Aliaksandr Papou

During his career Popov competed at four Winter Olympics and won a relay gold in 1988 and relay silver in 1992, and was also fourth at the Olympics four times (1992 in 20 km, in 1994 in 20 km and the relay and in 1998 in the relay). Popov also carried the Belarussian flag at the Opening Ceremony of the 1998 and 2006 Winter Olympics. He competed at every World Championships between 1987 and 1998, and won 10 World Championships medals (including four golds), but only one of those was in an individual event (silver in 1991 in individual 20 km). His four golds from the World Championships were all in the team event (1989, 1992, 1996 and 1997) and his other medals at the World Championships came in the relay (silvers in 1987, 1989 and 1991 and bronzes in 1995 and 1996). Popov was also successful at the European Biathlon Championships, winning in the 1995 relay and he also won three silvers (1995 in individual 20 km, 1996 in relay race and 1998 in individual 10 km) and one bronze (1996 in individual 20 km). Popov was second overall during the 1988-89 World Cup season. Since 1999, after retiring from sports, Popov has worked as the head coach of Belorussian national biathlon team.