MINSK, 19 January (BelTA) - International sports organizations have long become a political tool, member of the House of Representatives, leader of the Liberal-Democratic Party of Belarus Oleg Gaidukevich told BelTA as he commented on the IIHF's decision to strip Minsk off the right to host the 2021 IIHF World Championship.
“It is obvious that banning Russia from the Olympics and stripping Minsk off the right to host the IIHF World Championship is geopolitics. This has nothing to do with sports. Any of such sanctions are imposed not out of concern for democracy and freedom. It is obvious. They are pure geopolitics and interests of certain parties. International sports organizations have long become a political tool, and the decision to move the championship from Minsk did not surprise anyone. Something else did. The pulling of the 2021 IIHF World Championship from Minsk is viewed by some as a victory. ‘Victory!' shout the political migrants living in the hotels in Poland and Lithuania. They consider economic sanctions against business as a victory,” Oleg Gaidukevich said.
On 18 January, the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) announced that it had removed the 2021 IIHF World Championship co-hosting bid of Belarus and Latvia.
The 2021 IIHF World Championship was due to take place in Minsk and Riga on 21 May-6 June. Belarus will receive compensation for being stripped off the right to host the championship.
