“Short, but difficult period”: VFLA president Yurchenko announced his resignation

“I would like to thank all those who care about the fate of Russian athletics”

A statement on the resignation of Yevgeny Yurchenko from his post was published on the VFLA website on Monday evening. In it, the functionary stated that he was leaving the chair of the president of the federation and thereby starting the process of re-election of the leadership of the VFLA.

“I would like to thank all the specialists who are not indifferent to the fate of Russian athletics, with whom I worked in this short, but very difficult period. I would especially like to note the work of the members of the Presidium and the Commission of Federation Athletes, who had to face very serious difficulties of the protracted crisis, ”the statement said.

Yurchenko also expressed the hope that the new head of the federation will be able to normalize relations with World Athletics and will be able to attract the necessary funding.

The Ministry of Sports reacted to the functionary’s behavior with understanding and expressed hope that his departure would not affect the training of athletes and “the implementation of the plan for all-Russian and interregional athletics competitions”.

“He led the organization in a difficult, crisis time in Russian athletics, tried to find ways out of the difficult situation in which Russian athletes found themselves,” said Minister of Sports Oleg Matytsin. 

He also stressed that in the near future the Presidium of the Federation should appoint an acting president and begin preparations for the conference, which will elect a new leader of the VFLA. 

At the same time on Monday afternoon it became known that the former VFLA vice-president Eduard Bezuglov intends to file a lawsuit against the federation in connection with the deprivation of his corresponding position. In addition, the famous sports doctor was removed from the Bureau of the Presidium. According to him, the federation explained its decision with "numerous ethical violations."

“I consider this statement untrue. Moreover, it damages my reputation. Therefore, I decided together with lawyers to appeal to the court with two lawsuits - on the illegal deprivation of office and on the protection of honor and dignity, ”Sport-Express quotes Bezuglov as saying.

It is still unknown whether the former vice president of the VFLA will sue after Yurchenko’s departure, but Bezugly has already called the functionary’s shan “a strong act”.

“The departure of Yevgeny Valeryevich from the post of president of the VFLA is for me a completely logical move, which does him honor. As for my participation in the upcoming presidential elections, I don’t think about it at all now. It’s more important for me that Russian athletics develop, ”TASS quoted Bezuglova as saying.

"This is an absolutely unexpected act."

At the same time, the departure of Yurchenko, who headed the federation only at the end of February, was surprising for most experts. In particular, a former member of the World Athletics board, Mikhail Butov, admitted that he did not expect such an outcome.

“I have one question - why did you have to come? We know little, but what was the calculation made of? I understand that there is a serious situation, but you can’t seriously blame everything on the pandemic and the limitations that were caused by it. It was obvious that the fine would remain, and a lot of money was required. As far as I know, it was a question of sources of financing. But, apparently, it turned out that this is not so, ”Butov said.

At the same time, the functionary admitted that he was not optimistic about the situation in Russian track and field athletics, but stressed that Yurchenko had done nothing reprehensible for several months at the VFLA.

In turn, the 2004 Olympic champion in long jump Tatyana Lebedeva emphasized that she was shocked when she learned about Yurchenko's voluntary resignation. 

“Remained like a broken trough. Of course, we have long been broken, but this act is absolutely unexpected. The man promised. Yes, I didn’t seem to manage, but at the most difficult moment to pick up and leave - this, at first glance, is not clear. The captain always leaves the ship last, but here he ... left and left, ”R-Sport quotes Lebedeva. 

The Olympic champion found it difficult to name the possible successor of Yurchenko, but noted that she did not see an “independent person” for this post. 

“In the elections, there were Mikhail Gusev, Mikhail Butov, Oleg Kurbatov, but their candidacies were firmly dismissed. They said, they say, there is a person who will do everything and at whom everything will be. It is sad for this, but this issue should be taken at the state level, it should understand that our sport is not just in the abyss, but at the bottom. At such a bottom that no one will knock from below, ”added Lebedeva. 

At the same time, the expert emphasized that it is currently unrealistic to attract $ 5 million to pay the World Athletics fine from the business. And to solve this problem, state assistance is required. 

Finally, the trainer of world champion Sergei Shubenkov, Sergey Klevtsov, said he did not understand why Yurchenko was heading the federation, and complained that, in the current realities, Russian athletes “might forget about the international season”. 

“It is absolutely clear now that the time from March to July was irretrievably lost,” the specialist concluded. 

A well-known commentator Dmitry Guberniev spoke about the incident. In his opinion, “zeroing the situation” in this case is necessary in order to establish relations with World Athletics.

“You know, we are losing a generation of athletes. Five years already, where to strive for our children and youth? People are now looking in the direction of other states, so I am not surprised. Let's see what happens next, but in any case, I am very worried about our athletics. I hope that this resignation and some next steps will be truly constructive. Maybe Yurchenko even sacrificed himself in some way, ”the Sport24 journalist quotes.

$ 5 million debt and Russians' thoughts on changing sports citizenship  

The main task that fell on Yurchenko after he headed the VFLA was to resolve the issue with World Athletics about paying a fine of $ 5 million by July 1. 

A fine of $ 10 million to the federation was imposed after the scandal with doping tests of high jumper Danil Lysenko, to whom, as reported, the former leadership of the VFLA was involved. The first part of the fine - $ 5 million - must be transferred before July 1, and the remaining $ 5 million will be in a “suspended" state. VFLA will be required to pay this amount if it violates anti-doping rules again. 

As a result, until July 1, the federation did not pay the specified amount, which caused a fierce reaction from World Athletics. The organization announced the suspension of the Bureau for the review of doping violations and the Working Group on the restoration of the VFLA. The future fate of the federation will be determined at the World Athletics meeting on July 29-30.   

In response, Yurchenko emphasized that at the moment the federation simply does not have the means to pay the fine, and complained that the coronavirus pandemic hit the financial position of the VFLA even harder. 

“The World Athletics solutions made me deeply disappointed. Failure to issue a neutral status is a severe blow to athletes. I already said earlier and I did not change my opinion, in my opinion, linking the issue of a neutral status with the payment of a fine in the Lysenko case is an unacceptable step, but World Athletics took this step. I am very sorry that in this situation, the main blow - a terrible, catastrophic one - falls on our athletes, who are hostages of the mistakes that were made by people known to us in the previous period, ”the official website of the federation quotes Yurchenko.

At the same time, according to the now former president of VFLA, the debt to World Athletics exceeds $ 5 million. According to information posted on the official website of the federation, the total amount of fines imposed on VFLA is $ 6.31 million.

In this situation, Russian athletes were in a difficult situation, who can now lose the opportunity to compete in international competitions even in a neutral status. Some of them have already allowed the change of sports citizenship, for example, three-time world champion Maria Lasickene.

“In today's conditions, it is impossible to exclude any option for my further actions, including leaving the team. I’m tired of the lawlessness that has been happening over the past five years, the impunity and inaction of the leaders of our sports who do not properly protect clean athletes, ”the Match TV athlete quotes.