You're reading: Belarus will not boycott London Games in spite of denied accreditation of Lukashenko

Minsk - Belarusian Sport and Tourism Minister Oleg Kachan has refuted online media claims of the possible boycott of the London Olympic Games by Belarusian athletes.

“That is totally absurd information, it is absolutely false,” he told Interfax on Thursday. The online media alleged that Belarusian athletes would boycott the London Games to retaliate the Games organizers’ denial of accreditation to Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko.

“Naturally, Belarusian athletes will take part in the London Olympic Games. The Belarusian state flag has been hoisted in the Olympic Village. A delegation of Belarusian athletes and officials has arrived in London. Another Belarusian delegation led by Vice-Premier Anatoly Tozik departs from Minsk today,” he said.

“If anyone uses sports as a political instrument, that is the one’s problem. Belarus adheres to the Olympic principle: sports are unrelated to politics,” the minister said.

Earlier, Interfax quoted press secretary of the British Embassy in Belarus Inna Romashevskaya, who said the London Games organizers had denied accreditation to Belarusian National Olympic Committee head Lukashenko. She said the British authorities still banned visits of Lukashenko to the UK, and no exception was made for the Games period.