We will fight for each athlete

President of Belarus’ National Olympic Committee (NOC) Viktor Lukashenko has answered topical questions about the Olympic prospects of our athletes

For several years, Belarusian sport has been living under the yoke of harsh political pressure and unjustified sanctions. Nevertheless, not only have we not broken down during this time, but we have become stronger and are confidently moving forward. Belarusian athletes continue to perform and, most importantly, to win, no matter what. What is the current relationship with the International Olympic Committee (IOC)? What can we expect from Kirsty Coventry, who will officially assume the post of head of the IOC on June 24th? What Belarusian athletes have a chance to compete at the upcoming 2026 Winter Games in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo? 

“The relationship between Belarus’ NOC and the IOC has improved significantly over the past year,” President of the National Olympic Committee Viktor Lukashenko said in an interview with BelTA. “Gradual positive changes are constantly taking place. In many summer sports, our leading athletes are already participating in world and European championships, World Cups and other international tournaments. A recent example is the decisive step taken by the International Judo Federation (IJF), which allowed Belarusians to compete under our national flag and anthem. Our athletes are returning to competition in a number of sports, including in team disciplines: fencing, synchronised diving, synchronised swimming. In wrestling, taekwondo, swimming, modern pentathlon, weightlifting, table tennis, Belarusian athletes compete without any additional conditions or criteria in all international tournaments, but still in a neutral status. I would also like to note that after a long break, the Belarusian NOC team will be represented at the summer European Youth Olympic Festival 2025 (EYOF) in North Macedonia by 48 young athletes in seven sports, with a total delegation of 70 people who will be able to perform in their NOC uniforms. All these examples are the result of the joint painstaking and progressive work of Belarus’ NOC and sports federations with colleagues from the IOC and international organisations, which lead to gradual progress. As for Kirsty Coventry, we maintain working contacts with the IOC and look forward to meeting her in the near future to discuss our steps and develop a strategy for further co-operation on the issue of the full return of Belarusian athletes to the international arena.”  

— As you know, in the summer of 2024, during the Olympics, NOC representatives came into contact with the leadership of the International Olympic Committee and colleagues from other countries. How do they communicate with Belarusians given these difficult conditions? What did they say, so to speak, off the record?
— After the Olympics in Paris, it has already been said a lot that communication with representatives of Belarus is not just normal, but benevolent. Thus, during the recent visit of NOC Secretary General Ksenia Sankovich to Doha, another meeting was held with IOC President Thomas Bach and IOC Sports Director Kit McConnell. The attitude towards Belarusians in the IOC is favourable and positive. Representatives of our organisations are constantly in touch, and solutions are being found to any issues that arise. Not everything happens as quickly, smoothly and easily as we would like, but there is understanding and a desire to move in a constructive direction. At the same time, such understanding and dialogue are lacking in relations with some international federations, whose approach cannot be called adequate. This is, for example, World Athletics. In general, as I have already said, we are satisfied with the communication and level of co-operation with the IOC today, and we hope that this will translate into tangible results. We are grateful for the financial support provided by Olympic Solidarity, but at the same time we would like to draw attention to some difficulties — for example, related to the ban of some governments on allowing Belarusian athletes to participate in competitions on their territory, and problems with obtaining visas. This point and many other problematic issues were raised at the recent meeting with the IOC President.

Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo will host the Winter Olympics in February 2026. Answering the question in which sports Belarusian athletes will be able to compete for Olympic licences, Viktor Lukashenko said, “We are extremely concerned about the participation of Belarusians in the 2026 Winter Olympics. It is a priority for us right now, and all our efforts are thrown in this direction, serious work is being carried out and the maximum possible is being done.

In winter sports, only representatives of figure skating, short track and speed skating have been allowed to participate in licenced tournaments so far. Unfortunately, the leaders in the speed skating team were not included in the list, which was published by the International Skating Union (ISU) in May. We categorically disagree with this decision. We continue to work and carry on a dialogue with international sports organisations and will fight to the end for each athlete who has been unfairly suspended and whose interests have been violated.

All relevant documents are being prepared now. As for other sports, the question remains open for now. Everything is difficult given the dominance of representatives from Scandinavian countries in the governing bodies of international sports federations. Yet we hope that the situation will change for the better. In any case, our athletes are training and preparing, and we will do everything to support the athletes as much as possible, and we are ready to work in a very compressed time frame.”