MINSK, 20 February (BelTA) - Belarusian football players need to be better trained and developed, regardless of foreign players, Belarusian Sports Minister Sergei Kovalchuk said at the reporting conference of the Belarusian Football Federation on 20 February, BelTA has learned.
“The limit on legionnaires has now been changed; more of them can now be registered. Several years ago, we did the opposite. And what is all this for? Is our task to attract legionnaires or to develop our own? The second is more difficult to do. Of course, it’s easier to take someone who is already prepared. Because of this, it used to be that whoever had more money became champion in advance,” the sports minister said.
“At the same time, we are not touching private clubs. Let them develop as they see fit. Let them sign Messi or Ronaldo if they want,” Sergei Kovalchuk said.
Recently, the Belarusian Football Federation executive committee decided to increase the number of legionnaires to five. Previously, no more than four foreign players could be on the field.
Sergei Kovalchuk also appealed to UEFA to reconsider the situation and allow the national football team to hold matches in Belarus. The sports minister emphasized that despite all the sanctions, the state continues to develop football infrastructure: “We have many high-level stadiums. We are ready to organize the arrival of teams here. One of my requests is to allow the national team to host home matches in Belarus. Given the changed circumstances, we ask that the decision banning them from playing at their own stadiums be reconsidered.”
Photos by Sergei Sheleg
“The limit on legionnaires has now been changed; more of them can now be registered. Several years ago, we did the opposite. And what is all this for? Is our task to attract legionnaires or to develop our own? The second is more difficult to do. Of course, it’s easier to take someone who is already prepared. Because of this, it used to be that whoever had more money became champion in advance,” the sports minister said.
Recently, the Belarusian Football Federation executive committee decided to increase the number of legionnaires to five. Previously, no more than four foreign players could be on the field.
Sergei Kovalchuk also appealed to UEFA to reconsider the situation and allow the national football team to hold matches in Belarus. The sports minister emphasized that despite all the sanctions, the state continues to develop football infrastructure: “We have many high-level stadiums. We are ready to organize the arrival of teams here. One of my requests is to allow the national team to host home matches in Belarus. Given the changed circumstances, we ask that the decision banning them from playing at their own stadiums be reconsidered.”
Representatives from UEFA, including Advisor to the National Associations Department Jozef Kliment, participated in the conference of the Belarusian Football Federation in Minsk on 20 February.
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