Jul 8 - Nov 26, 2020 CASES OF ARREST, PRESSURE AND DISMISSAL REGARDING ATHLETES AND SPORTS SPECIALISTS IN BELARUS Andrey Kravchenko, silver medalist in athletics of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, two times silver medalist of World Championships, European champion, forced to quit his job in KGB after signing the Open Letter. Krauchanka was de- tained and sentenced without a lawyer to 10 days of imprisonment, subjected to physical and psychological violence in a temporary detention center. He is one of the active members of the Belarus Athletes Free Union. Aliaksandra Herasiminia, two times silver medalist in swimming of the London 2012 Olympics, bronze medalist of the Rio 2016 Olympics, world and European champion, swimming coach, received a refusal to prolong a rental of swimming pool for her sports club due to her active civil position and membership in the Belarus Athletes Free Union. Aliaksandra Ramanouskaya, 2019 World champion in freestyle skiing, two-time champion of the 2019 Winter Universiade, Belarusian athlete of the year in 2019, excluded from the national team according to the order of the National Olympic Center (become valid from October 16) for signing the Open Letter and expressing her civil position against violence and dictatorship. Ramanouskaya is one of the active members of the Belarus Athletes Free Union. Yelena Leuchanka, bronze medalist of the 2007 European Championship in basketball, two-time Olympian, best center of the 2010 World championship, 2010 WNBA finalist, Lithuanian, Russian and Polish League champion, sentenced to 15 days in jail for participation in an unauthorized protest action, was in rough condi- tions there, including being denied showers, exercise hours and functioning toilets during a trial. The second court sentenced to pay a fine around 277 euro. Leuchan- ka is one of the active members of the Belarus Athletes Free Union. Volha Mazuronak, 2018 European champion in athletics, winner of multiple inter- national tournaments, 5th place at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, national record holder in marathon and half marathon, after signing the Open Letter was forced to serve in the military; her salary was cut and became 5 times less. Mazuronak was deprived of the possibility to train normally and prepare for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. BSSF – Support Us | Cases of arrest, pressure and dismissal (Jul 8 - Nov 4, 2020) 2 Darya Barysevich, athletics, middle-distance runner, silver medalist of the 2017 World Championships, silver medalist of the European Games, after signing the Open Letter was excluded from the national team despite she qualifies to the To- kyo 2020 Olympic Games. Sviatlana Kudzelich, silver medalist in athletics of the European Championships, excluded from the national team, lost her job at the Ministry of Emergency Situa- tions for her civil position and signing the Open Letter. Stsiapan Papou, European and world champion in sambo, European Games champion, owner of the Fair Play diploma, Honorable Master of Sports of Belarus, lost his stipends paid in Belarus for outstanding results in Olympic Games, world and European competitions. Papou is one of the active members of the Belarus Athletes Free Union. Aliaksandr Vakhaviak, judo athlete, multiple times medalist of the World Cup, Gran Prix and other international tournaments, medalist of the world and Europe- an championships in sambo, after signing the Open Letter was excluded from the national team and dismissed from the Department of Conservation of the Ministry of the Internal A!airs. Dzmitry Shershan, judo athlete, two-time medalist of the European champion- ships, multiple times winner and medalist of the Grand Prix series tournaments, Grand Slam winner, world ranked 3 in 2015, represented Belarus at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, after signing the Open Letter was forced to serve in the military and then excluded from the national team. BSSF – Support Us | Cases of arrest, pressure and dismissal (Jul 8 - Nov 4, 2020) 3 Nikolay Kozeko, head coach of National Freestyle Skiing Team, a coach of the 4 Olympic champions, lost his scholarship from the special fund of the President of Belarus; obliged to pay back all the money given to him during the last year for signing the Open Letter and expressing in mass media his position against vio- lence and political repression. Gennady Savilov, President of the Ice Hockey Federation of Belarus, Deputy Chairman of the 2021 IIHF World Championships Organizing Committee, dismissed from his two positions for his refusal to participate in action in support of the dicta- torship regime. Vadim Devyatovskiy, President of the Belarus Athletic Federation, quit his job on the results of extraordinary elections held by the Federation. Before this, he posted in Facebook “Lukashenko is not my President!!!!!” and stated in his interview that he was disappointed by the current Belarusian authorities, he had supported before. After this interview, there was no news on his location and well-being for almost a month. Anatol Kotau, former Secretary General of the National Olympic