Dutch minister on thin ice after skating with Olympic gold medallist
19 February 2021, 13:34
Wopke Hoekstra faced criticism for breaching tough lockdown restriction.
The Dutch finance minister is on thin ice after taking to a speed skating oval with one of the Netherlands’ greatest Olympians.
Finance Minister Wopke Hoekstra faced criticism for breaching the country’s tough coronavirus lockdown after posting a photo of himself on Twitter skating alongside Sven Kramer, the winner of four Winter Olympics gold medals in speed skating.
“Exercise is great fun and also very healthy,” Mr Hoekstra tweeted.
It is also currently banned at indoor venues such as the Thialf oval where he was skating.
“Indoor sports venues are shut, so this was not allowed,” minister for medical care and sport Tamara van Ark told reporters in The Hague.
Mr Hoekstra quickly admitted he had made a mistake.
“I should have kept my sneakers on and not donned my skates,” he said.
