The Mikita Melkaziorau Cup has begun in Warsaw. A minute of silence was observed during the opening ceremony to honor the memory of the journalist.
The tournament was symbolically opened with the first kick of the ball by the Head of the United Transitional Cabinet, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya. Also attending the opening ceremony were Deputy Head of the United Transitional Cabinet Pavel Latushka, journalist Aliaksandr Ivulin, representatives of the Pahonia football club, and the Embassy of the Netherlands.
Before the competition began, Tsikhanouskaya donated her first pair of boxing gloves for a charity raffle. In an interview with Mikita Melkaziorau, she publicly spoke for the first time about her passion for boxing.
In her speech, Tsikhanouskaya compared football to Belarusians’ struggle for freedom, saying that even without being the favorite, success can be achieved through a strong team, solidarity, and belief in oneself.
“Nikita knew how to bring people together — on screen, in life, and on the football pitch. And I believe the best way to honor his memory is to continue doing what he did best: bringing people together around Belarus.”, she said.
Melkaziorau died in Warsaw on the night of Dec. 20–21, 2025. He was 37.