Committee of Be- larus, Vice President of the Directorate of the 2nd European Games, resigned from the Presidential Property Management Directorate, because of his unwillingness to keep silence and accept violence and tortures undertaken by the law enforcement agencies. Aliaksandr Rummo, head coach of the U17 National Ice Hockey Team, forced to resign from his job for signing the Open Letter, expressing his civil position against violence and because “the coach of the national team must support the authorities and the general line of the party”. BSSF – Support Us | Cases of arrest, pressure and dismissal (Jul 8 - Nov 4, 2020) 4 Gennady Tapunov, director of National Olympic Athletics Training Center, dis- missed after a large number of athletes and couches of the center signed the Open Letter, expressed their protest against violence towards civilian population in the mass media and published their civil position in social media. Vadim Krivosheev, director of Freestyle Olympic Center, dismissed under article of the Labour Code for “pure ideological work with the sta!”. Vladimir Nesterovich, Press Secretary of the Ministry of Sports and Tourism, re- signed after his refusal to support violence towards civil population and propagan- dize the dictatorship regime. Eduard Venskij, President of the Belarusian Volleyball Federation, resigned after Belarusian volleyball players supported peaceful protests and signed the Open Letter. Viktor Bulat, massage therapist of the National Football Team, no longer involved in the work with the National Team due to signing the Open Letter expressing his civil position and condemning the actions of Belarusian authorities and law en- forcement agencies. BSSF – Support Us | Cases of arrest, pressure and dismissal (Jul 8 - Nov 4, 2020) 5 Pavel Sitenkov, swimming coach, experienced violent drubbing and other tortures from the riot police, with four spins broken stay under recovery treatment in a hospital. Konstantin Yakovlev, head coach of the handball club Viciaz-Leon, dismissed after signing the Open Letter and expressing protest against violence towards civil population. Alena Maseikava, manager of the Raubichi National Olympic Winter Sports Train- ing Center, dismissed after signing the Open Letter. Dzianis Kulaga, Greco-Roman wrestling coach, dismissed from two positions in sports schools after signing the Open Letter. Valiantsina Zeliankevich, triathlon athlete, swimming coach, expelled as an athlete from National Olympic Cycling Training Center, dismissed from two positions: as an athlete of Minsk Cycling Club and as a coach in Tristyle triathlon club after publish- ing her civil position in social media. BSSF – Support Us | Cases of arrest, pressure and dismissal (Jul 8 - Nov 4, 2020) 6 Sergey Sheluta, taekwondo coach, dismissed from his job in a sports school after signing the Open Letter. Andrey Radziuk, volleyball player, dismissed from his job at the Ministry of the Emergency Situations after signing the Open Letter. Vladislav Zhurkevich, head of the Ice Preparation Department at the Minsk Arena (the major ice hockey arena in Belarus), dismissed for his civil position and unwill- ingness to remain indi!erent to the events taking place in Belarus. Sergey Shchurko, sports journalist of one of the major Belarusian sports media Pressball that contributed to sports events organization, raising funds for charity foundations, sentenced to 15 days in jail due to participation in peaceful protests. Philip Shutov, American football player of the Litwins team, two-time champion of Belarus, multiple times champion of international tournaments, detained on Octo- ber 11, fined 250 euro. BSSF – Support Us | Cases of arrest, pressure and dismissal (Jul 8 - Nov 4, 2020) 7 Maria Shakuro, captain of the Belarus national rugby team, bronze medalist of the European Beach Rugby Championships, detained on October 11 and sentenced to 10 days in jail for participation in an unauthorized protest action. Before this, she signed the Open Letter. Maria Shuliakevich, specialist of the Raubichi National Olympic Winter Sports Training Center, former dismissed after signing the Open Letter. Konstantin Poley, coach of the Pride sports club, detained on October 7 and sen- tenced to 15 days in jail, the investigations were made at his place of residence. Sergey Kazeka, football player of the FC Krumkachy, detained on his way home and directed to the Okrestina detention center, then released, but needed medical help because of having vertebral fracture. Pavel Rassolko, football player of the FC Krumkachy, detained on his way home and directed to the Okrestina detention center, then released. BSSF – Support Us | Cases of arrest, pressure and dismissal (Jul 8 - Nov 4, 2020) 8 Olga Zakharova, head of the sports center House of Sport in Mogilev, dismissed due to expressing her civil position, participation in peaceful protests and wearing white bracelet on her wrist. Yury Martynov, volleyball player, dismissed from his job at the Ministry of the Emer- gency Situations after signing the Open Letter. Oleg Dubitskiy, athletics, excluded from the list of Grodno Olympic Reserve Center after signing the Open Letter.