The Karate Federation of Ukraine excluded from the national team of Spouses Yevgeny and Dari Pylypyuk after they refused to return to Ukraine after participating in the International Karate Tournament in Venice. The Federation has announced that they plan to achieve their lifelong disqualification within the framework of the Karate World Federation, as well as the deprivation of honorary sports titles.
The Karate Federation of Ukraine accuses Yevgen of violation of legislation, namely evasion of mobilization (Article 336 of the Criminal Code). Dari Pylypyuk, in turn, is accused of complicity of this violation. According to the Federation, the athletes failed to return to Ukraine after the tournament was completed, despite the obligation to do so by December 11, 2024. Later, the couple participated in the tournament in Georgia, which became another fact of violation of their obligations.
Darya Pylypyuk denies the accusation and claims that while participating in the tournament in Venice, she was not part of the national team of Ukraine and participated in competitions at her own expense. She also emphasizes that she is not on the military account because she is the mother of a young child, and that her Leader Club refused her, leaving her without being able to go to another club.
Yevgeny Pylypyuk acknowledges that he had violated the rules, remaining abroad, but emphasizes that his wife was not aware of his intentions and is not guilty of it. He also blames the President of the Chernivtsi Karate Federation Alexander Pikulin in an attempt to earn a delay from mobilization, although he failed.
Oleksandr Pikulin, a coach of Yevgeny, notes that the actions of athletes have damaged the reputation of the entire national team, especially against the background of tragic events when other athletes gave their lives at the front. He believes that such violations should be punished in order to maintain the honor of Ukrainian sports.
Darya Pylypyuk, in her turn, rejects Pikulin's accusation as a slander, stating that she was always in touch and did not hide, as the coach claims.
Currently, Darya is in Chernivtsi and claims that she had not had a fixed term of return to Ukraine. She also denies the expediency of depriving her sports awards, emphasizing that her achievements have nothing to do with her husband's actions. However, she did not answer whether Yevgeny Pylypyuk returned from abroad.
