Belarusians struggling to replace peacefully are supported around the world. Athletes also show solidarity, demonstrating their attitude towards the existing government and the anarchy of security forces. One of those who showed that he and the other are Belarusian MMA fighter Illia Khadkevich.
Homel’s place has lived and studied in Moscow for more than 4 years, in Russian tournaments, but still emphasizes that it is Belarusian. After her recent victory at Combat Nights Global, Illia posed for a photo with a white-red-white flag. and posted the photo on his Instagram page.
In an interview with Tribune, Khadkevich, who has the name of winner of the 2017 Sambo World Cup match, World Championships and European medals in the sport, and the existing professional MMA wrestler, spoke about his attitude towards the stage in his homeland and the movements of the security forces, about why he could not vote in the elections in MoscowArray and also about the opinion of his Russian acquaintances on Aliaksandr Lukashenka.
– Tell us first about Fight Nights Global you won.
– He carried it out through the Russian corporation of the same name, one of the vital maxims in the MMA table in the country and, in principle, in Europe. All the fighting took place in Moscow at the Mir concert hall. There have been several championship fights, several rankings. And as a result, I have become the champion (in the category of up to 70 kg, the Belarusian beat the Russian Kurbanali Isabekov through a divided resolution of the judges – edit).
I have to say that I have been living in Moscow for four and a half years, I exercise there and I do all the fights in Russia, it is not difficult to organize my participation in the tournament, especially since my manager deals with those issues.
– Why did you go to Moscow?
– I moved when I was reading at BSUFC as a sambo coach, I only saw that there were no development prospects, adding in terms of MMA, in Belarus, there was no state and sponsor and, in fact, very few others People had a professional attitude towards the sport and I sought to progress, grow, so I made the decision that it would be less difficult to do so in Moscow. There are more opportunities, more finance, more prospects. At the age of 19, I moved to Russia and graduated from BSUFC remotely. I now participate in various tournaments for the Moscow club “Lion Heart”.
– However, in the credits next to its name, there is a Belarusian flag.
– If not, how? Before one of the last battles, I announced that I was a fighter constituting Moscow, but this time, in particular, I asked the organizers to hint that I am Belarusian and that I constitute this country, in any case I am a patriot, and more so. so on the existing scenario in Belarus. Therefore, I sought to show other people what happens when taking a picture with a white, red and white flag.
– Where did you get the flag along the way?
– My friends transferred it from Minsk at my request. Just, you know, those colors fully reflect my position on today’s events. Also, the white-red-white flag is our historical flag. Why can’t I show my attitude about it?
– Thai boxer Vital Hurkou entered the ring with this flag Weren’t you going to do the same?
– Maybe, to be honest, the organizers asked me not to do any of that. On the big stage, they ask not to combine politics and sport. Yes, I can forget everything and everyone, pass out with the target. -Red-white flag, but after that, the organizers and I may have problems, so it’s better not to take any chances.
– For you to pose after the fight.
– I planned it in advance and I am glad that everything went well, I am glad that my friends in Russia and Belarus have supported me, in any case, I think I have expressed the position of a normal, healthy and good enough person. I am, like many others, by fair elections, by the end of the execution of corrupt orders through security forces, by freedom and indefinition of the state, everyone understands and sees everything perfectly.
– What do your colleagues and clubmates think of everything in Belarus?
– Like me. And don’t split up – a Russian, a Belarusian or a representative from some other country. Everyone who is properly perceiving what is going on in Belarus, so everyone has the same position, regardless of their country of origin. In addition, thanks to the Internet, telegram channels, other people can see the truth, the truth of what is happening. Nobody believes in television anymore. My friends and acquaintances in Moscow also stick to everything via Telegram. They are very inspired by the unity of our other people. But, of course, the habit of strength structures, if you can call them that, is terrifying. them different. Let him go, shame for the country and other people. I don’t understand why these other people are needed on planet Earth.
– Looking at all the occasions in Belarus from Moscow, do you perceive that all this is in your homeland?
