Christian Holm: Banning Belarusian flag on IIHF World Championship is disgraceful

A member of the Swedish Parliament condemns a ban on raising the Belarusian national white-red-white flag on the Ice Hockey World Championship in Stockholm.

“I don't think that a ban on using the Belarusian flag, which was forbidden by Lukashenka, is normal. It is shameful and disgraceful, but this is true,” Christian Holm wrote on his Facebook account.

It should be reminded that Belarusian fans raised a huge white-red-white flag and banners depicting the Pahonia coat of arms at yesterday's game Belarus vs Slovenia.

Thousands of Belarusians could see it during the game live broadcast.

Organisers of the world championship in Sweden called police to the stands with Belarusian supporters. According to them flags are political symbols and thus can't be used. The police ordered fans to hide the white-red-white flags, but Swedish supporters defended the Belarusians. The symbols, which are banned by the Belarusian authorities, remained on the stands until the end of the game. However, organisers say they won't allow Belarusians with national flags to attend matches.