Senior coach of Ukraine’s national artistic gymnastics team Vyacheslav Lavrukhin has left the country and become senior coach of Belarus’s national team. This became known after the New Year, when the 62-year-old coach stopped responding and ignored calls and messages from the federation, Champion.com.ua reports.
Vice-president of the Ukrainian Gymnastics Federation Stella Zakharova condemned his decision.
“This should not happen at all. He should be banned from entering Ukraine for life. It is a vile act. It was his decision; he did not inform us, he simply disappeared. We wrote and called, but he did not respond. And after that he suddenly ended up in Belarus,” Zakharova said.
At the same time, she criticized the salary policy of the Ministry of Youth and Sports, because of which Ukraine is losing coaches. According to her, coaches receive about 20,000 hryvnias (around €400), while in other countries they are offered up to €5,000.
“If the ministry continues to pay such salaries, it will never retain coaches,” she said.
Lavrukhin could legally cross the border — men over 60 are allowed to leave the country. The federation learned about his departure only after the fact.
If a Ukrainian gymnast changes sporting citizenship, the Ukrainian federation may refuse to grant a release. In that case the athlete would have to spend a year outside competitions. However, such a mechanism does not exist for coaches, so the federation cannot punish Lavrukhin for his decision.
In an interview with Champion.com.ua, Lavrukhin said the main reasons for his departure were conflicts within the federation — with gymnast Oleg Verniaiev and former national team coach Gennadiy Sartynskyi. According to him, several other coaches and athletes have already left the country because of this confrontation.
“In Ukraine I was nobody, and people wiped their feet on me,” he said.
Asked about the Belarusian regime’s support for Russia’s war against Ukraine, Lavrukhin answered evasively, saying he does not consider Belarusians enemies. He explained his choice of country by the similarity of mentality and language.
“I will say this: the people I communicate with here are different, and many of them do not like Russia, and some even hate it. This may be connected with everyday problems. Previously, as people said, everything was bought in Western Europe, but now it is bought here in Belarus. As a result, property prices have risen and so on.
In general, attitudes toward the local regime are different, there are many opinions. I do not consider them enemies, although others may have a different view. I have lived in this world for a long time and know a lot. In the past everyone was friends, and then suddenly they became enemies. No one asked how this happened or what changed in people,” he said.
He moved to Belarus on January 6 together with his wife after selling all his property and signed a contract the next day.
Lavrukhin is an Honored Coach of Ukraine, best known for working with Olympic bronze medalist Ihor Radivilov, whom he coached for more than 20 years. For Radivilov, the departure of his mentor came as a surprise.
“I myself was shocked,” he admitted.