Ms Heidy Purga
Minister of Culture of Estonia
[email protected]
11 March 2024
No: 09-03/43
Dear Ms Heidy Purga,
I avail myself of this opportunity to express gratitude to the Estonian authorities for
the stance expressed against participation of the athletes representing Lukashenko’s system.
With this letter I would like to kindly inform the Ministry on the successes achieved by
the United Transitional Cabinet of Belarus with regard to the admission of the Belarusian
dissident athletes to the qualification events and to the Olympic Games 2024 and
non-admission of those Belarusian athletes who are affiliated with the Lukashenko’s system
and do not comply with the criteria set by the International Olympic Committee.
Admission of the Belarusian dissident marathons athletes in
qualifications to the Olympic Games 2024 in Paris
We have sought clarification from Mr. Francis Dodoo, Chairman of the Working
Group on the status of Russians/Belarusians in International Competition and Events of
World Athletics, regarding the conditions for the participation of Belarusian dissident
athletes (marathons) opposing repressions in Belarus and the war in Ukraine. Mr. Dodoo's
responses provide us with a glimmer of hope that Belarusian dissident athletes may be able to
participate in the qualifications.
Specifically, Mr. Dodoo mentioned that World Athletics' decision to ban all
Belarusians from athletics competitions is considered a recommendation for marathon
organizers. Consequently, the final decision on the admission of Belarusians in marathons lies
with the organizers of those competitions.
In light of this, based on information from Belarusian athletes Ms. Sviatlana Kudzelich
and Ms. Volha Mazurenok, we have identified upcoming marathons for potential
participation: Rotterdam Marathon on April 14, Vienna City Marathon on April 21, and
Copenhagen Marathon on May 5. We have initiated communication with the organizers to
facilitate the participation of Belarusian dissident athletes.
Ms. Sviatlana Kudzelich and Ms. Volha Mazurenok are the Belarusian marathon
athletes who actively participated in peaceful protests of the Belarusians opposing the brutality
and election fraud perpetrated by A.Lukashenko and his system.
At that time Ms Mazurenok and Ms Kudzelich also signed the Open Letter of the
Belarusian Sport Representatives, a collective effort aimed at cessation of violation of the
Constitution in the country, protection of basic civil rights and democratic principles. After
Russia’s full-scale invasion in Ukraine the athletes spoke out against the war and, as a result,
had to leave the country for security reasons.
If the Ministry deems it appropriate to seek support from Estonian authorities
for Ms. Sviatlana Kudzelich and Ms. Volha Mazurenok before the organizers of the
mentioned marathons, we would be immensely grateful.
Non-admission of the athletes qualified to the Olympic Games
2024 and affiliated with Likashenko’s military agencies
On December 8, 2023, the International Olympic Committee took a decision on
admission of the athletes with Russian and Belarusian passports to the Olympic Games 2024
based on strict eligibility conditions. The strict eligibility conditions for Individual Neutral
Athletes at Paris 2024 are the very same strict eligibility conditions under which were set such
athletes to be qualified, including the condition that “athletes who are contracted to the
Russian or Belarusian military or national security agencies will not be eligible to be entered or
to compete. Support personnel who are contracted to the Russian or Belarusian military or
national security agencies will not be entered.”
Recently, Anastasiya Shkurdai (Анастасія Шукрдай)1 and Vanesa Kaladzinskaya
(Ванэса Каладзінская)2, Belarusian athletes of the Lukashenko’s system, have qualified to
the Olympic Games 2024 in swimming and wrestling respectively.
As it was verified both stated athletes are affiliated with Lukashenko's military
agencies. The relevant evidence has been sent to the World Aquatics, the United World
Wrestling, and the International Olympic Committee. For convenience the documents are
attached to this letter.
With this regard, we kindly ask the Ministry to advocate the adherence to the effective
verification principle before the International Olympic Committee and the Paris 2024
Organising Committee for the Olympic and Paralympic Games and non admission of
those athletes who are affiliated with the military agencies.
We are ready to provide the Ministry of Culture with all necessary information
additionally needed on the issue stated above. Should there be any further clarifications or
explanations of the above needed, please feel free to contact Ms Maryia Zhurava, a legal
representative of the athletes (e-mail:
[email protected]).
Yours faithfully,
Pavel Latushka
Deputy Head of the United Transitional Cabinet
Head of the National Anti-Crisis Management
Ambassador
1
Athlete Profile: https://www.worldaquatics.com/athletes/1055981/anastasiya-shkurdai
2
Athlete Profile: https://uww.org/athletes-results/vanesa-kaladzinskaya-10647-profile
Mazowiecka,12/31 00-033 Warszawa
[email protected]
3
Saatja: "Pavel Latushka" <
[email protected]>
Saaja: "KUM min" <
[email protected]>
Teema: Belarusian dissident athletes
Kuupäev: 2024-03-11 15:15
Dear Ms Heidy Purga,
The National Anti-Crisis Management (NAM) extends its compliments and kindly
requests your attention to the attached correspondence from HE Mr. Pavel
Latushka, the Head of NAM and Deputy Head of the United Transitional Cabinet
of Belarus.
Kind regards
Daria Schwarzmann
NAM Protocol
--
Protocol of the National Anti-Crisis Management
https://belarus-nau.org/en
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