MINSK, 4 April (BelTA) – Every ruble invested in the sports industry should pay back, Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko said at a meeting on 4 April to discuss support for physical culture and sports, BelTA has learned.
The president asked what had been done to sort things out, first of all, in team sports and what else needs to be done, how his instructions are being fulfilled and how the spending of public funds by clubs and federations is overseen.
“I want to warn you, guys. It is not a problem today to track where this money goes. That's exactly what we are going to do. And I want to tell you the following: Please, finance your relatives, friends, mistresses out of your own pocket. Use your own money. Earn it wherever you want and use it to financially support them. This will be decent, manly. I think you will make the right conclusions from what I have said. Do clubs manage their funds fairly and effectively enough or do they simply burn them thoughtlessly? What do they use this money for? We will hold the Sports Ministry accountable for sports facilities that cost billions of rubles,” Aleksandr Lukashenko emphasized.
The head of state explained that he meant the national Olympic training centers Raubichi and Staiki, Minsk Arena, the speed skating stadium, the cycling track and other sports facilities. Sports and Tourism Minister Sergei Kovalchuk has long been tasked with making sure that these facilities are maintained in proper condition.
“Make sure that they are in good shape and do everything in your power to bring competitions there no matter how difficult it is. And the organization and the result are the responsibility of federations and everyone else, including the Sports and Tourism Ministry,” the president said.
The head of state went on saying: “Sports have received and will continue to receive the necessary support in our country, but every ruble invested must pay back. This is my demand. No progress, no money. I want the prime minister and the finance minister to hear that: No progress, no money.”
“I have already outlined the formula. Sanctions or no sanctions... Are you telling me that the Russians ban us from their competitions? If this is so, let me know and tomorrow I will solve any issue for you in Russia. But beat the Russians for starters. Win against the Russians in the sports where you are under sanctions. And not under sanctions. Nothing more is needed,” the Belarusian leader said. “Win in handball. You have already outperformed them in cycling and rowing - well done. We see that. You will get the corresponding treatment. Volleyball somehow surged at the end of last season but now nothing is happening there,” the head of state said.
There are also problems in basketball, the president added. Aleksandr Lukashenko ordered to set things to rights among the leadership of the federation. It is currently headed by Minister of Foreign Affairs Maksim Ryzhenkov. However, now he has a lot on his plate, the head of state noted. “Let him focus on the ministry. And we need to find a tough person there who will be able to deliver results,” the president set the task. “That's why if we invested in sports, we need to see a return,” the president remarked.
The head of state invited the participants of the meeting to share their vision of the system to support sports. “How are we going to optimize the clubs' spending, will the state benefit from this? We are now setting up clubs left and right, we can do that. We once adopted this idea from the West. Clubs, clubs, clubs... There are people, there are officials. And I was told that in some clubs... The president does not earn as much as they do. Everything looks fine, but athletes are severely underpaid, their salaries are below $500. What kind of athlete will work [for such a salary]? None,” Aleksandr Lukashenko is convinced.
“Will this not affect performance and especially the training of fledgling athletes? What sources will be used to fund the schools created by the clubs and the clubs themselves? This is also a question. You all live on budgetary funds to varying degrees. Do clubs and federations fully utilize the opportunities to earn money on their own?” the head of state asked. “Recently (I insisted on this for three years) we have told our cultural workers, theaters: we will give you as much from the budget as you earn on your own. Little by little they have learned to earn and survive. If they do not earn, it means that they are not interesting for the audience. Therefore, the same formula should apply to sports. This ironclad formula should be fair for everyone: if you deliver a result, you will get the money, no result - no money. The legal act that will formalize it must be clear, consistent and understandable.”
Follow us on:
