What happened to Fomachkin and his Moscow flat?
Andrei Fomachkin became a star when he hoisted a Russian flag at the opening ceremony of the Paralympics in Rio. How did a Belarusian official responsible for skiing get to the summer Olympics? Anyway, everyone knows his name now.
Andrei Fomachkin is very popular in Russia whose delegation was debarred from the Paralympics due to doping scandals. Sapsan CEO, former racing driver Sergei Shmakov, decided to present a newly-built flat near Moscow to the Belarusian sportofficial. “I was so impressed that I decided to thank him. I wanted to find a flat in beautiful surroundings and present it to him,” he told Euroradio.
However, Belarusian officials are forbidden to accept expensive gifts. If they do receive such presents, they must hand them over to the state. It is indicated in the Law on Government Service.
Fomachkin and officials from the Ministry of Sport agreed with it at first. Fomachkin received his certificate of ownership in Moscow at the beginning of October. The moment was broadcast live on the website of RIA Novosti. However, the Ministry of Sport and Tourism is not in charge of the issue anymore, officials told Euroradio at the end of October. We have received an official response from the Ministry of Sport signed by senior deputy Minister A.S. Hahiyeu recently. According to the document, the Ministry of Sport… has no information about its employee’s Moscow flat:
"The Ministry of Sport and Tourism of the Republic of Belarus would like to reply to your inquiry sent on October 19, 2016. As of November 2, 2016, the Ministry has no information about A.V.Fomachkin’s registration in the flat complex Forest Melody in Moscow area.”
Having received such a reply, Euroradio has tried contacting Andrei Fomachkin and Sergei Shmakov. However, neither of them has been answering our phone calls for 10 days.