“On the one hand, yes, I understand. But to be honest, you may never believe that something like this will happen in Belarus. Although closer to the election, it was imaginable to believe something like this. I got it. Loukachenka would not leave power, so we can assume that there would be forgeries, deceptions, etc. , elections. I suspected something serious would happen in this case, but, frankly, I expected the police and the police to be on people’s side at all times, but that didn’t happen, so it all started to expand depending on the situation we saw, I’m sure if the army and the police had supported people, it would all be over a long time ago.
Why did you think the security forces would confront others if they obeyed Loukachenka?
“I don’t care who they obey. They are responsible, above all, for their conscience, for the people. And they have brains too! If commanders give unscrupulous orders, don’t attach to them. If they do, you’re a scoundrel yourself. ” Always incredibly simple. Therefore, I expected people’s conscience, but my hopes did not come true, unfortunately.
– I am sincerely surprised that you have so much hope, especially given the elections and past demonstrations that have taken place.
– Well, why not? We’re all human, we all have a conscience. The Siloviki, the police are the same people we are. And even now, we’ve noticed examples where security officials have left their posts again, left the service, and others have. Nevertheless, I am sure that if maximum security officers leave, they prevent fraudulent orders from running out, ordinary Belarusians will do so, they will be considered general and good enough like other people. .
A similar situation, by the way, was in Armenia, in 2018 there was a revolution in the country, but the army sided with the people, and it all ended a few weeks after the start, as is done in Belarus.
– But in our country, it is misleading to believe such a thing, because even those guilty for security are intimidated through the existing government, perceive that if they leave their posts or prevent following orders of criminals, they will not be smart for them. .
– Yes I agree. But if one, two, three more people leave, it’s a story. What if 100, 200, 000 more people leave? And it’ll all work out. Power will pass to others, yes, it turns out that everything is simple, but you have to perceive that others are afraid to take a step, somehow you have to organize everything correctly, implement, transmit the fact. to other people But, in my opinion, this wishes it to be done more persistently.
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– You are an MMA fighter, a sambo trainer and, of course, you perceive how your physical strength works. Can you see why insurgent cops are so heinous on the streets, why they use insufficient force in front of civilians?
– I am certain that the other people who have done all this brutality are angry throughout their lives. In fact, they have not been able to achieve their goals in sport, studies or any other field. As a result, the insurrectional police, who did not. they realize, they put their resentment in other people and, at the same time, they do not perceive that they deserve not to blame anyone yet for their failure. In addition, the government is fueling the brutality of security forces – intimidating or allocating some form of funding.
And there are also other people who say that protesters are actually provocative, that ordinary citizens see a symbol on the Internet, but the truth is absolutely different. I even had the possibility to chat on social media with several security officials who convinced me of such I am sure that other people who, in principle, do not have brains, who can be manipulated without problems, will do so in everything the government says.
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– Do your friends in Moscow ask you why Lukachenka cares so much about strength and doesn’t need to leave?
– And don’t just ask, here, in general, everyone is aware of Belarusian events. You pass there by taxi, so they say it twice in the news. Including the fact that Lukashenka held his endowment in secret and alone. When this happened, the Russians were simply surprised, many said Lukashenka was only an insufficient user. And, frankly, I’m not surprised it all turned out that way. After all the recent events, I’m not surprised at all. Lukashenka is on his planet, talking about the Americans who follow him from space and stuff. What’s to be surprised about? Definitely, an insufficient user lately is in force in Belarus. I’d be more surprised if the CCA wrote that Lukashenka didn’t get the most votes. You know, even before the election, even in Russia, a lot of people, politicians said they didn’t know how he was going to give up his strength. We assumed he would hold on to him with all his might. He won’t snor anything: breaking the law won’t be a challenge for Lukashenka. And we see it now.
– Do you have a circle of relatives in Minsk?
– Yes, and not only Minsk. Et, to be honest, there are fears for them, so I review in every single way imaginable to help my circle of family and friends, I am interested in their affairs. But they don’t really need to move in with me, they prefer to stay home, they behave as consciously as possible.
You know, if I didn’t have parents in Belarus now, I would have shown my civic position more actively. For example, I would enter the ring with a white-red-white flag, post more posts on Instagram. now I’m holding back so I don’t hurt my family.
– Did any of your friends take to the streets of Minsk?
