Belarus' flag hoisted at PyeongChang Olympic Village

Belarus' national flag was raised at the Olympic village in PyeongChang, South Korea on 7 February for the 23rd Olympic Winter Games 2018, BelTA learnt from the National Olympic Committee of Belarus.

The ceremony was attended by Chief of the Belarusian Olympic Mission, Deputy Sport and Tourism Minister of Belarus Alexander Baraulya, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Belarus to South Korea Andrei Popkov, athletes and coaches of the Belarusian delegation.

One of Belarus' most experienced athletes Sergei Dolidovich stated that at each Olympic Games the flag raising ceremony is very exciting for him. “When the country's flag is raised at such big competitions, I always feel very excited, full of patriotic feelings,” he stressed. 

Member of the Executive Committee of the International Olympic Committee, President of the National Olympic Committee of Ukraine Sergey Bubka wished the Belarusian Olympians every success in the upcoming competitions in PyeongChang. 

The traditional ceremony of hoisting up national flags at the Olympic Village is one of the oldest and most important symbolic events of the Games. The event is attended by all the members of the sport delegation of the country which flag is raised. The ceremony of raising the national flags of the participating countries precedes the official opening of each Olympic Games and symbolizes the readiness of the country's Olympians to participate in the Games. 

The 23rd Winter Olympic Games in PyeongChang will take place on 9-25 February. The Games will feature 102 medal events in 15 sports. Belarus will field 32 athletes in six sports.

Read full text at: http://eng.belta.by/sport/view/belarus-flag-hoisted-at-pyeongchang-olympic-village-109079-2018/