Prominent goalkeeper gets two years of restricted freedom over protests

December 29, BPN. A court in Minsk has sentenced former Belarusian national soccer team goalkeeper Vasil Chamutoŭski to two years of restricted freedom without referral to an open-type correctional facility, Tribuna.com Belarus reported.

This type of sentence implies that he will be confined to his residence during non-working hours and will be required to retain or seek employment. Police can visit him anytime to make sure he complies with the terms of confinement.

Authorities accused Chamutoŭski of participating in post-election protests. Police arrested the famous footballer on September 30 for a repost from an opposition Telegram channel.

Chamutoŭski has been coaching goalkeepers at Ukraine’s FC Lviv since January 2022. He came to Minsk for surgery and intended to return to Lviv in October.

After the disputed 2020 presidential election, the ex-goalkeeper, who had played for Belarusian, Romanian, German and Austrian clubs and had been capped for the national team, joined athletes’ movement for change. He later expressed support for Ukraine, which is fighting against Russian military aggression.

On December 15, police arrested prominent athlete and Olympic medalist Nadzieja Astapčuk, who had supported the opposition in 2020.

Belarusian authorities have a track record of persecuting dissident athletes, including the 2019 world champion in aerials Alaksandra Ramanoŭskaja, basketball players Alena Leŭčanka and Jahor Meščarakoŭ. Soccer player and sports journalist Alaksandr Ivulin is one of the athletes behind bars on politically-motivated charges.