Sawt Falasteen - Ukrainians to honour sporting dead by building country they 'died for': minister

One of the biggest building blocks towards achieving that goal is a reform which will further erase the legacy left by Ukraine's former Soviet masters.

"We are on the brink of a major sports reform: dismantling the Soviet totalitarian system and introducing a European club-based model, drawing primarily on the experience of France (in elite sport) and Poland (in mass sport)," he told AFP in an interview by email.

Bidnyi said jettisoning another hangover from the Soviet era would be a liberating experience.

"We want self-governed sports clubs in every community, opening access to sport for all Ukrainians regardless of where they live or their financial situation," said Bidnyi.

"These clubs will be the places where young talents are discovered -- athletes who may later excel at the highest levels of sport."

He said Ukrainian sport had received strong support from France.

"I am deeply grateful to our French colleagues for showing how their sports sector is organised, how much attention they pay to sports science and talent development -- and for their strong support of Ukraine and Ukrainian sport."

One sport who will be hoping the changes lead to fresh talent coming through is athletics.

The president of the Ukrainian Athletics Federation, Olha Saladukha, expressed her fears to AFP at the world championships in Tokyo in September that Ukraine would have no-one to represent the country in the years to come unless there was a substantial investment in youth.

Athletics has traditionally been a medal winner for Ukraine -- Saladukha herself was triple jump outdoor world champion in 2011 -- but garnered just one medal in Tokyo and even that was tinged with disappointment as Olympic and defending world champion Yaroslava Mahuchikh had to settle for bronze in the high jump.

Bidnyi said he was working with the federation to implement "several projects to attract more people to the sport", with the emphasis on children.

- 'Stay grounded' -

Bidnyi, who has been in his post for two years, said athletics was already an "important component" in the "Plich-o-plich (Shoulder to Shoulder): All-Ukrainian School Leagues", a project initiated by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky "so that every schoolchild can try sports they enjoy".

The third season of that programme is set to get underway this month.

Of course, for the clubs to operate and for this new talent to be developed, venues such as gyms and stadia are required.

They have taken a pounding since Russian president Vladimir Putin launched the invasion.

According to Bidnyi the Russians have struck nearly 800 sports facilities, including more than 20 Olympic and Paralympic training bases -- which has prompted new legislation to make up for the losses.

"Currently, our focus is on making basic sports infrastructure as accessible as possible," he said.

"Last month, President Volodymyr Zelensky signed a law that allows state and municipal sports facilities to be rented by the hour -- mostly school gyms, small stadiums, swimming pools, and so on.

"This will help emerging sports clubs across the country rent the necessary infrastructure on transparent terms."

While sports stadia can eventually be rebuilt, there will be no second chance for the coaches and athletes killed in the conflict.

"The greatest loss is people," said Bidnyi, who claimed Russians had killed 617 Ukrainian athletes and coaches -- "and this number continues to grow every day".

"These are someone's sons and daughters, husbands and wives, parents and friends.

"Every day, when I enter the ministry, I look at the memorial and realise how much more we all have to do to build the Ukraine they dreamed of and died for.

"Reading their names helps you stay grounded and keep moving forward with determination."

I.Yassin--SF-PST