Belarus national beach soccer team finished its preseason camp in Spain with a victory over Benidorm 10:5. Upon the results of two friendly games, the Belarusian captain Igor Brishtel who scored eight goals became the most efficient player of the team.

Next destination in the preparation plan is St. Petersburg, where Team Belarus will take part in a prestigious international tournament InterCup.

The main news of the latest time in the Beach Soccer is that the 2018 Euro Beach Soccer League will grant the seven tickets to the 2nd European Games to be held in Minsk in June 2019. Six tickets will go to the six-best ranked teams in the Superfinal, and another one will be granted to the best ranked Division B team in the Promotion Final. Belarus, as hosts of the Games, have their spot already secured.  Beach Soccer competition during the 2nd European Games will take place at the Olympic Sports Complex.

Minsk European Games Operation Committee (MEGOC) and the State Enterprise Minsktrans signed an agreement on organizing the transportation of the participants of the 2nd European Games.

More than 180 buses will be used to organize the transportation of athletes, coaches, service personnel, judges, official representatives of the IOC, international and European sports federations, the European Olympic Committees, WADA, accredited media, volunteers and other client groups.

Viktor Tozik, Deputy Director General of Minsktrans:

– Our company serviced all major events that Minsk hosted in the past. This is the Ice Hockey World Championship in 2014, the OSCE Assembly in 2017. After the World Championship, we were commended for our transport service. At the same time, we understand that the 2nd European games are the bigger event in terms of the number of participants than the World Championship, so we are preparing very responsibly.

George Katulin, CEO of MEGOC:

-It is not a coincidence that we announced Minsktrans company among one of our first partners. Transportation during the Games is a priority task. Our transportation partner will have to give a ride about fifteen thousand different client groups every day. The 2nd European Games are such a complex organism that cannot exist without a circulatory system.

Special routes will be elaborated, taking into account the logistic features of the location of sports, cultural and other facilities involved in the sports forum. Participants of the signing ceremony also shared some public transportation news.

– Together with the Ministry of Transport, Minsktrans company and our specialists, we have already developed a transport support plan that provides rolling stock, main routes for servicing the main client groups. Based on it, we began to develop an operational plan, which involves the delivery of participants on specific routes. It is based on such requirements as to security, clarity, compliance with the delivery schedule. After all, we work according to strict criteria issued by the EOC. Transport service has big importance during the periods of arrival and departure of participants. In general, talking about the importance of transport services, we need to note the legacy. It includes an update of the vehicle fleet, routes, repair of streets, equipping stops with electronic scoreboards. I believe that after the Games our transport system will operate on a completely new European level. EOC’s preliminary assessments of the existing city infrastructure are already quite high. They are all very surprised that in a two-million city they practically did not see any traffic jams, – said George Katulin.

Transportation during the Games will be carried out by buses produced by home manufactures. It will be MAZ 203, MAZ 251 and others. The program of purchase of a rolling stock of city and tourist classes is already developed. In the second half of 2018 and the first quarter of 2019, 300 new buses must be delivered. After the end of the Games, it will be used by Minsk citizens. We understand that during this period, the public transport load will increase because every day it will be necessary to transport about 15 thousand participants of the competition. At the request of the European Commissioners, a trip to sports facilities should not take more than 30 minutes. There are several solutions to this problem: extra road space, adjusted traffic lights, restriction of entry or escort by road police. This matter is being worked on now. We know and understand what we need to do. We are prepared and we hope that everything will go according to the highest level. Buses involved in the transportation of participants must be equipped with air conditioning and information system, as well as with monitors, which will show information about the city, routes, and others. All buses should be low-floor, convenient for transportation of sports equipment and have the capacity of at least 25 seats, – said Mr. Tozik.

Minsk will host the 2nd European Games from June 21 to 30, 2019. The competition program includes 15 sports. 10 sports will be a part of the qualification system for the XXXI Olympic Games 2020. More than 4000 athletes from 50 countries are expected to participate in the largest sports competition in Europe. More than 200 medal events will be played at 12 sports facilities in Minsk region.

The workshop on judo was held in the Republican State School of Olympic reserve for students. The event was initiated by the NOC Belarus Athletes’ Commission headed by Dmitry Dovgalenok. Members of the national judo team Marina Slutskaya, Nikita Svirid, Dmitry Minkov, Egor Voropaev, as well as the Soviet and Belarusian judoist Ruslan Sharapov came to meet with the students. Guests started their workshop with small talk to satisfy the students’ curiosity about the nuances of preparation for competitions, how athletes relax and recover after important starts, how they build a nutrition plan and reduce weight if such a need arises. Someone was interested in the personal stories of the members of the national team, namely asked to talk about how the athletes came to the sport and made their choice in favor of judo. Others wanted to learn the secrets of achieving a high technical level or doing specific holds.

During the workshop, members of the national team also did not miss the issues of doping. Actually, it was one of the key topics of the discussion. The strongest judoka Marina Slutskaya took the floor and tried to convince the students that banned drugs can bring to an athlete only a short-term success. Marina’s idea was unfolded by Valentin Chernyakevich, head of the department for prevention, education and international cooperation of the National Anti-Doping Agency. Mr. Chernyakevich gave the students a brief information about the term of keeping samples, how long athlete might be disqualified and told about everyday cases which might lead to the situations when an athlete involuntarily become doping positive.  

Judo athletes also discussed the importance of victories for the athlete’s rating. Specifically the 2nd European Games 2019 in Minsk where judo athletes will be awarded rating points, which are taken into account in the selection for the Olympic Games in Tokyo in 2020.

– The 2nd European Games is an important event for the country and the Belarusian sport, honorable and responsible for us. At the same time, home arena might become both a positive and a negative factor, – said Marina Slutskaya. After the European Games we will have the World Cup, thus, the main task is to be ready for both competitions. If we talk about the role of the Games for judo in Belarus, then I would say many things depend on marketing and advertising. It often happens  Belarusians do not know that judo competitions are taking place in the country. For example, every year we host the World Cup. It brings together not that many spectators as we would like to have there. Moreover, most of them are our relatives and friends. Nevertheless, I hope that this largest start of 2019 will give impetus to development, and what we need only have a good performance.

I know that judo competitions within the framework of the Games will be held on the Chizhovka-Arena. I have never performed there, but I hope to check it before the Games. After all, this year there will be a World Cup, which will clearly demonstrate the same order of organization as during the 2nd European Games. Even though if suddenly we are not going to compete at the World Cup, I’m sure our managers will give us a chance to get acquainted with the venue. After all, this is the advantage of the home arena. In addition, we will not have a language barrier, which means that everything will be known and understandable – Marina Slutskaya shared her thoughts on the 2nd  European Games.