"The suspension of our athletes is unconstructive and useless"

In May, the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) allowed the junior national team of Belarus to compete among teams under the age of 18 (U-18). The women's national team was also allowed in. In an interview with Izvestia, Alexander Baraulya, Deputy Minister of Sports and Tourism of the Republic of Belarus, appreciated these decisions, discussed the chances of further separation of athletes from the two countries and appreciated cooperation with Russia in participating in joint championships.

— Recently, the Belarusian hockey team has been relaxed — the junior national team has been allowed to participate in the U-18 World Cup, and the women's national team has also been disbanded. Are you sure that there will be no boycott of matches with your teams by the national teams of the countries that have the most negative attitude towards Russia and Belarus?

— I think that the admission of Belarusian and Russian teams in a number of sports, first in a neutral status, and then under their own national flags, was a great challenge for many international sports federations. At the same time, everyone understands that the suspension of our teams and athletes is unconstructive and useless. So the vast majority of countries support our return to the international arena.

Well, if there is a minority somewhere that is strongly opposed, then I hope that they have not forgotten about the principles of subordination of the minority to the majority. I believe that most countries understand everything. And they just need time for this understanding to strengthen in those countries that are now promoting a strict rejection of participation in competitions of Belarusian and Russian teams. Sooner or later it will happen.

— In one of its recent decisions, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) recommended that international sports federations not interfere with the holding of international competitions on the territory of Belarus. Do you have any ideas about which competitions your country plans to apply for in the near future?

— I can't say anything specific about this right now. But it is generally known that the Republic of Belarus has extensive experience in hosting major events, including the Ice Hockey World Cup, the second European Games, and the Games of the CIS countries. We are open and ready to host major international competitions, but I am not ready to talk about any specific plans right now.

— Will there be any attempts in the coming years to negotiate with the IIHF to hold the World Ice Hockey Championship in Minsk in order to compensate for the loss of this tournament in 2021, when your capital was supposed to host it jointly with Riga, but under the pretext of alleged security problems due to protests, the competition was held only in Latvia?

— I think it will be difficult to do this right now. But over time, we can launch processes that will allow us to make such a decision, if we already have teams returning to the international arena. It's very difficult for me to talk about what could have happened. Surely the International Federation has some plans. And other countries expect to host the World Cup. Personally, I'm sure it was wrong to take that World Cup away from us. Nevertheless, we are open and ready to hold such competitions in the future.

— Do you believe that Russia will be allowed to participate in hockey and other sports to the same extent as Belarus?

— Absolutely. I believe in it. And I want it to happen. Because Russian sport is one of the key world leaders. Without him, world sport will not be full-fledged, it will not be as bright and spectacular as it has always been.

— How satisfied are you with the cooperation with Russia and the competitions of your athletes with ours in the framework of such tournaments as the KHL, the Commonwealth Biathlon Cup and others?

— Definitely satisfied. And it's not just about the tournaments you listed. When the sanctions were imposed in 2022, we jointly organized numerous open championships with Russia, and we are holding the Cup of the Strongest Athletes in 15 sports. Moreover, we are doing this in an open format, inviting not only Russians and Belarusians, but also athletes from other countries. In our opinion, this only enriches the sports of our countries, especially at the youth, junior and youth levels. Together we become stronger.

— Do you believe that Belarusian and Russian athletes will perform in full force under their flags and anthems at the upcoming Summer Olympics in Los Angeles in 2028?

— I hope so. And I believe in it. I really want this to happen.