President holds meeting with heads of international and European athletics associations

Belarus is ready to host the major athletics competitions: the European and even the world Championship.  Alexander Lukashenko, Sebastian Coe, head of the International Association of Athletics Federations and Svein Arne Hansen, President of the European Athletic Association spoke about this at the Independence Palace today. The meeting took place on the eve of the historic Europe-USA match, the opening of which will take place this evening. The Head of State expressed gratitude to the guests for the confidence and opportunity for our country to host such a major sporting event, recalled the athletic battle between the USSR and the USA, held in Minsk in 1973, and promised that if other major tournaments were entrusted to Belarus, the sports officials will not regret it.

Sebastian Coe, in turn, thanked Alexander Lukashenko for the warm welcome and said that they feel at home here.  Belarus received the right to host the European Team Athletics Championships in 1921.