Show Of Armed And Masked Men In Belarusian Football

Masked law enforcement officers have brutally beaten up a young football player.

On July 2 a 23-year-old football player Siarhei Bulynionak was beaten after the game of the 11th tour of the Belarusian First League, Ashmiany – Luch (Minsk). Tut.by was informed about that to a hot line by readers of the website.

Last season the midfielder helped Krumkachy to secure the way to the Premiere League.

Now the trainee of Torpedo Minsk school stays at Department of Neurosurgery of the emergency hospital in Kizhavatau Street in Minsk. Today the sportsman has been told he needs an operation.

The football player of FC Ashmiany FC about his adventures after an ordinary game on Saturday:

– Two days ago we had a game with Luch Minsk. After the game on our way home in a car I was with four other persons. And when we drove a little away from Ashmiany, two cars stopped us. One was on the left side, the other was behind us. Five strong armed and masked men ran out of the car and started to throw us away from our car.

While other guys were simply put on the ground with their faces down, their hands on their napes, I was stricken in the face, though I showed no resistance. Then they started to ask everyone’s names. When I stood up, they asked: “Do you know what’s going on?” I said: “I do not know.”

“You have had a fixed match, – they said. – We have seen your team the evening before in the park, you have been talking to a Lithuanian about the results of the game with Luch. You was there for sure, we saw you!”

But Siarhei claims that on that day he was with his friends, and he knows nothing about any Lithuanian. He says that he was in a shock, didn’t understand anything, who those people were and what they were going to do with them, they really had fear for their lives. And when he was placed in front of a camera, he told everything they demanded: “Yes, I was there,” and other nonsense of the kind”.

– Then we were told to sit in different cars, I was taken to the organised crime and corruption fight directorate for Minsk and Minsk region. It seems to me it is called like this, near Revaliutsyjnaya Street, not far from Zakon Buterbroda café. And then I felt calmer, I understood I was in a state institution.

An interrogation started, and I said that I was talking nonsense in front of the camera during the arrest, as I had a fear for my life. And I told the truth, that I didn’t participate in any meetings with any Lithuanians about fixed games, and I know nothing about that. I told I was in the city with my friends. And if such talks would take place, I would not participate in such a match, I would simply leave for Minsk, as participation in fixed games in unacceptable for me.

They wrote that down and asked me: “Do you understand that you will be punished if you lied?” But I said the truth, my conscience is clear.

Siarhei was released about 1 a.m., as he said. He visited different hospitals and clinics with his brother. Finally, he was diagnosed a mandibular dislocation, a zygomatic fracture and a fracture of the bone under the eye. “I was told that I have to undergo treatment at the hospital for about two weeks. Other guys were interrogated and the released. But fortunately, they were not beaten during detention in the same way.”

Siarhei Bulynionak’s parents went to the directorate to find out what had happened. As it turned out, people from Luch club were detained as well. Some Lithuanian allegedly gave money to someone, investigation is carried out.

– What’s next? I do not know. They say investigation is underway, there are some results. And as for the beating during the arrest, the directorate explained that they cannot control the takedown team they hire. Allegedly, the gays use their own discretion when they detain people, – Siarhei Bulynionak said.

It should be noted that the game between Ashmiany and Luch ended in a draw- 3:3. And notably, during the game Ashmiany were leading tow times (2:0, 3:1), but failed to hold the victory, at the 82nd minute they let in a penalty goal.

Ashmiany takes the last place in the First League now, and before the visit to the outsider Luch took the 3rd position, but now they are at the 4th position.

By the way, the beaten Siarhei Bulynionak, detained and accused of participation in a rigged game, entered the game at the last 90th minute, while the score was 3:3, and it wasn’t changed later.

As said by the football player, earlier he asked the club to terminate the contract, however Ashmiany asked him to play until the finish of the first round. As noted by the midfielder, he informed the club about his misadventures, and everyone is confused there.

Journalists reached FC Ashmiany on the phone, but the press-service withholds comments.

The press-service of the Interior Affairs Ministry has been asked to confirm reports about the beating of Siarhei Bulynionak, about detention of Luch players, and to comment on force structures’ actions’ legality.

– As for the information about Ashmiany player, he has filed a report. The fact is being interrogated. And the results are to be published by us certainly. The examination is to determine whether the detention and the actions of law-enforcers had been lawful. The information about Luch players detention is to be posted at the official websote of the Interior Affairs Ministry in the nearest time, – the spokesperson of the Interior Ministry of Belarus Ryhor Yauchar explained.

We remind that on June 7 Andrei Zhukau, head of the department of refereeing of Belarus Football Federation, was detained in his office by officers of the Department for fighting against Economic crimes and the Interior Ministry's Economic-Crimes Department. He was charged with bribery

On June 8 it was said that a coach of FC Smarhon and an ex-player of Belarus national football team Mikalai Ryndziuk and a referee Andrei Saroka were detained.

However, FC Smarhon’s acting director does not confirm the detention of Ryndziuk.

Later it became known that a referee Andrei Saroka, who had been detained by the police, was released. Saroka declines comment on his detention.