews

MINSK, 22 May (BelTA) – The Belarusian ice hockey players belong in the lowest division. But we should not accept this, Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko said as he met with Belarus’ Interior Minister, Chairman of HC Dinamo Minsk Supervisory Council Igor Shunevich on 22 May, BelTA has learned.

“Our team deserved to be relegated from the elite division. They do not belong there with such a poor game. But we cannot accept this,” the head of state noted.

The head of state asked about the future prospects of HC Dinamo Minsk which is the main base for training players for the national team. “Today, the Belarusian Ice Hockey Federation complains that HC Dinamo Minsk does not fulfill its obligations. The hockey club says that it has its own interests, it needs to play and show results in the Kontinental Hockey League. To avoid disagreements, we need to do the following: the country’s best players should play in Dinamo Minsk and the club’s best players should be in the national team,” the president said.

“The preference should be given to the national team. The national team should include Belarusian players and, first of all, goaltenders. Having neither efficient defense nor offense is not good. If they cannot score some ten goals in ten games, they are not a team,” Alexander Lukashenko.