English

Lukashenka greets Belarus under-21 team on sealing Olympic spot

Alyaksandr Lukashenka has greeted Belarus’ national under-21 team on their 1-0 victory against a ten-man Czech Republic side in a UEFA European Under-21 Championship play-off in Denmark’s Aalborg on June 25.

Yahor Filipenka’s 88th-minute goal secured Belarus a place at the London 2012 Olympic Games. Belarus will compete at the Olympics for the first time.

In his message, Mr. Lukashenka described the victory as one of the greatest sporting achievements in the history of independent Belarus.

“You are the only soccer team in the post-Soviet region that have won the right to compete at the 2012 Olympic Games in London, leaving behind the world’s leading soccer powers,” Mr. Lukashenka said.

He expressed gratitude to the team “on behalf of the entire Belarusian nation for the bright, profound and successful game” and wished them luck at the Olympics. //BelaPAN