Igor Bondar
The end of the current Olympic cycle is coming soon. It is less than a year already before the main start for all the athletes - the Olympic Games. And the time of preparation is especially important. The great value of Olympic medals demands the highest requirements to the entire process of preparation.
Unfortunately this period overlaps the difficult times that our Motherland - Ukraine is going through with all our long-suffering people. I mean the ongoing war and the difficulties associated with it.
Each has its own job, mine is being a sportsman. While signing the contract, I should answer one of the points: "What obligation do you agree to take about your winning place at this year's World Cup; at the World Championship?" And I answer - I undertake to take the top places from I to IV of the prize-winners or to be in the final.
That's the extent of my responsibility! And I promise that taxpayers' money spent on my training will be materialized in the medal and the international prestige of my homeland.
From that moment on, I will talk about the sad moments. About the funding. Every professional athlete will understand me, actually every athlete who is defending the honor of the national team in Ukraine will agree with me. Is it possible to be well-prepared with the sum of 1700 UAH per month, or $ 80 in the equivalent ???
All the trainings I should pay for myself. Yeah, there are the presidential scholarship, but it is not paid yet because of empty budget, they say. Whom or what I should hope for? So I need to join my voice in this stream of the widespread calls for help. Why me is the one who needs help? Am I better than others - the wounded, the maimed, lost their homes and torn from their homes? Yes, I have my doubts in such a way to do petition for myself. But if I don’t do that, then my many years of hard efforts, all my sweat and blood, all my dreams, will be vain. And this is not right.
I am able and well-trained to do my job well, I love it!. My medals are confirmation to my immodest words.
And if anything I’ve written to you will find a response – please, support me and the wonderful world of rowing ...
Igor Bondar, Paralympic
International Master of Sports in rowing, World Championship silver medalist in 2013 in Chunzhou, Korea. Bronze medalist of the World Championship 2015, in Adzhibilette, France. Multiple champion and Ukraine record holder on swimming. Nominated Ukrainian Book of Records by swimming the distance of 20 km. stopless. A member of the CIS team of sitting volleyball at the Olympics held in Barcelona in 1992 and in Atlanta 1996.
|
|
