Belarus searching for ‘national’ sport
According to the Belarusian Football Federation, the government spent over $1 million for the national football team in 2007. The federation wants to raise this sum. In March 2008, the government approved plans to reconstruct four existing stadiums in Minsk within the next three years and to build a 10,000-seat football pitch a new 3,500-seat stadium near the Football House.
At the background of recent constructions of ice arenas to encourage the youth to play hockey, the new plans look like at least a change of course in the search for a national sport in Belarus. Although many ‘ice palaces’ were built, no medals have been won at the international hockey tournaments.
In the view of Uladzimir Berazhkou, the editor-in-chief of Pressball newspaper that covers sports, the state’s money should indeed be invested into football, because football is a definitely cheaper sport.
“No doubt, football is a national sport. Moreover, it is the most convenient and cheapest. It doesn’t require huge amounts of money like hockey”.
Berazhkou says that football stars in Brazil grow on beaches. In Belarus, children learn to play football on asphalt at the best football academy of Dynamo Minsk:
“Nevertheless, flowers and stars spring up even on asphalt. If huge money is indeed invested in the development of children’s football, we will soon be able to get a truly national sport”.
Simple mathematics suggests that you just need a ball and a pitch to play football. Hockey requires several kilograms of gear. Syarhey Mikhiyonak, a deputy manager of Minsk-Yunost ice hockey club, told the European Radio for Belarus that the cheapest hockey gear would cost alt least $300.
By the way, tennis has also failed to become a national sport, despite optimistic forecasts.
In the view of Mikalai Mirnyi, the father to the Belarusian star Max Mirnyi, the problem is the lack of courts which are very expensive.
“Our tennis federation purchased rackets and presented them to several Belarusian schools. During their sports classes, children play tennis. But there are very few courts. To make tennis popular with the youth, we need to have a lot of courts. This is definitely very expensive”.
Whatever sport becomes national in Belarus, it is very important to invest in the sports sector. In the view of Uladzimir Berazhkou, a football fan, it is good when some sports become social phenomena.
“Football is indeed the most popular sport. Everyone, even women, like it! Football audience is huge. I would even say that football is not simply a sport. It is a social phenomenon”.
The European Radio for Belarus will continue helping our country to search for a national sport.
