Hockey stick taken away from Europe’s last tyrant

The European Parliament made a tough statement on Ice Hockey World Championship in Minsk.

The European Parliament urged the IIHF not to hold the 2014 world championship in Belarus. The European Parliament issued a resolution on holding the Ice Hockey World Championship 2014, which is scheduled to be held in Minsk, EU Observer reports.

In the resolution the institution calls upon the International Ice Hockey Federation to reconsider its decision on holding the Ice Hockey World Championship in Belarus due to tortures of political prisoners.

“We should not let Europe’s last tyrant host a World Championship, which would give him legitimacy”, - the resolution says.

We would remind that Lukashenka got the right to organize the championship as far back as in 2009. It is scheduled to take place in Minsk-Arena and Chyzhouka-Arena from 9 to 25 May next year.

Human rights activists and international organizations opposed the sporting event due to human rights violations on the part of Belarus’ authorities and the existence of political prisoners in the country. The idea of relocating the tournament was supported by many European and American politicians. Some countries have already threatened to boycott the championship in case it is held in Minsk, because of the repressions carried out by Belarusian authorities.