Opinions & Interviews

MINSK, 18 July (BelTA) – President of the International Olympic Committee Thomas Bach calls to fight against doping, not against honest athletes, Belarus’ Minister of Sport and Tourism Alexander Shamko said at a press conference in the National Olympic Committee of Belarus on 18 July, BelTA has learned.

The press conference was about the Olympic ban on Belarus’ Senior Men’s Canoe and Kayak National Team. The Olympic Games is the most important event in the athletes’ four-year schedule, and Belarusian sportsmen were considered among the favorites. But they were disqualified by the International Canoe Federation (ICF) for one year for failing to comply with doping regulations. “They put our canoe and kayak team in the same category with Romania and Kazakhstan where there was clear evidence of the use of banned substances. As for the Belarusian athletes, they have not yet proved that the level of meldonium in the blood of our athletes was higher than required. All is within the norm. We really do not know why the ICF Executive Board handed down such a verdict. President of the International Olympic Committee Thomas Bach calls to fight against doping, not against honest athletes. There have been no doping claims against the Belarusian canoe and kayak team for years,” Alexander Shamko said.

Alexander Shamko also stressed that canoeist Alexander Bogdanovich will go to Rio in any case, “either as an athlete or as the captain of the Olympic national team.”

During the press conference, the journalists asked about the ICF Junior and U23 Canoe Sprint World Championships which are due in Zaslavl on 28-31 July. Belarus’ sports functionaries stressed that Belarus will comply with all rules and regulations of the tournament, and added that there will be no warm welcome for the ICF senior officials if any of them comes to Belarus.