Lukashenko: Belarusian sport must deliver across all disciplines
16.06.2026
MINSK (
BelTA) – What we need in sport is the results and everyone must be working toward that, Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko said at a meeting to discuss the development of ice hockey in the country on 16 June, BelTA has learned.
The meeting was dedicated to the development of ice hockey but in the end it went beyond the designated topic. ‘This is a conversation about the situation in sport in general,” Aleksandr Lukashenko noted.
“Today’s meeting, if viewed in a broad sense, is a conversation about the situation in sport in general. If we had results in all disciplines, if we at least developed them the way we did in Soviet times (we had fairly good schools) in handball, football, hockey, and some other sports... Athletics. We are starting to fall behind in winter sports; results in cross-country skiing are nowhere to be seen. I am concerned that tomorrow rowers will ‘get caught under the wave’,” the head of state said.
“We need results! No results - no progress - no work!” the president emphasized.
In turn, Sports Minister Sergei Kovalchuk identified the sports in which Belarusians have been most successful recently, winning medals at world and European championships. Moreover, they have recently returned to the international circuit after a long hiatus.
For example, Belarus did very well at the European Trampoline Championships winning 14 medals: 9 gold, 3 silver, and 2 bronze.
Belarus claimed gold medals at the European canoe and kayak championships. The minister noted that a new crop of young promising athletes is growing up to follow in the footsteps of the legendary rower Ekaterina Karsten. For example, Yauheni Zalaty, who won a silver medal at a world cup this season, and the duo of Tatsiana Klimovich and Alena Furman who were victorious at a prestigious international regatta in Italy in April 2026.
The minister also highlighted the successes of Belarusian rhythmic gymnasts. At the European championships in this sport, the Belarusian national team won 3 medals (1 gold, 2 silver).
However, the president remarked that there were no impressive results in rhythmic gymnastics all-around. “We are declining in the disciplines where we used to shine,” the head of state noted.
Sergei Kovalchuk assured that in rhythmic gymnastics there are young promising athletes who may still prove themselves at international competitions. A similar situation, according to him, is in Greco-Roman and freestyle wrestling.
The minister separately addressed the situation in football, emphasizing the role of the head coach of the national football team, Viktor Goncharenko. The team has played several matches under his guidance. According to the minister, the coach is fielding different line-ups to select the most promising ones for the national squad.
Aleksandr Lukashenko spoke against relying solely on a coach either in football or in other sports. There need to be several such specialists in each sport. “Once a coach is gone, things fall apart. Then you will again invite coaches who stumble and stammer. We need to nurture them,” the president emphasized.
“We do, Mr President. There are some good young coaches in the clubs," the minister replied. As an example, he cited hockey where the Belarusian side has developed very good programs and methodologies.
“We have programs, but we don’t have coaches,” the head of state remarked critically.
“It's a process. You can’t train one in two years, unfortunately,” the minister replied.
Aleksandr Lukashenko asked to name several candidates who could coach HC Dinamo Minsk. The minister mentioned a few names, explaining that there are promising specialists, but so far they are not sufficiently prepared to take on such a prestigious club. However, after gaining more experience, they may be ready for the job in the future. “There are coaches who could work in the future. But today the level of coaching work is insufficient. We do not hide this fact,” Sergei Kovalchuk noted. “Currently, we are focusing on a foreign specialist [for a position of the HC Minsk Dinamo head coach].”
“There is a candidate for this position. Negotiations are underway,” the minister added.
The meeting was dedicated to the development of ice hockey but in the end it went beyond the designated topic. ‘This is a conversation about the situation in sport in general,” Aleksandr Lukashenko noted.
“Today’s meeting, if viewed in a broad sense, is a conversation about the situation in sport in general. If we had results in all disciplines, if we at least developed them the way we did in Soviet times (we had fairly good schools) in handball, football, hockey, and some other sports... Athletics. We are starting to fall behind in winter sports; results in cross-country skiing are nowhere to be seen. I am concerned that tomorrow rowers will ‘get caught under the wave’,” the head of state said.
“We need results! No results - no progress - no work!” the president emphasized.
In turn, Sports Minister Sergei Kovalchuk identified the sports in which Belarusians have been most successful recently, winning medals at world and European championships. Moreover, they have recently returned to the international circuit after a long hiatus.
For example, Belarus did very well at the European Trampoline Championships winning 14 medals: 9 gold, 3 silver, and 2 bronze.
Belarus claimed gold medals at the European canoe and kayak championships. The minister noted that a new crop of young promising athletes is growing up to follow in the footsteps of the legendary rower Ekaterina Karsten. For example, Yauheni Zalaty, who won a silver medal at a world cup this season, and the duo of Tatsiana Klimovich and Alena Furman who were victorious at a prestigious international regatta in Italy in April 2026.
The minister also highlighted the successes of Belarusian rhythmic gymnasts. At the European championships in this sport, the Belarusian national team won 3 medals (1 gold, 2 silver).
However, the president remarked that there were no impressive results in rhythmic gymnastics all-around. “We are declining in the disciplines where we used to shine,” the head of state noted.
Sergei Kovalchuk assured that in rhythmic gymnastics there are young promising athletes who may still prove themselves at international competitions. A similar situation, according to him, is in Greco-Roman and freestyle wrestling.
The minister separately addressed the situation in football, emphasizing the role of the head coach of the national football team, Viktor Goncharenko. The team has played several matches under his guidance. According to the minister, the coach is fielding different line-ups to select the most promising ones for the national squad.
Aleksandr Lukashenko spoke against relying solely on a coach either in football or in other sports. There need to be several such specialists in each sport. “Once a coach is gone, things fall apart. Then you will again invite coaches who stumble and stammer. We need to nurture them,” the president emphasized.
“We do, Mr President. There are some good young coaches in the clubs," the minister replied. As an example, he cited hockey where the Belarusian side has developed very good programs and methodologies.
“We have programs, but we don’t have coaches,” the head of state remarked critically.
“It's a process. You can’t train one in two years, unfortunately,” the minister replied.
Aleksandr Lukashenko asked to name several candidates who could coach HC Dinamo Minsk. The minister mentioned a few names, explaining that there are promising specialists, but so far they are not sufficiently prepared to take on such a prestigious club. However, after gaining more experience, they may be ready for the job in the future. “There are coaches who could work in the future. But today the level of coaching work is insufficient. We do not hide this fact,” Sergei Kovalchuk noted. “Currently, we are focusing on a foreign specialist [for a position of the HC Minsk Dinamo head coach].”
“There is a candidate for this position. Negotiations are underway,” the minister added.