NEWS AND VIEWS: Philadelphia: the capital city of Ukrainian Diaspora Olympiads (07/02/00)

NEWS AND VIEWS

Philadelphia: the capital city of Ukrainian Diaspora Olympiads

by Omelan Twardowsky

Philadelphia, the city of "Brotherly Love," has become the capital of the Olympics for the Ukrainian diaspora. It is here, in the suburb called Horsham, that the third Ukrainian Diaspora Olympics is taking place on July 1-4.

The first Diaspora Olympiad was held in 1936, at which time Ukraine was reeling from the Famine-Genocide initiated by the Soviet Union. No mention or thought was given to Ukrainian participation in the 11th Olympic Games in Hitler's Germany in Berlin. The world, however, needed to be reminded about the enslaved nation of Ukraine and the fact that its athletes yearned to be independent participants in the Olympics. This could only be accomplished by Ukrainian athletes in the diaspora.

The athletes of the first Diaspora Olympiad achieved the goal of publicizing Ukraine's plight. The participation of 150 Ukrainian athletes and hundreds of American athletes drew the attention of the American press, which published many stories with favorable comments.

The sports enthusiasts who fulfilled their duties and initiated a new tradition cannot be overlooked. The Olympiad Committee comprised the following: P. Zacharchuk, A. Polonisa, H. Syvuliak, A. Rudolph, B. Bukata, J. Zaharchuk, K. Kredenson, S. Monastyrskyj, M. Kunychka, S. Moskaliuk, I. Orlok and I. Natskoney.

Competition at the Olympiad encompassed track, baseball, volleyball, basketball and swimming. The top three teams were the Ukrainian Catholic Club Sokil, the Detroit Ukrainians and the United Softball League All-Stars of Toronto.

Second Ukrainian Diaspora Olympiad

More than 50 years passed before the second Ukrainian Diaspora Olympiad occurred, again in the city of Philadelphia, but this time to commemorate 1,000 years of Christianity in Ukraine.

The reason for this extended interval was the realization of two international "Free Olympics" in Etobicoke, Ontario. The games of 1980 and 1984 were organized by an international committee that gathered together athletes representing Ukraine, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia and Armenia. A huge supporter of these games was the Ukrainian Sports Federation of the U.S.A. and Canada. Both of these "Free Olympics" elicited large amounts of publicity in Canada and the United States; this publicity drew much ire from sports officials of the USSR and Soviet Ukraine.

During the 1980 Free Olympics athletes representing Ukraine won 11 gold medals, nine silver and eight bronze, achieving second place overall. In 1984 athletes representing Ukraine gathered six goal medals, five silver and one bronze.

At the time of the preparations for the Ukrainian Diaspora Olympiad of 1988, the struggle for Ukraine's independence was continuing and the USSR's existence was coming to an end. Several sports groups were demanding to represent Ukraine during the Olympic Games, including Ukrainian organizations in the diaspora who gave valuable support to independence-minded athletes. There-fore, it was very important to continue the tradition of the Ukrainian Diaspora Olympiad as a display of solidarity with the athletes of Ukraine.

Working in concert with the Ukrainian American Sports Center Tryzub were the Ukrainian Sports Association Chornomorska Sitch (Newark), Sports Club Ukraina (Toronto), Ukrainian American Youth Association (SUM), Plast Ukrainian Youth Organization and the Ukrainian Sports Federation of the U.S.A. and Canada (USCAK).

The key personnel on the committee were: Ihor Chyzowych, chairman; Jaroslaw Kozak, vice-chairman and sports director; Iwan Skira, second vice-chairman and financial director; Orest Lesiuk, third vice-chairman and facilities director; Volodymyr Ihnatovych, sports director for Canada, and O. Kuzewych, secretary. Representing USCAK, the umbrella sports association for the United States and Canada were Roman Kucil, president, Myron Stebelsky, vice-president, and Volodymyr Kizyma, second vice-president. Many other individuals contributed their time and effort to make the second Ukrainian Olympiad a success.

Over 700 athletes and countless guests participated in the Olympiad, demonstrating once again that the Ukrainian spirit was alive and well in the diaspora. The 1988 Olympiad is thought of as the beginning of organized Ukrainian Diaspora sporting events.

Ukrainian Diaspora Olympiad 2000

The third Ukrainian Diaspora Olympiad is being held in conjunction with the celebration of the golden jubilee of the Ukrainian American Sports Center Tryzub and to mark the beginning of a new millennium.

Ukraine will soon celebrate the ninth anniversary of its independence. Diaspora Ukrainians no longer have to fight for Ukraine's independent participation in the Olympics. Our brothers and sisters in sports have twice participated in the Olympics and are now preparing to participate in the Summer Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia.

This is our pride and glory, for it was this participation that Ukrainian diaspora sports organizations held as their ultimate goal for many years. When Ukraine declared its independence, many Ukrainian diaspora sports organizations provided support to the sports authorities of Ukraine, enabling Ukraine to participate in the 1994 Winter Olympics in Lillehammer, Norway, and the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta.

It is in this festive atmosphere that the Third Ukrainian Diaspora Olympiad is being convened. The committee is composed as follows: Ihor Chyzowycz, chairman; Irenaeus Isajiw, director of facilities and sports coordinator; Orest Lesiuk, vice-chairman and facilities coordinator; D. Kulchycky, secretary; Adrian Hawryliw, treasurer; Omelan Twardowsky, Ukrainian press; Roman Stelmach, American press; Myron Stebelsky, president, Ukrainian Sports Federation of U.S.A. and Canada; and Lev Holubec, Plast Ukrainian Scouting Organization.

The sports directors of the committee are as follows: Eugene Chyzowych, soccer; George Lesiuk, volleyball; George Sawczak, tennis; Mr. Isajiw, track; George Tarasiuk, golf; Sydir Nowakiwsky, chess; and Taras Midzak, swimming.

An army of enthusiastic volunteers has gathered and is prepared to make this Olympiad, and related activities, the best ever. A new development for the Diaspora Olympiad is the possible participation of athletes from Europe and Ukraine.

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