Belarusian sportsmen’s extra jobs: dustman, builder, customs officer

Europe’s new Muay Thai champion Syarhei Skiba (51 kilos) has confessed to Euroradio that he has an extra job:

“I graduated from university, I am a mechanical engineer and I work at the oil-processing plant Naftan. They make concessions for me and give me days-off when I need training for competitions. When there are no competitions, I go to work and keep myself in good shape.”

A beginner can make about 5 million roubles in this job at Naftan.

There are some Thai boxers making money of programming and modelling. European champion Maria Valent works at the National Airport customs.

“This is my profession, I graduated from the BSU international relations faculty,” Maria confessed.

According to the new law, Muay Thai champions of Europe should receive a bonus of 40 million roubles. It is a good addition to the unsportsmanlike salary.

Beijing Olympics weightlifting champion Andrei Aramnau is getting in his best shape to take part in the world championship in autumn. His salary is 1.5 million roubles. That is why he had to look for an extra job.

“I was offered a job in one of the main Belarusian universities. I cannot describe you the details now. I am responsible for sportsmen’s physical training there,” Aramnau said. “I am still training as much as I need. However, it is wrong when a sportsman of my level has to look for an extra job or do business.”

Some football and handball players used to work in the daytime and train in the evenings only a few years ago.

“Only four players were professional sportsmen in our team last year. The others had jobs at various enterprises,” Ihar Salyahau, deputy head if Lyovin Handball Club said. “But we have changed our team this year. Almost all the sportsmen are professionals now. There are only a few people with extra jobs who will be helping the team.”  

Euroradio: “What do they do?”

Ihar Salyahau: “There is a dustman, a Naftan worker and a builder. Our goalkeeper is a welder in Belsantechmontazh. The coach will have to decide whether they will continue playing next season.”

Handball club Homel needs to win medals next season. And the team consists of professional players only now.

“Our players used to train and work. Their jobs were connected with sport – like a PE teacher,” head of handball club Homel Pavel Starasvetski explained. “But those players could not be fully dedicated to training. We have only professional players in our club now.”

Euroradio: “How much can an average level player make in Homel?”

Pavel Starasvetski: “Up to $800.”

Famous Belarusian football coach Yury Puntus (heads FC Smalyavichy now) thinks that players should only think about football to achieve serious goals, they should not be busy with additional work.

Yury Puntus: “We only have professional players in our team. I demanded it. We do not have guys with extra jobs here. Otherwise, you cannot achieve serious goals in sport, it becomes an amateur activity.”

Players of Belarusian football teams smile when they are asked about extra jobs. Higher league wages allow them to live normally. Some football players became businessmen, taxi drivers or managers after their career was finished. The same can be said about Belarusian hockey players. However, sportsmen with lower salaries prefer playing safe.