On December 26, the Minsk City Court passed a verdict in the case of the founders of the Belarusian Sports Solidarity Fund Alexandra Gerasimenya and Alexander Opeykin.

According to the Viasna human rights center, both received 12 years in prison in absentia..

World champion in swimming Herasimenia and sports functionary Opeikin have been outside Belarus since autumn 2020. They were accused of " The amount of "

Also, Gerasimenya's property was left under arrest at the expense of legal costs - 48 thousand dollars in a bank account, a car and an apartment.

Gerasimenya and Opeikin sent appeals to the IOC and other international sports organizations calling for sanctions against Belarus amid protests against the results of the presidential election, which Alexander Lukashenko declared himself the winner.

This is the first verdict in Belarus in the criminal case of citizens of the country who are abroad. Lukashenka signed a law that allows arresting and sentencing people to be shot in absentia.

Alexandra Gerasimenya is the world and European champion. She also won two silver medals at the 2012 London Olympics and a bronze medal at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games..

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Earlier it was reported that the Ukrainian canoeist sold Olympic medals to help the Armed Forces of Ukraine.