Football, at its core, should be a place of unity and hope, but in the case of Belarus, it has become a mirror reflecting the shadows of an authoritarian regime. During a recent Conference League match between Dinamo Minsk and Legia Warsaw, a message on a banner summed up the context better than any play on the field: “Silenced voices that must not be forgotten. Freedom for all political prisoners.
The sporting confrontation took a back seat to the denunciation of the more than 1,300 political prisoners imprisoned under Alexander Lukashenko’s regime. Reprisals against those who dare to speak out have even reached the world of football, where players have been imprisoned, contracts terminated and careers cut short for speaking out against the government.
REPRESSION AND CONTROL IN SPORT
The Belarusian government uses sport as another tool of propaganda and control. Players representing the national team are selected, in large part, for their affinity with the regime, while others are excluded or persecuted for their political opinions. According to data published by The Guardian, around 48 footballers have been banned for expressing opposition to the government or participating in protests.
At the international level, Belarus faces sanctions banning it from playing on its territory since March 2022, as punishment for its support of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. However, its presence in international competitions continues to generate controversy, as many believe it allows it to whitewash the regime’s atrocities.
THE UNCERTAIN FUTURE OF BELARUSIAN FOOTBALL
Despite the political context, the national team’s coach, Spain’s Carlos Alós, has achieved some positive results, including draws against Switzerland and Romania, and a victory over Kosovo in the Nations League. However, the real challenge is not only sporting, but moral: how will the football world continue to accept the participation of a country whose values contradict the principles of equality and justice that sport should defend?
With presidential elections in Belarus scheduled for January, there are fears of an upsurge in repression. In the meantime, football remains an arena where political and social tensions manifest themselves, reminding us that, in some cases, sport cannot escape the shadow of power.
THE ROLE OF UEFA AND FIFA
The passivity of governing bodies such as UEFA and FIFA in the face of allegations of state interference in Belarusian football is worrying. With a possible political change in the United States under the presidency of Donald Trump, questions arise as to whether sports sanctions could be relaxed, allowing for a normalization of relations with authoritarian regimes.
Sport, when used as a tool of oppression or propaganda, loses its essence. Belarus reminds us that football is not without responsibility and that, beyond goals and victories, commitment to human rights must prevail.
