Lukashenka backs Belarus official who waved Russian flag in Rio

Aliaksandr Lukahsenka has reacted to the scandalous incident with Belarus delegeation's member Andrei Fomachkin, 53 who carried the Russian flag into the opening ceremony before it was confiscated by officials. The International Paralympics Committee is investigating how to proceed about punishment for a 'political action.'.

Who is Fomachkin who carried a Russian flag into Paralympics opening ceremony?

In a comment for Govorit Moskva radio station, Lukashenka's spokeswoman Natallia Eismont said the action was the initiative of the Belarusian delegation. "However, I would like to stress that this is the position of the state, includinf our president and our Paralympics Committee. We express solidarity with Russian paralympic athletes", Esimont said.

Russia was banned from taking part in the Paralympic Games in Rio after evidence was found by international sports officials about widespread doping across Russian sport. Eismont noted that Belarus "is categorically against doping" but no facts about Russian Paralympic athelets involved in doping were published.

Belarus' Foreign Ministry stated earlier today that the Belarusian athlete who carried the Russian flag into the opening ceremony 'acted like a man.'

Shepel explains why Belarusian Paralympics carried a Russian flag