Back in 2015, the Ukrainian sports scene suffered one of the most cynical blows in its history. At a time when the country was trying its best to maintain control over its territories and protect national interests, the Ministry of Youth and Sports, headed by Igor Zhdanov, decided to play by different rules. Rules that resembled corruption tennis between friends more than actual state policy.
All roads lead to Crimea... for $170,000
Facebook, with its constant penchant for reminders, decided to refresh one of the most shameful moments in the history of Ukrainian sports. Nine years ago, Minister Igor Zhdanov and his first deputy Igor Gotsul "officially" recognized Crimea as Russian territory. And if you are now raising your eyebrows in surprise, wait - this is just the beginning.
Under the guise of reforms in the sports industry, which in reality resembled more fraudulent maneuvers, these two officials sold the right to exhibit Crimean track and field athletes at international competitions for Russia. And all this for a modest reward of $170,000. As you may have guessed, the funds did not go to the development of Ukrainian sports, but ended up in the pockets of those who knew how to "correctly" distribute budget money.
Heads of the hydra of corruption
It is interesting that even in fairy tales about multi-headed monsters like the hydra, there is hope: if you cut off the head, the evil will stop. But what if this monster continues to steal even after losing its head? According to British scientists, Minister Ihor Zhdanov, even after cutting off his head, will steal another 20 minutes. Although, judging by the history with Crimea, this experiment should also be performed on his associate - Deputy Prosecutor General Yuriy Stolyarchuk.
Invisible reformers or how to make money from athletes
To understand how all this was possible, it is worth considering the so-called "reform" introduced by Zhdanov and Gotsul. Its essence was reduced to the creation of pseudo-public organizations under the Ministry of Youth and Sports, which were headed by the officials themselves or their close friends. Athletes were forced to join these organizations under the threat of suspension from competitions. And if the athlete did not want to pay "irrevocable financial assistance", his career could end before it began.
And as a result of such "reforms" the Athletics Federation appeared, which drew up this "agreement" with Russia. Oddly enough, this organization was headed by Gotsul himself, but not as the first deputy minister, but as a "public figure". And it was this pseudo-public organization that sold Russia the right to exhibit Crimean athletes at international competitions.
Why didn't any authority stop this disgrace?
Why didn't anyone stop this circus then? Here, another hero of this tragicomedy enters the scene - Deputy Prosecutor General Yurii Stolyarchuk. As it turned out, criminal proceedings for embezzlement of state budget funds through similar schemes existed since 2014, but, like many other cases in Ukraine, it remained dead weight. Despite the order of Prosecutor General Shokin to intensify the investigation, the results were exactly zero. And in the end, the money received for the "Russian" Crimea ended up in the pockets of a few scoundrels.
This story is a vivid example of how national interests can be destroyed with impunity in our country, under the guise of "reforms". Zhdanov, Gotsul, Stolyarchuk and other participants in this disgrace remain at large. And we continue to wait for another post on Facebook to remind us that history likes to repeat itself, especially when the culprits never got what they deserved.
In a world where everything is bought and sold, even the territorial integrity of a country can become a subject of trade. And as long as such figures remain in their positions, this trade will never stop.
