With the German Cycling Federation announcing its non-participation and British Cycling Performance Director Stephen Park suggesting that "it is not possible for the UEC to continue hosting the Track Euro in Minsk next month," the European Cycling Union is facing great pressure to move the Track Championships out of Belarus and is facing significant pressure to do so.

The move comes after Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko arrested opposition journalist Roman Protasevich and his Russian girlfriend for their role in broadcasting the massive protests that erupted after the dictator claimed he would win the 2020 election. Sofia Sapega, after he ordered Ryanair flight FR4978 from Athens to Vilnius to be forcibly grounded in Minsk in order to arrest them.

Several countries, including the United Kingdom, have now banned flights over the country, and the European Union has threatened to impose massive sanctions.

The UEC Track Elite European Championships were scheduled to take place in Minsk between June 23 and 27, but it now seems highly unlikely that the event will be held in Belarus. The championship is expected to be moved rather than cancelled, as it will be the last important event before the Tokyo Olympics, which begin on July 23.

The BDR German Cycling Federation said the issue would be discussed at the UEC management committee meeting in Lausanne on Thursday when it announced that the athletes would not travel to Minsk.

The UEC said, "In light of recent international events, the European Cycling Federation is closely monitoring the situation and will take a decision at its May 27, 2021 management committee meeting regarding the Elite Track European Championships to be held in Minsk (Belarus) from June 23 to 27." The memo confirmed that.

According to research by Cycling Tips (opens in new tab) and Emil Rottbøll, Moscow correspondent for the Danish newspaper Berlingske, Apeldoorn in the Netherlands, Ballerup in Denmark, and Lithuania have have offered to host the event. However, UEC President Enrico della Casa has so far turned them down.