29 March 2024, Friday, 0:47
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European Champion: After Her Release, Alena Leuchanka Will Be Even More Sticking up for Her Rights and Opinions

European Champion: After Her Release, Alena Leuchanka Will Be Even More Sticking up for Her Rights and Opinions

Athletes continue to prove that they are the great pride of Belarusians.

Yauhenia Paulina, 1998 European Champion and 1999 World Rhythmic Gymnastics World Championship bronze medalist, has been living in Great Britain for almost ten years. Recently, the ex-gymnast signed a letter from athletes with demands to the authorities and told tribuna.com what she thinks about events at home.

"I watch everything, listen a lot, and try to understand [what is happening] as much as possible, being at such a great distance from Belarus. I even tried to justify the actions against the [protesters] people because I am not there, and I do not see it with my own eyes, that there can be setups and provocations. But I still find some evidence that none of this exists.

It's hard for me to look at it; it hurts me, and, to be honest, the most vivid feeling is hopelessness, helplessness. Maybe because I'm far away. And I really do not want despair to be added to it," said Yauhenia.

She admitted that because of the coronavirus, she did not vote in the 2020 elections. And she began to actively follow the events in her homeland after August 9.

"I can't imagine that someone could think that this could happen in our country. And it is impossible to be prepared for this [the brutality of the security forces]. To show this much your indifference to people and their opinions... I don't know what could be worse.

How can you want to be the leader of a country if you absolutely do not hear and do not listen to your people? You lie so shamelessly with these percentages. Of course, there are no countries where everything is democratic and honest. At least I don't believe that there are. But when the bar is so bent, not just one line is crossed, but all possible lines... I don't know. This is some kind of bottom of the bottom. However, this is not the bottom yet.

I am simply amazed at the reaction of the Belarusian people, at how they perceive it all. The Belarusians opened up for me from the other side. Sometimes such subtle humor and positiveness slip through that I just marvel at people. At such moments, I regret that I am not there and that I cannot support [the protesters]."

"Which case struck the most?"

"Everything that is connected with athletes and people who are related to sports is the most painful for me. This is incredible pain for everyone who suffers, who is under pressure. I cannot imagine how it is possible to expel a person from the national team just for thinking differently or deprive him of the presidential scholarship and say that the money must be returned. Where does this come from? How can this be done?

And these stories - the arrests of Siarhei Shchurko, Lena Leuchanka - are the worst. And it doesn't end there. And all the guys who signed the petition for fair elections... The repression will continue. I don't know how long. But I really want to believe and hope, like millions of people in Belarus, that this will all end.

This is my biggest pain and resentment. At the same time, I note that the athletes do great work. All the messages that they write down are so correct and competent. Well, what a great job they did! Athletes continue to be the country's calling card and show that they are the greatest pride and the most valuable thing the country has. Once again, they confirm this with their behavior.

Of course, I feel sorry for those who cannot say anything, who remain active athletes. They have the Olympics around the corner, to which they have been going all their lives. And now they are forced to either keep silent or change their minds. This is terrible. I understand what is happening inside them, what pressure and withdrawal, and how they run from one end to another. And it is clear that they will think about it a lot.

Yauhenia also shared her opinion on the arrest of famous people from the world of sports.

"I look at what the authorities are doing, and all the time, I think: "Well, this is the bottom!" And no. There is still where to fall. You think, well, how could this be lower and meaner? How? But the authorities prove that anything is possible. I have no words. I cannot even describe the actions that are applied. I can't even admit it in my head. And I do not believe until the last that this is happening.

When the next athlete, coach, journalist... When I hear that those whom I know [talking about Alena Leuchanka] fall into such a story, I can't imagine how deep you need to sink to get to this. The people of the country are the most precious thing it has. How can you do this with those who are the most valuable, who are the country's face, soul, and heart? I do not know.

It hurts me so much to see it. I probably cried more over these months than over the past 10 years. Any such information first makes me cry, and then I come to my senses and start boiling inside."

When Paulina was asked if she had ever faced pressure from the authorities, she replied:

"In principle, my departure from the country is precisely my disagreement with the regime and the authorities. Throughout the entire time after I retired from the sport, I faced various problems. I have always had my own position, my own opinion. And it was loud enough. But as an athlete, thank God, I have never experienced such stupidity on myself.

As an athlete, I have not received a lot of thanks. Everything that I achieved, I achieved myself. And I am sure that 98 percent of Belarusian athletes achieve everything only because of their own work. This is an area where it is almost impossible to buy or get something for pretty eyes. Sport, in my opinion, is the purest kind of activity. And what is happening to it now does not make sense in my head.

How can one deprive everything a person who has devoted his whole life to doing this, who - I don't like the phrase "killing health" - gave himself so much to it [sports]? It just does not make sense in my head. This is breaking the souls of people, their hearts. It is terrible and so merciless, disgusting, and vile. Gross!"

"They say that you can't easily break Alena Leuchanka."

"This is also the athletes' feature: strong tempering from all sides, both physical and moral. And, probably, [after release,] Lena will be even more sticking up for her rights and opinions. But how is it all done and what sacrifices it costs..."

When asked if the departure of the gymnast from Belarus is connected with the events of 2010, she replied:

"No. I was already ready to leave then. Recently, I tried to remember those events and realized that I already remember them very poorly. They were somehow erased from my memory. It feels like I was watching them from the screen. I talked to my mother and tried to remember. These were almost the only elections where I voted.

And I left because many of my endeavors broke down. It was very difficult to develop. The situation was similar to the present one. My TV program (talking about the sports program "Not only about football" on ONT) was canceled after I went to study with Pozner and returned as a different person with a more persistent point of view, different views, and a great desire to be a professional. I returned, probably more talkative.

I did a gymnastics theater, but they began to remove us from concerts. Similarly, the school did not survive: they began to raise rent and squeeze us out of the premises. All this is now happening with Sasha Herasimenia and her swimming school. It's just awful."

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