Belarus launched an extended commemorative sports series in the early 2000s as part of a broader national promotion tied to the country's Olympic ambitions — biathlon being a natural choice given the strong Soviet-era infrastructure Belarus inherited, including the Raubichi shooting and skiing complex outside Minsk. The series was struck at foreign facilities, as the National Bank relied on contract minting during this period.
Belarus launched an extended commemorative sports series in the early 2000s as part of a broader national promotion tied to the country's Olympic ambitions — biathlon being a natural choice given the strong Soviet-era infrastructure Belarus inherited, including the Raubichi shooting and skiing complex outside Minsk. The series was struck at foreign facilities, as the National Bank relied on contract minting during this period.
KM#49 is among the earlier issues in that run.