The Belarusian Sports Solidarity Foundation (BSSF) is a public non-profit organization established in August 2020 at the initiative of representatives of the Belarusian sports community in response to mass repressions against athletes in Belarus. The main goal of the BSSF is to protect the rights of athletes from discrimination, as well as to promote human rights, the principles of freedom and democracy through sports. The BSSF provides financial, organizational and legal support to Belarusian athletes and sports specialists who have suffered for openly expressing their civic position.
Our activities also include representing the interests of athletes before international sports organizations (IOC, IIHF, UEFA, FIFA, etc.) and governments, promoting sports values and a healthy lifestyle, launching sports education programs, organizing mass sports events, and other initiatives. Leveraging the popularity of sports among Belarusians, the BSSF has created a strong community of athletes, coaches, sports managers, and fans who advocate for peace and freedom and oppose all forms of discrimination. The BSSF has held high-profile sports events and media campaigns involving famous Belarusian athletes, organized sports conferences, open debates, interviews, and charity auctions to support those who have been forced to leave the country. The BSSF also cooperates with major Belarusian independent organizations, media resources, and channels. For example, the charity online race "Marathon of Freedom," organized by the BSSF, gathered over 5,
The BSSF's work has been covered by global media outlets such as CNN, The Times, The Guardian, The Washington Post, Forbes, Der Spiegel, Inside the Games, Frankfurter Allgemeine, RBC, and many others.
The BSSF has allocated over €500,000 in direct financial support to Belarusian athletes who have suffered due to their civic position, and to Ukrainian athletes affected by the war. Additionally, through the efforts of the BSSF, more than 200 people, including Belarusian athletes and athletes in exile, have obtained legal documents in various European countries. This support has enabled them to continue their sports careers despite facing serious challenges.
Since its founding in 2020, the BSSF has gained international recognition as a full-fledged actor influencing sports policy in Eastern Europe (Ukraine, Belarus, Poland, Baltic countries). The BSSF regularly interacts with the U.S. State Department, the European Parliament, the European Commission, and offices of U.S. senators, and cooperates with the IOC, international sports federations, national governments, NOCs, and ministries of sports of various countries (USA, Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Ukraine, etc.).
The BSSF participates in international discussions and the development of strategies for the admission of Belarusian and Russian athletes to international sporting events. It implements projects to support Ukrainian and Belarusian athletes, acting as an expert and representative of Belarusian sports in such negotiations. In addition, the BSSF has established partnerships with sports organizations such as the World Player's Association, Athleten Deutschland, Global Athlete, FIFPRO, ISLA, UNI Global Union, and others.
In recognition of its achievements and contributions to international sports, the BSSF was recognized as the best human rights initiative in sports and received the main award at Play the Game 2022,
