Lukashenko comments on sanctions in sport

The head of state was asked to comment on the changed rhetoric of the international sports organizations. For example, the IOC and its president Thomas Bach are now saying that Belarusian and Russian athletes could take part in competitions under a neutral flag, including in the Olympics. However, a number of countries declare their intention to boycott such competitions in this case. “Neutral flags, other additional conditions. In your opinion, which of these is acceptable for us at all?” Aleksandr Lukashenko asked.

“Not everything is unacceptable for us. Please, watch it closely, however: the masks have been dropped. The IOC, Bach talked about the possibility for us to compete. If we can, then make a decision. Why are you dragging this out? They get together and begin discussing whether we can take part or not,” the Belarusian leader said. “Today it is not about symbols, flags or anthems. It is about the athletes who have dedicated their lives to sport. They destroy people's lives. Bach himself is a great athlete. Doesn't he understand what it means to ban an athlete from competitions? And ban these athletes for nothing. They do it for no reason at all. Are these athletes bandits or what? Were they fighting somewhere? Did they go out to the square to shout slogans like ‘Let's go to war', ‘Let's kill'? They didn't do that. What did they do wrong?” the head of state added.

“There is just pressure coming from everywhere. The main goal is to straggle us and Russia, so that we would never arise somewhere, so that we would not be on this planet, so that our civilization would cease to exist. It will not happen! They are just wicked rascals! There is no other way to say it,” the head of state said.