Italian skiclub Focolaccia uses biathlon to help children affected by the Chernobyl disaster

Gomel is the second largest city in Belarus and it is located only 130 km north-east of Chernobyl, where on April 28, 1986 there was the most serious nuclear accident ever and one of the most serious environmental disasters in the history of mankind.

The Gomel region is one of the zones most affected by radioactive fallout, and its consequences are still being felt today and will continue to plague the area for many decades in the future.

In 1994 in Lucca (Tuscany) was born the humanitarian organization "YRA" and since that year it gives hospality to the children from the contaminated areas for at least one month per year in order give them the opportunity to reduce the amount of radiation absorbed by their body.

YRA started also collaborating with the Association "Help for Chernobyl Children" of Gomel and has decided to enlarge its initiatives to the sport, helped by Lucca's section of National Sports Center Libertas, which it is associated with Focolaccia Ski Club.

Biathlon is very popular in Belarus, so it was decided to insert this sport into the disciplines of the italo-belarus twinning, even considering that there is a sport center near Gomel.

Last year, a Belarusian delegation of 11 people (8 children, 2 coaches, 1 interpreter) raced in the youth competition in the Summer Biathlon Festival in Frassinoro (Modena). In the coming days, to strengthen of the italo-belarus twinning, a delegation of Focolaccia Ski Club is traveling to Belarus to participate in a youth tournament held in Gomel.

On April 22 fourteen members, 4 trainers and 10 boys, will depart from Italy and the next day they will take part at the official presentation of the event organized by the Office of Sport and Tourism of the Executive Committee of the Gomel region.

Italian boys and girls will face Belarusians athletes in a sprint (April 25), in a relay race (April 26) and finally in a a cross-country race on roller skis (April 27).

In addition the trip has also cultural stages which include a visit to the museum of criminology and to the ducal palace of Gomel and the sports complex of the nearby city Zhlobin.

The twinning will continue in summer, when a large delegation of belarussian young athletes will race in the third edition of the Summer Biathlon Festival Frassinoro, scheduled from the 27th to the 29th of June 2014.

It's nice to see how biathlon, a very popular sport in Europe which is increasing its popularity also in Italy, has become an important solidarity channel between our country and Belarus as part of the major initiatives of the association YRA to help those children.