MOSCOW (AP) Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko called the country’s national hockey team ”spineless” after it failed to qualify for the playoffs at the world championships.
Lukashenko, an authoritarian leader who has held power since 1994, told government officials the Belarusian players lack ambition, have ”no commitment at all” and are ”absolutely spineless.”
In comments reported Thursday on the presidential website, Lukashenko says ”the coaching work is disgusting.”
Belarus won two of its seven games at the world championships this month, finishing second from last in its group but avoiding relegation.
Lukashenko has played hockey with Russian President Vladimir Putin and says the sport is like an ”ideology” for the roughly 9.