Vladimir Parfenovich
Encyclopedia
Vladimir Parfenovich ' onMouseout='HidePop("68740")' href="/topics/Minsk">Minsk
) is a Soviet
-born Belarus
sprint canoer
who competed from the late 1970s to the early 1980s. He later became involved in politics
for his home country of Belarus.
. He represented the USSR, and is the only sprint canoer to win three Olympic gold medals at the same Olympic Games (as of the 2008
. He achieved this at 1980 Summer Olympics
in Moscow
, winning golds in the K-1 500 m, K-2 500 m, and K-2 1000 m events.
Parfenovich also won thirteen medals at the ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships with ten golds (K-1 500 m: 1979
, 1981
, 1982
, 1983
; K-2 500 m: 1979, 1981, 1982; K-2 1000 m: 1979, 1981, 1982) and three silvers (K-1 500 m: 1978
, K-2 500 m: 1983, K-2 1000 m: 1983).
and police forces; and worked as representative for an Austria
n firm. In 2000, Vladimir Parfenovich participated in parliamentary elections and won.
Democratic opposition in Belarus boycotted those elections to Alexander Lukashenko
's parliament, charging that it was just a "puppet show". Even in this "puppet" parliament there eventually appeared dissenting voices who were not afraid to say that they don't like the authoritarian rule of Lukashenko. They formed a parliamentary group "Respublika". And Vladimir Parfenovich was one of the members of this group.
On June 3, 2004 Vladimir Parfenovich and two other members of parliament, general Valery Fralou and Siarhiej Skrabiec started a hunger-strike protesting that chair of the parliament didi not give them the floor for debate and did not put to vote their proposed amendments to the Election code. Several other opposition politician joined their hunger strike. The three politicians stopped the hunger strike after 18 days on June 21, when Parliament voted against their proposals.
One month later on July 21, 2004 on the tenth anniversary of Lukashenko's term in office, Vladimir Parfenovich together with his colleagues organized a peaceful street protest which was roughly dispersed by the police.
Vladimir Parfenovich is still engaged in Belarusian politics, actively opposing Alexander Lukashenko. For his political opposition activities, authorities have attempted to exclude him from the National Olympic Committee of Belarus, just before the 2004 Summer Olympics
in Athens
, but at the last moment Lukashenko, who is also a president of the National Olympic Committee, did not sign the document.
Vladimir Parfenovich lost his position as President of the Belarus Canoe/Kayak Federation in November 2005.
Minsk
- Ecological situation :The ecological situation is monitored by Republican Center of Radioactive and Environmental Control .During 2003–2008 the overall weight of contaminants increased from 186,000 to 247,400 tons. The change of gas as industrial fuel to mazut for financial reasons has worsened...
) is a Soviet
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
-born Belarus
Belarus
Belarus , officially the Republic of Belarus, is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe, bordered clockwise by Russia to the northeast, Ukraine to the south, Poland to the west, and Lithuania and Latvia to the northwest. Its capital is Minsk; other major cities include Brest, Grodno , Gomel ,...
sprint canoer
Canoe racing
This article discusses canoe sprint and canoe marathon, competitive forms of canoeing and kayaking on more or less flat water. Both sports are governed by the International Canoe Federation ....
who competed from the late 1970s to the early 1980s. He later became involved in politics
Politics
Politics is a process by which groups of people make collective decisions. The term is generally applied to the art or science of running governmental or state affairs, including behavior within civil governments, but also applies to institutions, fields, and special interest groups such as the...
for his home country of Belarus.
Sport
Uladzimir Parfianovich trained at Dynamo in MinskMinsk
- Ecological situation :The ecological situation is monitored by Republican Center of Radioactive and Environmental Control .During 2003–2008 the overall weight of contaminants increased from 186,000 to 247,400 tons. The change of gas as industrial fuel to mazut for financial reasons has worsened...
. He represented the USSR, and is the only sprint canoer to win three Olympic gold medals at the same Olympic Games (as of the 2008
2008 Summer Olympics
The 2008 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, was a major international multi-sport event that took place in Beijing, China, from August 8 to August 24, 2008. A total of 11,028 athletes from 204 National Olympic Committees competed in 28 sports and 302 events...
