Split and chaos in the governing body of Ukrainian hockey can lead to the most disastrous consequences
President Ukrainian Hockey Federation Gennady Zubko talked about the future Ukrainian hockey championshipwhich is still looking pretty vague.
“The national championship is one of the key elements of blackmail from our opponents. The clubs to which representatives of the rebels are involved are blackmailing the FHU with their participation in competitions. Now we can speak frankly: the holding of the national championship is in jeopardy. As of today, the Ukrainian Hockey Federation is in a state of searching for options with which to start the competition. We are still trying to bring people to their senses who, it seems to me, no longer fully understand what they want. Pseudo-congresses were held, their results were not recorded in any national registers, and no one wants to take further responsibility for the fate of Ukrainian hockey.”
“The absence of a national championship with at least four teams is grounds for disqualification of national teams from the upcoming world championships. If this happens, Ukrainian hockey will be set back several decades. And this is direct harm to the national interests of Ukraine. Now all my invitations to participate in the negotiation process are being ignored.”
“I would especially like to speak about the competition [Кубок Украины] in Kremenchug. We have still not received any documents for signature, which should confirm the official legitimization of these competitions by the national Federation. Despite the fact that during the tournament a Cup was awarded, which was actually awarded, these competitions did not receive official status.”
“Competition is a priority and I have emphasized this many times. I did not interfere with the tournament, even if it was opened by self-proclaimed presidents or other persons calling themselves leaders. Clubs must have game practice and perform in a competitive environment, because this is in the interests of the clubs themselves, national teams and Ukrainian hockey as a whole.”
In September, a split occurred in the FHU. An event called the “General Congress of the Ukrainian Hockey Federation” was held in Kremenchug, at which Sergei Mazur was elected as the new president of the organization. However, this congress and its decisions did not receive official status – Zubko is still listed as the head of the FHU in the Ministry of Justice register.
At the end of last month, the 2024 Ukrainian Cup was played. The winner of the trophy was ultimately the newly formed Odessa Storm, which defeated the capital’s Trizub (6:0) in the final.
In the summer, seven clubs submitted preliminary applications for participation in the Favbet hockey league for the 2024/25 season – Kremenchug, Storm, Berserki (Vinnitsa), Trizub, the current champion Sokol, Kyiv Capitals and Kherson Dnepr.
Source: Sportarena
I’m Emma Smith, a dedicated journalist and avid storyteller. I have been writing for news websites for the past 5 years, reporting on hockey news and delivering in-depth analysis of the sport. In my current role as Author at Athletistic, I write about hockey events from around the world to keep followers up-to-date with what’s happening in the sport.
