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Federal Foreign Minister Heiko Maas
Photo: Janine Schmitz / photothek.de / imago images / photothek
Foreign Minister Heiko Maas Wegen is in favor of withdrawing the Ice Hockey World Championship from Belarus because of the massive repression against the democracy movement.
"Anyone who is serious about solidarity with Belarus cannot seriously want to hold a world championship in this situation," the SPD politician told the newspapers of the "Funke Mediengruppe".
“That would be the greatest PR gift for Lukashenko and a devastating signal to the demonstrators.
I hope the organizers will see that too.
That is not a question of political calculation, but of attitude, «said Maas in the direction of the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF).
The World Cup will take place from May 21 to June 5 in Belarus and Latvia's capital Riga.
Lukashenko, who is considered the “last dictator in Europe”, is facing international criticism for serious crimes against humanity.
The EU no longer recognizes him as president since the election of August 9th, which was classified as falsified.
EU member Latvia rejected a joint World Cup with Belarus.
The World Cup had already taken place in Minsk in 2014.
Due to massive police violence against those who think differently and a lack of protective measures in the corona pandemic, Belarus is highly controversial as a World Cup location.
The protests against Lukashenko have seen more than 30,000 arrests, hundreds injured and numerous dead since August.
The EU has imposed sanctions on Lukashenko's power apparatus.
A decision could be made on January 25th and 26th, when the IIHF Executive Committee discusses the problem of hosting the World Cup again.
Other German politicians had previously called for the World Cup to be withdrawn.
"Anyone who risks a World Cup leading to further repression, arrests and torture is complicit," said sports policy spokeswoman Monika Lazar and Eastern European politician Manuel Sarrazin on Wednesday.
A World Cup in Minsk would indirectly legitimize Lukashenko's crimes.
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aha / dpa