Lukashenka: I Would Do The Same As Putin

The dictator supported Russia, which was banned from the Olympics due to a doping scam.

Aliaksandr Lukashenka commented on the situation around the doping scam of the Russian leadership and the impossibility for the Russian athletes to perform at the Olympics in South Korean Pyeongchang in 2018 under the national flag because of the decision of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to remove Russia from the Games, BelTA writes.

“It is hard for me to judge what is going on there. What do we know? So far there has been this media frenzy. We have not heard any calm sound arguments yet. There had not been any, at least before the Russian president made a statement (and I think he was right). Every athlete, if he or she wants it, should go to the Olympics under any flag. If this, God forbid, had happened to Belarusians, I would have done the same. It is your life. Go and do your best.”

The head of state noted that he does not support this approach when the Russian team was punished collectively.

“Every athlete must bear his/her responsibility,” the Belarusian leader said. He stressed that you should mete out punishment only when doping is supported at the level of the state. “But the IOC has not made such findings,” – Aliaksandr Lukashenka said.

Important to note, on December 5, the Executive Committee of the International Olympic Committee decided to remove Russia from the Olympics, while allowing athletes to act under a neutral flag.