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Ex-Border-Guard Chief Becomes Belarus Olympic Committee Vice President


Ihar Rachkouski was fired last summer after a Swedish plane flying from Lithuania violated Belarusian airspace.
Ihar Rachkouski was fired last summer after a Swedish plane flying from Lithuania violated Belarusian airspace.
MINSK -- The former chief of the Belarusian border-guard service has become a vice president of the National Olympic Committee.

President Alyaksandr Lukashenka, who officially chairs the Olympic Committee, appointed Ihar Rachkouski at a committee meeting on November 1.

Rachkouski was dismissed from his job with the border-guard service last summer after a Swedish plane flying from Lithuania violated Belarusian airspace.

It dropped teddy bears with messages supporting Belarusian dissidents and the country's opposition.

The incident caused tensions between Belarus and Sweden.

Minsk expelled the Swedish ambassador and demanded investigations into the airdrop.

Last week, Lukashenka dismissed his sports minister, Aleh Kachan, for what he called the "complete failure" at the London Olympics.

The Belarusian national team won 12 medals, including two golds.

Lukashenka said Kachan promised 25 medals.
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