🇧🇾 Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko honors Olympic medalists at a ceremony in Minsk
On September 17, Olympic medalists Ivan Litvinovich, Viyaleta Bardzilouskaya, Yauheni Zalaty, and Yauheni Tsikhantsou attended a propaganda event orchestrated by Lukashenko. During this ceremony, they received state honors directly from the Belarusian leader.
“They tried to sideline us, to strip us of our flag and anthem. But the world still spoke of Belarusians and admired their victories alongside us.”
— Alexander Lukashenko
🇺🇦 Ukraine Reacts and Demands Sanctions
Ukrainian Minister of Sports Matviy Bidnyi swiftly responded, calling on the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to sanction Belarus for violating neutrality rules in place for the Paris 2024 Olympics. Bidnyi emphasized that the participation of Belarusian athletes in this ceremony demonstrates blatant disregard for IOC requirements. He urged stricter sanctions against Russian and Belarusian athletes due to their regimes’ use of sports for propaganda purposes.
đź’¬ Athletes as Tools of Hybrid Warfare
The Ukrainian minister stated that in dictatorial regimes like Russia and Belarus, sports serve as extensions of state policy, with athletes used as propaganda tools.
🤝 IOC Neutrality Rules Violations
The IOC’s neutrality rules prohibit any association of Russian and Belarusian athletes with their flags, anthems, or other national symbols before, during, or after the Games. Despite this, Lukashenko—who previously chaired the Belarusian Olympic Committee before being succeeded by his son—paid tribute to athletes during Unity Day, commemorating Belarus’s unification in 1939.
🏅 Controversial National Honors
Olympic champion Ivan Litvinovich received the Order of the Fatherland, Belarus’s highest distinction. Bardzilouskaya, Zalaty, and Tsikhantsou were also honored for their performances in Paris. Although Litvinovich competed under the “neutral athlete” status, he declared, “Everyone knows where I come from,” fueling criticism over breaches of neutrality principles. Litvinovich had already drawn controversy for encouraging participation in an illegal referendum held by the regime and for appearing at a propaganda event alongside the dictator’s son.
Ivan Litvinovich
⚠️ Call for Immediate Action
Ukraine is urging the IOC to act decisively. According to the Ukrainian Minister of Sports, this event makes it clear that Russian and Belarusian athletes have never truly been neutral. The IOC is now under pressure to respond to the exploitation of sports for political purposes.
❌ Stand With Ukraine Takes Action with Its “Blood Games” Campaign
The “Blood Games” campaign by Stand With Ukraine seeks to prevent Russian and Belarusian athletes openly supporting Putin’s regime, the Russian war of aggression in Ukraine, or serving in the armed forces from participating in the Olympics. The association demands sanctions, including the revocation of awarded medals and bans from future international competitions.
Source : DW
Photos : Twitter / Base of Ukrainian sports