. He achieved this at 1980 Summer Olympics
1980 Summer Olympics
The 1980 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event celebrated in Moscow in the Soviet Union. In addition, the yachting events were held in Tallinn, and some of the preliminary matches and the quarter-finals of the football tournament...
in Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
, winning golds in the K-1 500 m, K-2 500 m, and K-2 1000 m events.
Parfenovich also won thirteen medals at the ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships with ten golds (K-1 500 m: 1979
1979 ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships
The 1979 ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships were held in Duisburg, West Germany.The men's competition consisted of six Canadian and nine kayak events. Three events were held for the women, all in kayak....
, 1981
1981 ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships
The 1981 ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships were held in Nottingham, Great Britain.The men's competition consisted of six Canadian and nine kayak events. Three events were held for the women, all in kayak....
, 1982
1982 ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships
The 1982 ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships were held in Belgrade, Yugoslavia for the record fourth time. The Yugoslavian city had host the championships previously in 1971, 1975, and 1978....
, 1983
1983 ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships
The 1983 ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships were held in Tampere, Finland for the second time. The Finnish city had host the championships previously in 1973.The men's competition consisted of six Canadian and nine kayak events...
; K-2 500 m: 1979, 1981, 1982; K-2 1000 m: 1979, 1981, 1982) and three silvers (K-1 500 m: 1978
1978 ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships
The 1978 ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships were held in Belgrade, Yugoslavia for a record third time. The Yugoslavian city had previously hosted the championships in 1971 and 1975....
, K-2 500 m: 1983, K-2 1000 m: 1983).
Politics
After retiring from canoeing, he worked as an instructor for the Sport ministry of Belarus, served in the KGBKGB
The KGB was the commonly used acronym for the . It was the national security agency of the Soviet Union from 1954 until 1991, and was the premier internal security, intelligence, and secret police organization during that time.The State Security Agency of the Republic of Belarus currently uses the...
and police forces; and worked as representative for an Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
n firm. In 2000, Vladimir Parfenovich participated in parliamentary elections and won.
Democratic opposition in Belarus boycotted those elections to Alexander Lukashenko
Alexander Lukashenko
Alexander Grigoryevich Lukashenko has been serving as the President of Belarus since 20 July 1994. Before his career as a politician, Lukashenko worked as director of a state-owned agricultural farm. Under Lukashenko's rule, Belarus has come to be viewed as a state whose conduct is out of line...
's parliament, charging that it was just a "puppet show". Even in this "puppet" parliament there eventually appeared dissenting voices who were not afraid to say that they don't like the authoritarian rule of Lukashenko. They formed a parliamentary group "Respublika". And Vladimir Parfenovich was one of the members of this group.
On June 3, 2004 Vladimir Parfenovich and two other members of parliament, general Valery Fralou and Siarhiej Skrabiec started a hunger-strike protesting that chair of the parliament didi not give them the floor for debate and did not put to vote their proposed amendments to the Election code. Several other opposition politician joined their hunger strike. The three politicians stopped the hunger strike after 18 days on June 21, when Parliament voted against their proposals.
One month later on July 21, 2004 on the tenth anniversary of Lukashenko's term in office, Vladimir Parfenovich together with his colleagues organized a peaceful street protest which was roughly dispersed by the police.
Vladimir Parfenovich is still engaged in Belarusian politics, actively opposing Alexander Lukashenko. For his political opposition activities, authorities have attempted to exclude him from the National Olympic Committee of Belarus, just before the 2004 Summer Olympics
2004 Summer Olympics
The 2004 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad, was a premier international multi-sport event held in Athens, Greece from August 13 to August 29, 2004 with the motto Welcome Home. 10,625 athletes competed, some 600 more than expected, accompanied by 5,501 team...
in Athens
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
, but at the last moment Lukashenko, who is also a president of the National Olympic Committee, did not sign the document.
Vladimir Parfenovich lost his position as President of the Belarus Canoe/Kayak Federation in November 2005.