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Where there is no law, but every man does what is right in his own eyes, there is the least of real liberty
Henry M. Robert

Awarding the Best or Going Through the Motions?

26 January, 1999 - 00:00

By Oleksandr HONCHARUK, The Day
Last Friday in Kyiv's Ukraine Palace of Culture a ceremony was held to
recognize Ukraine's best athletes of 1998. The awards were passed out by
Prime Minister Valery Pustovoitenko, Presidential Administration Head Mykola
Biloblotsky, along with State Committee on Sports and Chairman and National
Olympic Committee President Ivan Fedorenko. On hand were many famous athletes
like Oleksandr Bahach, Zaza Zozyrov, Ihor Razorenov, and Denys Sylantiev.
Also present were Olympic veterans Petro Kardash, who won three gold medals
in Nagano, and Olena Akopian, who brought back to bronze ones. No one was
surprised that Kyiv Dynamo was named the year's best team.

However, many of the winners were unable to come to the event, among
them Olena Vitrychenko, Olena Zhupina, Svitlana Serbina, Olena Petrova,
Vita Pavlysh, Serhiy Holubytsky, Serhiy Honchar, Ruslana Taran, and Olena
Pakholchyk. The position of the evening's organizers were beyond all understanding,
since most of these athletes were competing elsewhere, and this was no
secret to anyone. Was it really impossible to find some sort of window
in a busy season when even half of the award-winners could be present?
Or was it all just going through the motions?

PS: Among those recognized was Meritorious Coach of Ukraine Borys
Savlokhov, whom a couple of months ago Internal Affairs Minister Yuri Kravchenko
publicly alleged was a criminal "authority." Perhaps someone owes Mr. Savlokhov
an apology...

 

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