MINSK, 19 May (BelTA) – Belarusian trade unions should play a more active role in the development of elite sport, Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko said as he met with Chairman of the Federation of Trade Unions of Belarus (FTUB) Mikhail Orda on 19 May, BelTA has learned.
“Sport is in the spotlight of trade unions. According to your estimates, every year you train about 500 aspiring athletes. Where are they? We do not seem them,” the president remarked. “Therefore, we must do something here to promote this industry. You should take care of these athletes, support them and supervise their progress because we cannot lose them. You say that you have trained 500 people, but we do not see results in elite sport.”
Alexander Lukashenko suggested developing a corresponding system to help aspiring athletes realize their potential. He remarked that trade unions should provide strong assistance to the specialized ministry and the state in general in this field.
The president also reminded that serious reforms are now carried out in the sports industry in Belarus. Sports specialists will become the heads of sports federations, and high-ranking government officials will lead observation councils. The Belarusian Biathlon Federation is one of the examples.
Alexander Lukashenko remarked that some time ago it was difficult to operate sports federations, and the president had to deal with many issues in this field.