– There were those who were going to actions, rallies, Sunday marches, the police of the insurrection even pursued some of my friends, but fortunately they did not arrest anyone, yes, they are athletes, they can retaliate against the security forces, however then they will imprison you. And, I’m sure, the security forces, if anything happens, can use army weapons. Then you’d better run.
– Did you need to sign up for your friends, participate in the march?
– I need to do it, but now it’s hard to do it because of the coronavirus. It is simple for me to enter Belarus, especially since I have a Belarusian passport, but how can I return to Russia?If there were no disorders at the border, if not the coronavirus, I would actually be walking.
– The actions of Belarusians are taking place in Moscow, near the embassy of our country.
– Of course, I think there are still other people, maybe not so much, but the movements continue. I myself went on Election Day and the next day, that August 9th we were scattered, but on Monday we didn’t get along much, especially since we hadn’t done anything illegal, I would still act, but I started actively preparing for fights, and it’s an education consultation twice, so there was no time.
– Did you go on to vote?
– Yes, I went to the Embassy in Moscow, but I did not vote, and I sought to leave my signature, of course, for Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya. I got to the site at 2pm and stayed up until it closed. Every effort has been made to ensure that as few people as imaginable vote, let the electorate pass very slowly. The queue was covered for several miles and other people were constantly added. It seemed to me that 4 thousand did not vote, many were not allowed to participate. But other people resisted to the end. Closer to 8 in the afternoon, the data gave the impression that they would be allowed to enter the embassy to vote, but suddenly everything was cut off abruptly, all the doors were closed. We stayed in the street to check and locate something, but the Russian guard arrived and dispersed everyone. We controlled standing for about an hour before we were dispersed. And they did it, incidentally, without resorting to force, but there were many screams. And at the embassy they told us that we had to come on early voting days. But we perceived that it was simply unnecessary to do so.
– Was all events apolitical?
– I can say yes to that. I followed everything, I understood what was happening, but I was certain that nothing can be replaced, most of my friends and acquaintances think the same, so little by little they were looking for opportunities abroad, but now, when the opportunity to replace everything, prospects have replaced, other people are flocking to the streets 🙂
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– Do you know what’s in Belarusian sports?
– Yes, I know how officers behave and under what tension are athletes. It is total chaos, just as, in principle, in all spheres of Belarus. I don’t even know how to describe it any other way. Officers intimidate people, take a look to shut everyone’s mouth, but they don’t perceive their movements only galvanizing Belarusians. People still don’t have a choice for even more, just to move forward.
Protesting athletes communicate about harassment in the 1990s and have created a list of sanctions. Security says there are no threats.
– Our most sensitive athletes in such a scenario say that they are in a position to leave Belarus and play for other countries.
– What else can they do? People are getting ready for the Olympics, they’re putting their whole lives on them and they’re at a disadvantage from the opportunity to participate in the Games. Is that normal?
I want to tell you that I have also signed an open letter from athletes, expressing my attitude to all the occasions that are taking a position in the country and I have nothing to fear, because I am not a member of any national team, I am not a member of any state organization, so I do not care if there are sanctions.
– How did you find out about this letter?
– Known athletes wrote that it was imaginable to point out such a letter, and if I agree, I can do it. Naturally, I put up my signature.
– Illia, some would say that you live and paint in Moscow, the occasions in the country have not affected you, the officials have not stressed you Why do you want all this?
– I have a Belarusian passport, I am a citizen of the Republic of Belarus, therefore, everything that happens in my land takes me into account, and no matter what country I live and paint in, and, again, my move to Moscow is big. part of a forced measure. If we had growth situations, and not just in sport, no one would leave the country. But we see solidarity movements taking place with other Belarusians around the world, Belarusians took to the streets of other cities and countries, the other people who had to leave once. In fact, they would like to live in their homeland, but they simply discovered themselves without choice. And I myself have gone through a lot of tests: sullen funding, poor education situations and performance. And I sought to grow, grow, so I went where it was imaginable to do my job.
– Do you have the option to return to Belarus?
– Someday I’ll be back. But if I am active in the sport, this option is unlikely, I exercise in Moscow, I paint as a child coach, everything is resolved here, so there is no explanation as to why move to Belarus.
Photo of Illia Khadkevich’s archives, pressball. by, euroradio. fm