Goodbye Paris, we will not miss you!

One of the most scandalous Olympics have become history

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) did not allow 16 Belarusian athletes to participate in the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, which were held under the Jesuit slogan Games Wide Open. Having shown unsurpassed resilience, will power and iron character, Belarusian athletes managed to win licences to Paris in conditions of wild discrimination only to see the red light banning them from participation almost before the Olympics’ start. At least as many of our athletes did not even have the opportunity to qualify — just because they were not allowed. Among them are such world sports stars as Maksim Nedasekau, Maryna Litvinchuk, Volha Khudzenka… Therefore, Belarus was watching the Games Wide Open with eyes wide shut. However, all Belarusians rejoiced loudly and from the bottom of the heart at the success of our medallists, who, under the given circumstances, could be called real sports heroes.

President of Belarus Aleksandr Lukashenko has congratulated Yauheni Tsikhantsou on winning the bronze medal at the 33rd Summer Olympic Games, 

The Head of State expressed confidence that the successful performance of Belarusian weightlifters at the Paris Olympics would serve as a good incentive for coaches to continue their fruitful work.
Aleksandr Lukashenko wished Yauheni Tsikhantsou good health, peace, well-being and new great victories for the glory of Belarus.

Yauheni Tsikhantsou, Belarusian weightlifter, bronze medallist of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games      belta

The Belarusian Olympians have put four medals in their piggy-bank. Ivan Litvinovich won gold in trampoline jumping, becoming the first two-time champion in the history of this sport. The young and daring Belarusian athletes, who made their debut at the Olympics, have returned home with silver medals. Yauheni Zalaty marked the beginning of the Belarusian Olympic awards in men’s rowing, and Viyaleta Bardzilouskaya — in women’s trampoline jumping. Belarus’ weightlifter Yauheni Tsikhantsou closed the medal programme — having lifted 402 kilogrammes (183 + 219) in the combined event, he became the third in the 102-kg weight division. If the result of the Belarusian national team had been taken into account, it would have closed the top 50 among 206 participating national teams. It is not bad at all, you should agree! Especially considering the fact that only a total of 17 athletes were allowed to get to Paris. 
Not all of those who took part in the Olympics can take credit for that, due to both objective and subjective reasons. The feedback meeting is yet to take place, and each result will be given a proper assessment. Obviously, we expected to get the highest result from each Belarusian athlete. Yet, is there anything to blame Alina Zmushka for, who set a new record for Belarus in the 100-metre breaststroke semifinals? And how is it possible not to praise Suzanna Volodko, who almost jumped onto the Olympic weightlifters’ podium and occupied a bitter fourth place, whereas her best performance was the sixth place at the World Championships? It remains only to lament that we did not see Vanesa Kaladzinskaya and Iryna Kurachkina, Mariya Gnedtchik and Anastasiya Prokopenko, Kiryl Maskevich and other prominent Belarusian Olympians on the Parisian platforms and carpets. If they had competed in the Olympics, there is no doubt that the team’s medal haul would have been even richer. 
The next Summer Olympics are scheduled to take place from July 14th to July 30th, 2028 in Los Angeles. However, no one can predict what they will be or whether they will take place at all. In the meantime, the main Olympic news is the statement by the IOC head, German Thomas Bach, that he will not seek to remain in charge for a third term. On this occasion, one can only say: hopefully, he will not change his mind! However, there is small choice in rotten apples — the main candidate for the vacant place of the IOC chief is the president of the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), British Sebastian Coe, whose position towards Belarusian and Russian athletes is tough and categorical. The IOC heads have long ceased to be independent in their decisions, and are mere obedient executors of someone else’s will. We can only hope that the world will come to its senses soon.


By Sergei Kanashits