The two Belarusian cross-country skiers Swetlana Andrijuk and Darja Dolidowisch have been de facto excluded from international competitions by the authorities in their country for reasons that are still unclear. Sergej Dolidowisch, father and coach of 17-year-old Darja, suspected the French news agency AFP was making a political decision. “Nobody can explain to Swetlana and Darja why they are victims of this situation,” he said. The two athletes did not take part in the 2020 demonstrations in Minsk and signed the open letter demanding free elections, as almost 2,000 other active participants did. The International Olympic Committee said it was in contact with the World Ski Federation and the National Olympic Committee “to understand the situation”.
Several athletes have been the target of reprisals by the regime of ruler Alexander Lukashenko in recent years because of their actual or alleged support for the protest movement. Dolidowitsch believes his daughter is a victim of his own political commitment: “I have never hidden my political stance. I have always said that the country needs change,” said the coach, who has since lost his job.
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