The re-elected President of the Ukrainian Water Polo Federation Oleksandr Svishchov outlined ambitious plans for his new term, emphasizing the importance of developing children’s and youth sports. His candidacy was unanimously supported by all members of the Federation, which demonstrates the high level of trust in his leadership.
Conservation and development: from focus on survival to popularization
During the interview, Mr. Svishchov expressed his sincere gratitude for the trust, emphasizing that the first years of his presidency were difficult due to the full-scale war.
“We managed to keep all the teams together, evacuate the children to safe regions and create conditions for training and participation in competitions,” he said. While the main goal used to be to preserve the sport, the focus is now shifting to actively popularizing water polo and developing children’s and youth schools. “Children are the foundation of our future,” emphasized Oleksandr Svishchov, expressing his belief in many positive changes and victories ahead.
Oleksandr Svishchov on the new presidium and the legendary coach
Oleksandr Svishchov noted that the new presidium of the Ukrainian Water Polo Federation also included him:
- Mykola Smirnov,
- Oleksandr Yevtushok,
- Viacheslav Belevtsov,
- Valeriy Botnar,
- Victor Pushaver.
Oleksandr Svishchov characterized them as “true professionals” who know water polo well from the inside and are ready to work for results.
A significant step for Ukrainian water polo was the involvement of Croatian specialist Josko Krekovic as a coaching consultant. A silver medalist at the 1996 Olympics, Krekovic will assist the national men’s team and the U18 team. His main mission is to improve the quality of training, advise Ukrainian coaches and implement European standards in the training process.
Results of national championships and international ambitions
The Ukrainian men’s (Super League) and women’s (Premier League) championships have recently ended, and according to Oleksandr Svishchov, they have demonstrated an increase in domestic competition. Dynamo Lviv won the men’s championship, while the women’s team from Kyiv won the women’s championship.
As for international tournaments, the national teams have ambitious goals. The women’s national team will face tough opponents – Serbia, Switzerland and Finland – but aims to show character and represent Ukraine with dignity. The men’s national team has an ambitious goal of qualifying for the European Championships.
Oleksandr Svishchov emphasized that the team has a strong core of experienced players, promising youngsters and legionnaires.
“We believe that the team spirit, character and inspiration we draw from our military, who are fighting for our country and freedom, will help us achieve success,” he added.
Oleksandr Svishchov: рeveloping sports, supporting culture and helping the army
Oleksandr Svishchov’s activities go beyond sports management. In addition to his active work as president of the Ukrainian Water Polo Federation, he pays considerable attention to supporting cultural and military initiatives aimed at strengthening the country.
A recent example of such activity was his assistance in the creation of the documentary film Hammer. This film tells the story of a hero whose feat will undoubtedly go down in the history of Ukraine and its defenders.
During the presentation of the film, Oleksandr Svishchov received personal gratitude from the military for his significant contribution to the implementation of this important project. Representatives of the Armed Forces expressed their gratitude for the support, emphasizing that “only through the joint efforts of the best representatives of Ukrainian society will we be able to liberate the occupied lands.”
