“At the end of 2023, together with the leadership of the Ukrainian Water Polo Federation and the water polo community, we will summarize the results, analyze the results, listen to the coaches and give a proper assessment of their work,” Oleksandr Svishchov, President of the Ukrainian Water Polo Federation, spoke to journalists of the media center and shared his thoughts on the performances of the Ukrainian national men’s and women’s teams, as well as told what changes await the national teams.
ABOUT THE PERFORMANCES OF THE NATIONAL TEAMS OF UKRAINE AMONG MEN AND WOMEN
– I was disappointed with the results of our national teams in qualifying for the European Women’s and Men’s Championships. I expected a better game and result. Of course, there are objective reasons why we failed to reach the final stage of the European Championships, but I wanted better dedication from the players of the national teams. The management of the UWPF is not satisfied with the results of our water polo teams, the assessment of the performances is also unsatisfactory. We understand that there are problems with training and logistics for players living in different European countries, but we would like to see dedication and character in the pool. The same applies to our junior national teams. Yes, there were matches where we expected our team to win, but saw defeats. Instead, in the match against the leaders, they achieved a positive result (Ukraine U-17’s victory against Germany). There can be no complaints about the coaches, the training cycle was too short due to the absence of all water polo players in Ukraine.
IS IT POSSIBLE TO CHANGE HEAD COACHES IN NATIONAL TEAMS?
– At the end of 2023, we will summarize the results, analyze the results, listen to the coaches and give a proper assessment of their work together with the leadership of the UWPF and the water polo community. We will listen to the opinions and wishes of those who are ready to take on this responsible mission – to lead our men’s and women’s national teams. I think there will be changes, but it’s too early to tell.
ABOUT THE WATER POLO SUPER LEAGUE
– If we analyze the current season, we can certainly feel a regression, no matter how unfortunate it may sound. There are many objective reasons for this: national team players went abroad to play, and younger water polo players are also outside the country. Another component is the lack of a proper training process. The Mariupol HC lost its home due to Russian aggression and the temporary occupation of the city. Timur Shilin’s team is currently training away from home, in Kamianske, which is certainly not what the team would like. The situation is similar for the two Kharkiv teams: the sports infrastructure was destroyed by Russian shelling, and the swimming pools where the teams trained were among the destroyed facilities. The remaining players are unable to properly prepare because they lack the necessary conditions. Yes, we understand that many teams have been left without homes due to Russian aggression, and therefore the competition in the championship has dropped significantly. The most important thing is for our defenders to liberate the territory of Ukraine from the occupiers, then water polo will return to the cities, and our sport will live and develop in a new way.
ABOUT THE MAJOR LEAGUE AMONG WOMEN
-“Unfortunately, I must also note a serious regression in the Major League among women. Due to the full-scale invasion, many girls were forced to leave for abroad. Two teams were unable to enter the championship at once – representatives from Kharkiv and Dnipro. The girls from Kharkiv were among the leaders and competed well for the championship, but now the team is absent. The Kyiv team has also undergone dramatic changes, with a significant change in its composition. These factors weakened the fight for the championship in the women’s championship. Ultimately, I believe that this year there will be more women’s teams and we will see more competition and interesting matches in the Women’s Premier League.
ABOUT THE UKRAINIAN WATER POLO (BEACH) CHAMPIONSHIP
– The organization of the championship was top-notch, and the atmosphere and dynamic game aroused interest among the fans. Overall, I am very pleased with this format. It was a water polo festival that players and spectators enjoyed. I am sure we will implement this format.
