Ivan Kraskovskyi, the Initiator of Football in Belarus (1910–1914)

Abstract

The article deals with the outset and development of football at the beginning of the XX century. The attention is focused on the contribution of Ukrainian and Belarusian political and social figure Ivan Kraskovskyi into Belarusian football. The author of the article acknowledges that although football is not art and cannot be equated to other kinds of art, it definitely has a considerable influence on a person. This game gives an opportunity for people to unite, to get to know each other, to improve their health, to form their character and to handle stressful situations in their lives. However, not only does football perform the social role, it also influences people aesthetically. The researcher states that the game is always spectacular, arouses spectators’ interest, captures and holds attention, and, therefore, has a psychotherapeutic impact upon the audience. In the article the author implies that due to all these factors Ukrainian activist Ivan Kraskovskyi organised a Belarus football team in Vilnius Vinogradov Men’s Gymnasium in 1911. The author outlines the period from 1911 till 1914 during which Ivan Kraskovskyi was popularising the game on the territory of Belarus.