By Gabrielle Tétrault-Farber

MOSCOW (Reuters), – Authorities have banned two Belarusian cross country skiers from competing after they were accused by sports officials of being against the government’s political opposition.

Sviatlana Andryiuk (snowboarder) and Darya Doliovich (snowboarder), are among the elite athletes being targeted following criticisms of Alexander Lukashenko’s veteran leader. This was in response to a fake 2020 presidential election that his rivals claim was fraudulent. Lukashenko denies rigging of the vote.

According to the skiers, the Belarus Ski Union deactivated their FIS Code last month. This is an individual identification number that athletes need in order to participate in international competitions run by the International Ski Federation. They have been excluded from competitions including qualification for major international events.

According to skiers, Aliaksandr Drakhovich, head of Belarus Cross-Country Skiing Federation ordered officials in November not to allow them to compete internationally nor take part in national training camps.

Darakhovich is also deputy chairman of Minsk’s city executive committee. The Federation did not reply to Darakhovich’s request for comment.

The FIS and the Belarus Ski Union did not respond immediately to Reuters emails requesting comment in both instances.

Andryiuk is 22 years old and says that her decision meant she missed a qualifier which would have enabled her to qualify for the Beijing Olympics.

“They (sports officers) have accused me word for words of being an opposing supporter,” Andryiuk said to Reuters over a video conference.

Andryiuk stated that she never spoke out publicly about her political views. She described them as neutral. According to her, her circumstances were forcing her to move out of Belarus.

She stated, “I don’t wish to be here.” She said, “I plan to go to Poland to escape the hardships of living here.”

2020 PROTESTS

Darya, 17-years old, is one the most promising junior crosscountry skiers in Belarus. Her father, Sergei Dolidovich (cross-country skier), is also her daughter. He was a seven-time Olympian and participated in protests against Lukasenko.

Darya Dolidovich said to Reuters during a video conference that she believes her father was behind the move.

According to her, “I have not done anything by myself that could justify a disqualification or having my FIS codes deactivated,” she said to Reuters. She also stated that she agreed with her father’s opinions.

Sergei Dolidovich was the father of Dolidovich’s daughter. He said he had to quit his job as a trainer at a training centre national after falling under pressure from his opposition.

He stated, “The State cannot no longer have an influence on me.” “It cannot have an impact on me unless it has my daughter.”

In 2020, several prominent Belarusian athletes joined the opposition protests. This is unusual in a country that heavily subsidizes athletes.

Some athletes were sentenced. Some athletes were sent to jail or lost their jobs.

Krystsina, a Belarusian sprinter, refused to travel home after she was forced from Tokyo Olympics. After being threatened by her Belarusian coaches, she defected and fled to Poland.