Press releases

Sports minister emphasizes role of small towns in nurturing champions in Belarus

SVETLOGORSK, 5 June (BelTA) - Our sporting victories have their origins in small towns, Belarusian Minister of Sports Sergei Kovalchuk told the media in Svetlogorsk which is hosting the Vytoki festival, BelTA has learned.

“Vytoki is the main event of the year in physical culture and sports. Our sports have their origins in small towns, district centers, youth sports,” Sergei Kovalchuk emphasized.

He noted that Vytoki is a much-anticipated event in the cities that host the festival. People come to the event from all places across the country. “It has become beloved by everyone. Here you can see both young audiences and accomplished athletes,” the minister noted.

On the second day of the festival, the senior officials of the National Olympic Committee, the ministry, and the regional executive committee visited the sports facilities in Svetlogorsk. “All these facilities are accessible to everyone,” Sergei Kovalchuk emphasized.

He added that Svetlogorsk made great progress in ice hockey though the ice arena opened here not long ago, in 2024. “In 2025, the local children’s team took first place at the regional ice hockey competitions and worthily represented the region finishing fifth in the national tournament. Good coaching, good conditions, discipline, organization, hard work yield good results,” the minister said.

According to him, the youth sports schools in Svetlogorsk are in excellent condition. “The city treats its sports facilities with love and maintains them in good condition. This brings results: 18 people from Svetlogorsk have made it to national teams. That is a very high result,” Sergei Kovalchuk added.

Svetlogorsk is hosting Vytoki from June 4 to 6. The program for the second day includes master classes, a sports-history quest through the city's iconic locations, and the official opening ceremony of the festival. The day will conclude with the theater performance celebrating Belarusian fashion. Tomorrow will feature an Olympic quest: children up to the age of 14 will compete in the challenges at more than 30 sports locations. On the final day the festival will feature performances by popular cover bands, a large concert by Belarusian pop singers and a spectacular fireworks display.

The Vytoki sports and cultural festival was first held in 2021. Since then, hundreds of thousands of people have taken part in it. The organizers of the Vytoki festival are the National Olympic Committee, the Federation of Trade Unions of Belarus, the Gomel Oblast Executive Committee and the ArtHaos and BelBrandAudit organizations.