02/09/2025 Culture, Science, Education and Media
“I express my deep concern at reports of the disappearance in Turkey of Anatol Kotau, a respected figure in the international sports community and a long-standing advocate for the rights of Belarusian athletes,” today said Mogens Jensen (Denmark, SOC), general rapporteur on governance and ethics in sport of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE).
“Mr Kotau, currently International Co-ordinator of the Belarusian Sport Solidarity Foundation, has dedicated decades of his career to promoting sport, fairness, and the protection of athletes. His leadership roles, including as former Secretary General of the National Olympic Committee of Belarus and Deputy Director of the 2019 European Games in Minsk, are well recognised. He has also played an active role in international sports governance, serving on the Ethics Commission of the World Dance Sport Federation and contributing to the Athletes for Freedom Foundation.
For his outspoken defence of athletes and his principled opposition to repression in Belarus, Mr Kotau was sentenced in absentia to 12 years in prison by the Belarusian authorities. His placement on wanted lists by Belarus and Russia raises serious concerns about his safety.
I urge the Turkish authorities to take all necessary steps to locate Mr Kotau, ensure his safety, and clarify the circumstances of his disappearance. I also call on the international sports community, human rights organisations and diplomatic actors to remain vigilant and to act in solidarity with him.
The Parliamentary Assembly will continue to monitor this case closely, in the conviction that the rights and safety of sports officials and athletes must be protected without exception,” Mr Jensen concluded.