MINSK, 24 December (BelTA) – Belarusian and Russian athletes may take part in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics as one team, Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko said in an interview to editor-in-chief of the Echo of Moscow radio station Aleksei Venediktov, BelTA learned.
The journalist noted that Belarusian athletes are rarely accused of doping while international organizations prohibit all Russian athletes to participate in competitions. He asked in this regard whether Belarus, as an ally, could help clean Russian athletes to take part in major competitions.
“This issue needs discussion. If this does not go against the Olympic Charter (and I think it does not), if our federations agree, then why not? This will be an interesting, successful page in the history of our relations on a very sensitive matter. We are kindred people. I do not rule this out. If Russia finds it interesting, acceptable and at that we do not violate anything, why not? This will even be a beautiful page,” the head of state said.
The president recalled the Russian flag unfolded by the Belarusian team at the Paralympics in Brazil. “Do you think it was a coincidence? You have paid zero attention to it,” he added.
As for Belarus' position on doping scandals, Aleksandr Lukashenko noted that the country has criminalized the use of doping or inducement to doping. “Every country has doping problems. There is something the Russians and the Russian leadership are right about: is this problem a Russian invention? Look at some athletes: they would have never shown such results without doping," the president said.
The head of state noted that the international sports organizations punish Russia in the harshest way while give others a slap on the wrist. In his opinion, they need to punish athletes who dope, not clean athletes or the entire national team, because talented people, for whom sport is the whole life, get caught in the crossfire.
Aleksandr Lukashenko mentioned Russian high jumper Mariya Lasitskene who has been recently banned to compete in Glasgow because of sanctions imposed on the All-Russia Athletic Federation. “She is definitely an Olympic champion! Many Russian athletes are deprived of the opportunity to compete. It is the same thing as you are deprived of journalism: this is your whole life. So does for athletes: they committed their youth to it, and today they have no opportunity to compete at the biggest international event,” the president said.
