Canadian supporters raise funds for Ukraine's Olympians (03/03/96)

Canadian supporters raise funds for Ukraine's Olympians

by Andrij Wynnyckyj
Toronto Press Bureau

TORONTO - The Canadian Friends of the Ukrainian National Olympic Committee (CFUNOC) held a very successful fund-raising banquet on February 4, filling the cavernous Ukrainian Cultural Center in downtown Toronto to capacity.

Given that attendance at the $50-a-plate dinner was estimated at around 750, and since the 50-page plus booklet was bursting with advertising, even those with math anxiety could sense this will provide a substantial boost to Team Ukraine's effort.

According to the booklet, the community in North America helped cover all costs associated with the pre-Olympic trials in Georgia in the past summer, and even produced a modest surplus. Expenses: $90,701.83; total donations: $91,448.31.

At the Christie Street Center, the stage was bursting with yellow and blue - banks of flags, a huge Ukrainian flag hung on the backdrop, an Olympic symbol and the vertical legend "1994/1996" (referring to the first two Olympics in which Ukraine participated as an independent entity).

Stan Haba, president of the CFUNOC, a man of great enthusiasm and simple expression, welcomed all to the event and encouraged the Ukrainian community to continue its generous support of the Olympic effort.

Bohdan Pedenko, president of the Canadian Friends of Ukraine, introduced the keynote speaker, Mykola Kosenko, Ukraine's deputy minister of sport and youth.

Mr. Kosenko told the audience that a decision was made to limit Ukraine's participation to 22 events, in order to best take advantage of the limited financial resources available. He said Ukraine's prospects are good, given that within the last year nine athletes have been crowned as world champions.

The sports administrator said the acclimatization and qualifying program conducted last summer at or near the Olympic site in the Atlanta area was a major success. He singled out Laryssa Barabash Temple, the U.S. representative of the UNOC, and the volunteers organized by the Ukrainian Youth Association (SUM), for special commendation.

Ukraine's consul general in Toronto, Serhiy Borovyk, added a pragmatic note to the proceedings. "Some romantics say sports are pure - not tainted by politics," the envoy said. "But anyone familiar with the history of the 1936 Games in Berlin, the 1980 Games in Moscow, and no less the 1984 Games in Los Angeles, knows that this is far from reality."

Referring obliquely to the obstructionism of high-ranking Russian International Olympic Committee executives, Mr. Borovyk said the effort to secure representation for Ukraine at international meets, and the Olympics in particular, has been in some sense more arduous than securing recognition of Ukraine's political independence.

The consul quoted a statement by Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma: "Sport is politics. Records and achievement serve as proof of a country's economic, physical and spiritual potential."

Mr. Borovyk also referred to a statement made by Mr. Haba in an interview with "Kontakt" TV: "In Atlanta, lovers of sport in Ukraine will see proof of the great solidarity of all Ukrainians in the world."

In closing, he suggested to Mr. Kosenko that the latter's ministry confer an award of merit reserved for athletes, trainers and supporters of sport in Ukraine.

As the formal segment of the program ended, Mr. Haba returned to the microphone to ask those in attendance to sing "Mnohaya Lita" in honor of Ukraine's athletes and their supporters. In response, the assembled roared out the tune and the hall shook as it hasn't in years.

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