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Belarus offers visa-free regime for all sports fans coming for 2023 CIS Games — diplomat

Belarus is set to host the 2023 CIS Games on August 4-14 in 11 cities across the country

MINSK, June 26. /TASS/. Belarus will introduce a visa-free regime for all sports fans coming from abroad and wishing to watch competitions of the 2023 CIS Games in August, Spokesman for the Belarusian Foreign Ministry Anatoly Glaz said on Monday.

Belarus is set to host the 2023 CIS (the Commonwealth of Independent States) Games on August 4-14 in 11 cities across the country. The official opening and closing ceremonies of the 2nd edition of the CIS Games have been slated for August 5 and 13 respectively.

The previous edition of this sports tournament was hosted by Russia’s Kazan in 2021.Belarus expects the confirmed participation of athletes representing 18 countries this year, including from nine countries of the CIS member states.

"Considering the current background of an aggressive policy that cuts communications between people…, we are trying to stay open regarding our neighbor states as much as possible, to show them how we live, to invite visitors to come here," Glaz said.

"This is why a visa-free regime will be introduced for residents of neighbor states and all fans at the 2nd CIS Games," the Belarusian diplomat added.

"We do understand that sports is extremely politicized these days… We want to organize [this tournament] and we will certainly do it, organizing a holiday of real sports, where people can compete and settle all of their disputes on sports arenas," Glaz stated.

"We will organize a holiday that is not overshadowed by visa restrictions or any other limitations," he said. "We are waiting for all of our guests to come and it it once again speaks for our hospitality."

On February 28, 2022, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) issued recommendations to international sports federations to bar athletes from Russia and Belarus from taking part in international tournaments, citing Moscow’s special military operation in Ukraine as the reason.

Following the IOC’s recommendations in late February 2022, the majority of global sports federations decided to bar athletes from Russia and Belarus from all international sports tournaments.

At its session on January 25, 2023, the IOC Executive Board put forward a proposal to permit individual athletes from Russia and Belarus to take part in international sports tournaments, but only under certain conditions. Specifically, athletes from the two countries should not be "actively supporting" Russia’s special military operation in Ukraine and must compete under a neutral status.

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