Editing Alexander Lukashenko (section)

===Sports===
[[File:Fetisov Lukashenko Putin Kamensky Sochi 4 January 2014.jpg|left|thumb|225x225px|Putin on friendly hockey match in the Bolshoy ice arena, Sochi, in 2014. With him are Lukashenko, [[Viacheslav Fetisov]] and [[Valeri Kamensky]].]]

Lukashenko used to play football, but stopped playing during his presidency.<ref name="bayanfootball"/> His two elder sons also play ice hockey, sometimes alongside their father.<ref>[http://www.ng.ru/cis/2003-10-01/4_minsk.html Президент-хоккей Александра Лукашенко] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140320232515/http://www.ng.ru/cis/2003-10-01/4_minsk.html |date=20 March 2014 }}. ng.ru. 1 October 2003.</ref> Lukashenko started training in cross-country running as a child, and in the 2000s still competed at the national level.<ref>[http://www.vsesmi.ru/news/604820/ Александр Лукашенко выиграл лыжные соревнования] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141007064301/http://www.vsesmi.ru/news/604820/ |date=7 October 2014 }}. vsesmi.ru. 3 March 2007.</ref> He is a keen skier and ice hockey forward.<ref>[http://www.sports.ru/hockey/6420162.html Ветераны «Сборной звезд мира» проведут товарищескую игру] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006121518/http://www.sports.ru/hockey/6420162.html |date=6 October 2014 }}. sports.ru. 12 December 2008.</ref> In an interview he said that he plays ice hockey three times a week.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://eng.belta.by/president/view/lukashenko-fields-questions-ranging-from-the-serious-to-the-personal-in-an-unusual-interview-136437-2021/ |title=Lukashenko fields questions, ranging from the serious to the personal, in an unusual interview |date=11 January 2021 |website=BelTa |publisher=The Belarusian Telegraph Agency |access-date=28 January 2021 |archive-date=28 January 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210128070711/https://eng.belta.by/president/view/lukashenko-fields-questions-ranging-from-the-serious-to-the-personal-in-an-unusual-interview-136437-2021 |url-status=live }}</ref> He has established the Belarus President's team, an amateur team which he sometimes plays for.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.belarus.by/en/press-center/press-release/belarus-presidents-team-win-amateur-ice-hockey-tournament-for-11th-time_i_0000111281.html |title=Belarus President's team win amateur ice hockey tournament for 11th time |date=13 April 2020 |website=Belarus.by |access-date=28 January 2021 |archive-date=7 February 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210207150742/https://www.belarus.by/en/press-center/press-release/belarus-presidents-team-win-amateur-ice-hockey-tournament-for-11th-time_i_0000111281.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Numerous [[ice rink]]s intended to enable competitive ice hockey games to be played, have been built all over Belarus at Lukashenko's behest.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://euobserver.com/foreign/115674 |title=Ice Hockey finals in Belarus still on schedule |date=23 March 2012 |author=Nikolaj Ńielsen |website=EUObserver |access-date=28 January 2021 |archive-date=15 January 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210115075320/https://euobserver.com/foreign/115674 |url-status=live }}</ref> Lukashenko was instrumental in getting the [[2014 IIHF World Championship]] in ice hockey to be hosted by Belarus which was considered controversial due to Lukashenko's repressive regime.<ref>{{cite journal | doi=10.1525/curh.2011.110.738.277 | title=Lukashenko's Game is up | year=2011 | last1=Wilson | first1=Andrew | journal=Current History | volume=110 | issue=738 | pages=277–282 | doi-access=free }}</ref> Belarus was supposed to host the [[2021 IIHF World Championship]] in May 2021, but that was cancelled after international condemnation and threats by sponsors to withdraw.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/TA-9-2020-0231_EN.pdf|title=Situation in Belarus. European Parliament resolution of 17 September 2020 on the situation in Belarus (2020/2779(RSP))|website=Europarl.europa.eu|access-date=3 March 2022|archive-date=5 August 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210805071615/https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/TA-9-2020-0231_EN.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://apnews.com/article/alexander-lukashenko-belarus-hockey-sports-europe-latvia-0d3295222196f2b1927aabfaa5670e19 |title=Skoda to withdraw sponsorship if Belarus hosts hockey worlds |date=16 January 2020 |website=APNews |access-date=4 February 2021 |archive-date=16 January 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210116170824/https://apnews.com/article/alexander-lukashenko-belarus-hockey-sports-europe-latvia-0d3295222196f2b1927aabfaa5670e19 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.dw.com/en/ice-hockey-belarus-must-meet-specific-requirements-to-host-world-championship/a-56224501 |title=Ice Hockey: Belarus must meet 'specific requirements' to host World Championship |date=14 January 2021 |access-date=14 January 2021 |publisher=[[Deutsche Welle]] |archive-date=14 January 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210114135826/https://www.dw.com/en/ice-hockey-belarus-must-meet-specific-requirements-to-host-world-championship/a-56224501 |url-status=live }}</ref>