Belarus at the Olympics

Athletes from Belarus began their Olympic participation at the 1952 Summer Games in Helsinki, Finland as part of the Soviet Union (IOC code: URS). [International Olympic Committee [http://www.olympic.org/uk/games/past/index_uk.asp?OLGT=1&OLGY=1952 Helsinki 1952 Olympics Overview] . Retrieved July 14, 2007.] After the Soviet Union disbanded in 1991, Belarus, along with four of the other fourteen former Soviet republics, competed in the 1992 Winter Olympics (held in Albertville, France) as the Unified Team. Later in 1992, eleven republics joined Belarus to compete as the Unified Team at the Summer Games in Barcelona, Spain. Two years later, Belarus competed for the first time as an independent nation in the 1994 Winter Olympics, held in Lillehammer, Norway. [NOC Republic of Uzbekistan. [http://www.olympic.uz/en/section.scm?sectionId=1772&contentId=2124 Lillehammer 1994 Games] . Retrieved July 14, 2007.] From 1952 until the 2006 Olympic Games in Turin, Italy, 147 Belarusian athletes won 182 medals either as part of the Soviet Union or as Independent Belarus.NOC RB. [http://www.noc.by/eng/bsog/htdocs/1/ Belarusian athletes at Olympic Games] . Published 2006. Retrieved July 13, 2007.]

Medal tables

Medals by Games

National Olympic Committee

In 1991, an order was issued to create the National Olympic Committee of the Republic of Belarus ( _ru. Национальный олимпийский комитет Республики Беларусь), and it was not until 1993 before the NOC RB (НОК РБ) became a full member of the International Olympic Committee. [International Olympic Committee [http://www.olympic.org/uk/organisation/noc/noc_uk.asp?noc_initials=BLR National Olympic Committee of the Republic of Belarus] . Retrieved July 13, 2007.] Also in 1993, Vladimir Ryzhenkov, who was at the time the Belarus Minister for Sport and Tourism, was elected to the post of President of the NOC RB. In May of 1997, a year after the death of Ryzhenkov, President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko was elected to the post, which he still holds today. Lukashenko is the first known example of a head of state to also lead a National Olympic Committee at the same time. Funding for the NOC RB comes from marketing of goods with the Olympic logo, donations from the private sector, sponsorships and from the national government. [ Embassy of the Republic of Belarus in the United States [http://www.belarusembassy.org/belarus/olympic/olympic_movement.htm Olympic Movement in Belarus] . Retrieved July 14, 2007.] As head of state, President Lukashenko issued decrees awarding prizes to those who bring home medals, use state funds to prepare for athletes and pay the coaches of the athletes. In 2004, President Lukashenko issued a decree awarding those who win medals in the 2004 and 2006 Olympic Games the following tax-free monetary awards (in United States dollars): $60,000 for gold, $30,000 for silver and $20,000 for bronze. [President of the Republic of Belarus [http://www.president.gov.by/en/press14952.html#doc Worth of Olympic Prizes for Belarusian Athletes Fixed] . Passed January 23, 2004. Retrieved July 14, 2007] For the 2008 and 2010 games, the following tax-free prizes will be awarded to medal winners and their coaches (in United States dollars): $100,000 for gold, $50,000 for silver and $30,000 for bronze. [President of the Republic of Belarus [http://www.president.gov.by/en/press32487.html#doc Comments to Presidential Decree No 636 of October 27, 2006] . Passed October 27, 2006. Retrieved July 14, 2007]

References

External links

* [http://www.noc.by/eng/ Official Website of the NOCRB] en icon, ru icon
* [http://www.olympic.org/uk/organisation/noc/noc_uk.asp?noc_initials=BLR IOC Page on the NOCRB] en icon, fr icon
*Embassy of the Republic of Belarus in the United States [http://www.belarusembassy.org/belarus/olympic/olympic_movement.htm Olympic movement in Belarus]