Opinions & Interviews

MINSK, 10 May (BelTA) – Minsk is simply an ideal place for the ice hockey world championship, German fans told BelTA.

“Minsk is a hockey city. Everybody likes ice hockey here. We have seen little kids with sticks and adults with ice hockey attributes and drawn flags on their faces. And the championship is just starting. I cannot name any other better place for the world’s ice hockey forum than Minsk,” one of German fans said.

The fans said they were surprised of the attention attached to ice hockey in Belarus. “In Germany this sport is not so popular than, let us say, football, and it is unfortunate. To a large extent it is a policy of the broadcasting television channels. They are unwilling to buy transmission of ice hockey matches. As a rule, ice hockey in Germany is available at the paid TV channels. It is a pity because more people in Germany find this sport interesting. Our national team have recently made great progress. It is a shame we have not qualified for the Olympic Games in Sochi. But we hope to see a good hockey from our players in Minsk,” Germans said.

German fans have come to Minsk in big groups. “We are from Hamburg. We took our friends and came to Minsk by car. Abolishing visas for fans was a great idea. There are no problems at the border. At first we were scared to travel to the country we have never been to before. We calmed down when we learnt that a ticket is enough to cross the border. It is really important for fans. There are no problems, you can watch hockey and relax,” they said.

Germany is famous for its beer traditions. “We have already tasted Belarusian beer. It is not bad at all. It is tasty and light. Beer on tap is especially tasty and it is sold everywhere near Minsk Arena and even inside the sport facility. We were also surprised to learn that Belarus makes beer under the license of big European brands. We have already seen Slovakian beer and tasted German beer. It is as good as at home,” fans said.

German fans have come to Minsk for the first time, but have heard a lot about Belarus. “Biathlon is greatly appreciated in Germany, the same as football. And of course we were impressed by Darya Domracheva’s performance in Sochi. Three gold medals is a breathtaking result. German biathlon also has its heroes and we are proud of them,” fans stressed.