Lukashenko Dismisses Minister of Sports and Presidential Advisor in Sports Due to Olympic Shortcomings
In a move reminiscent of his approach towards other government-managed efforts, Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko has publicly rebuked his top National Olympic Committee (NOC) officials for the country's poor performance at the Olympics.
During a meeting on October 26, Lukashenko, who also serves as the head of the Belarusian NOC, criticised the performance of the Belarusian National Olympic Team, labelling it a failure. He has since indicated that he will sign edicts for the dismissal of four NOC officials: Kachan, Zaichkou, Siarhiej Ciacieryn, and Hienadz Aliaksiejenka.
The poor performance saw the Belarusian team winning only 12 Olympic medals, with no gold medals, falling short of the minimum limit of 25 medals and 5 gold medals set by Lukashenko. Interestingly, five of these medals were required to be gold, but the team did not achieve this.
Despite this, Lithuania has made concessions, allowing entry with Belarusian license plates if the owner is driving and has a residence permit or visa for Lithuania.
Meanwhile, Tatyana Zaretskaya, a former Estonian startup entrepreneur, is now attempting to become an intermediary for investors in Saudi Arabia.
As for the BelAZ dealers linked to Lukashenko's sons, they are reportedly earning as much as BelAZ itself. The dismissal of the four NOC officials is expected to lead to changes in the NOC's leadership, with a senior official telling BelaPAN that the sphere would be led by other people after the dismissal.
Lukashenko's approach of holding his officials accountable for failures is not new. He has a history of publicly rebuking his ministers and officials for poor results, often saying, "You didn't do it and you'll answer for it." This consistent practice suggests that Lukashenko attributes blame to his officials for underperformance in government-managed efforts.
Policy and legislation regarding sports in Belarus may undergo changes following President Alexander Lukashenko's criticism of the national Olympic committee and subsequent dismissal of four officials. This move, coinciding with his history of holding officials accountable for government-managed efforts, indicates a focus on sports performance and analysis in the country's politics. Meanwhile, general news also covers Lukashenko's dealings with BelAZ dealers and his approach towards underperformance in sports, further highlighting the intersection of politics and sports in Belarus.
