Belarus Sports Minister criticizes Victoria Azarenka for refusing to play in Olympics
Minister of Sport and Tourism Syarhei Kavalchuk recently said in an interview with “SB-Belarus Today” that he did not like the situation in Belarusian tennis and accused athletes of “consumer attitude towards the state.”
The minister called the decision of tennis player Victoria Azarenka to not participate in the Olympics in Tokyo unexpected:
“What was Azarenka guided by? It’s unpleasant. How can she not fight for the honor of the country? Not to help when she is needed? Not to lead the young, inspiring them by example? Like Aryna Sabalenka, who is not always stable. And satisfy her own ambitions and try to win the title of two-time Olympic champion. I think she had a great chance to win the gold medal together with Sabalenka. Such behavior doesn’t make Azarenka look good as an athlete, as a person, or as a citizen of her country.”
According to Kavalchuk, he doesn’t like the current situation in Belarusian tennis:
“The thirst or even greed for money has given rise to a consumer attitude towards the state, which has invested and is investing a lot of money in the development of athletes. Unfortunately, many of our tennis players count their lives and careers only in dollars.”
In July, Victoria Azarenka announced on her Instagram that she had decided not to participate in the Tokyo Olympics. The athlete did not explain her decision. At the same time, she stressed that she’s looking forward to the Olympics 2024 in Paris, where she’ll represent Belarus.
There were various rumors around Azarenka’s refusal to participate in the Olympics. Among others, it was suggested that in this way, she could express her protest against the policy of Lukashenka’s regime. However, this version is not confirmed.
Victoria Azarenka, 31, is the most successful Belarusian tennis player in history. She has won 21 WTA series tournaments, including two Grand Slam tournaments. In 2012, she became an Olympic champion in the mixed doubles with Maksim Mirny.
