Accessibility links

Breaking News

Belarusian Official Who Carried Russian Flag At Rio Paralympics Gets Apartment


The International Paralympic Committee kicked Belarusian official Andrey Fomachkin (pictured) out of the 2016 games in Brazil after he was seen carrying the Russian flag during the opening ceremony.
The International Paralympic Committee kicked Belarusian official Andrey Fomachkin (pictured) out of the 2016 games in Brazil after he was seen carrying the Russian flag during the opening ceremony.

An official with the Belarusian Sports Ministry who marched in the Rio Paralympics' opening ceremony carrying a Russian flag will receive an apartment in Russia.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova wrote on Facebook on October 2 that an unnamed businessman decided to give an apartment to Andrey Fomachkin as a private gift for his "deed."

It was not clear where the apartment is located, but Zakharova wrote that Fomachkin has arrived in Moscow to receive his gift.

The International Paralympic Committee kicked Fomachkin out of the Paralympics in Brazil, after he was seen carrying the Russian flag during the games' opening event on September 7.

The committee had banned Russia from the games after reports by anti-doping regulators detailed a vast state-sponsored doping system that reportedly included both Olympic and Paralympic athletes.

  • 16x9 Image

    RFE/RL

    RFE/RL journalists report the news in 27 languages in 23 countries where a free press is banned by the government or not fully established. We provide what many people cannot get locally: uncensored news, responsible discussion, and open debate.

RFE/RL has been declared an "undesirable organization" by the Russian government.

If you are in Russia or the Russia-controlled parts of Ukraine and hold a Russian passport or are a stateless person residing permanently in Russia or the Russia-controlled parts of Ukraine, please note that you could face fines or imprisonment for sharing, liking, commenting on, or saving our content, or for contacting us.

To find out more, click here.

XS
SM
MD
LG