Minister attends NI-Belarus match despite government guidance

Communities Minister Gordon Lyons has attended the Northern Ireland’s game against Belarus despite UK government guidance that the game shouldn’t go ahead.

BBC News NI approached the Department for Communities (DfC) on Wednesday to ask if the minister would be attending but they have not responded

The UK has sanctions in place against Belarus due to the country’s support of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

BBC News NI understands the government is “disappointed” Uefa is allowing the match at Windsor Park in south Belfast to go ahead – however in spite of this it granted visas to Belarusian players and staff.

Uefa told the BBC that Belarus was not permitted to host matches, but it did not comment on its position on the country playing games elsewhere.

The Irish Football Association has not responded to requests for comment.

Belarus has been banned from taking part in other international sporting competitions including the Olympics and Paralympics.

In Uefa competitions its football team have been playing their “home” matches at neutral venues, such as Hungary where Northern Ireland played them in October.

There had been some uncertainty around whether or not the match would be allowed to be played in the UK or if the Belarusian players would be granted visas.

Northern Ireland manager Michael O’Neill previously said it would be “unfair” if the match was moved.

A source told BBC News NI that it was the UK government’s “unequivocal position that there should be no Russian or Belarusian representation in international sport. We have issued guidance to our domestic sports bodies to that effect”.

“We are disappointed that Uefa has now followed this approach and has allowed Belarusian teams to participate in international competition,” they said.

“The decision to allow the participation of Belarus in Uefa competitions and to play the fixture in Northern Ireland is a matter for Uefa and the Irish Football Association.”

The previous Conservative government signed a pledge with a number of other countries agreeing that Belarusian footballers should be banned from competing in other countries.

The pledge says that “athletes selected by Russia and Belarus, administrators and teams representing the Russian or Belarusian state should be banned from competing in other countries, including those representing bodies, cities or brands that are effectively representing Russia or Belarus, such as major football clubs”.

The pledge was signed by the then Culture and Sport Secretary Nadine Dorries.

Jack Chambers, a junior minister in the Irish government, signed on behalf of the Republic of Ireland.

In 2023, 100 members of the European parliament wrote to Uefa asking that Belarus be expelled from their tournaments due to its human rights record.

Uefa did not respond directly to any of the issues raised but pointed the BBC to a statement it released in March 2022 about the issue.

“All Belarusian clubs and national teams competing in UEFA competitions will be required to play their home matches at neutral venues with immediate effect,” it said.

“Furthermore, no spectators shall attend matches in which the teams from Belarus feature as host.

“The Uefa executive committee will convene further extraordinary meetings, on a regular ongoing basis where required, to reassess the legal and factual situation as it evolves and adopt further decisions as necessary.”

A close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko’s administration has become increasingly reliant on Russia for economic, political and military support in recent years.

Lukashenko has hosted Russian forces and allowed them to use Belarus as a staging ground.

Putin backed Lukashenko after he claimed a disputed election victory in 2020, sparking mass protests that almost ousted him from power.

The scale of the protests were unprecedented for Belarus with more than 100,000 packing into central Minsk, the capital, for four consecutive Sundays after the election.

Europe’s longest-serving ruler, Lukashenko took office in 1994 during the chaos caused by the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991.

Often described as Europe’s “last dictator”, he has tried to preserve elements of Soviet communism.

Much of manufacturing has remained under state control, and main media channels have been loyal to the government.

At the same time, Lukashenko has tried to style himself as a tough nationalist with a direct manner, defending his country from harmful foreign influences, and a guarantor of stability.

BBC News NI has approached the Department for Communities and the Executive Office for comment.