Lukashenko on football: the whole problem for us is the physical condition of the athletes
Belarusian footballers lack physical fitness. This was stated by the President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko during his conversation with BRSM activists – members of a student team that took part in the reconstruction of the Traktor Stadium, as reported by a BELTA correspondent.
"The whole problem we have is the physical condition of the athlete. They are physically not ready to perform at the highest level in certain sports. In football, they cannot run from the first to the last minute. They cannot run at a high pace for 90 minutes. And here you also need to think. Football has become very fast," Alexander Lukashenko noted.
According to him, growth points for Belarusian sports are small sports grounds where children train. It is there that coaches should notice a promising athlete in time and attract them to their section. "We already have a sea of these grounds. But the main thing is to get children interested. We need to start working from school, from 6-7 years old. And for some sports, like rhythmic gymnastics, even from three years old," the President remarked. "If you miss it, after 10-15 years it will be difficult. It's possible, but difficult."
The young people asked the head of state about his most vivid impressions from playing football. The President said that during his school years, they played football on a village field. Moreover, all the children in the village were keen on it, and there were quite a few of them. Alexander Lukashenko continued to play football during his student years.