On 26 January 2024, the President of the National Olympic Committee of Ukraine, Olympic champion Vadym Gutzeit visited Ivan Franko National University of Lviv as part of a working visit to Lviv region.
During his visit to the University, Vadym Hutzeit met with the Rector of the University, Corresponding Member of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Professor Volodymyr Melnyk. The meeting was also attended by Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs, Social Affairs and Development Volodymyr Kachmar and Head of the National Olympic Committee of Ukraine in Lviv Region Yurii Turyansky. During the meeting, the participants discussed topical issues of sports development at the University, as well as the rehabilitation of war veterans and their physical recovery.
Afterwards, the President of the NOC of Ukraine met with students and teachers of Lviv University, leading coaches and representatives of the Olympic Council of Lviv Region. The meeting began with the National Anthem of Ukraine and the Anthem of the Olympic Committee. Later, everyone participated in a minute of silence in memory of the Defenders of Ukraine who gave their lives defending the Ukrainian state from the russian occupiers.
Rector Volodymyr Melnyk expressed his gratitude to the Ukrainian soldiers for the opportunity to work and develop education, science and culture in Ukraine. Volodymyr Petrovych stressed the importance of a worthy representation of Ukraine in the international sports arena and the importance of the principled position of Ukrainian athletes in relation to the Russians, noting that this is one of the factors of resistance against russia’s influence on world politics. “We live in a time when sport has become not only a competition but also a complex political game. And our task is to make every effort to reduce russia’s authority in the world in various ways,” said Volodymyr Melnyk.
Addressing the students, the President of the National Olympic Committee of Ukraine Vadym Gutzeit said: “I have travelled a long way in sports. We, the athletes and coaches, are working for you to grow and develop in Ukraine as athletic, powerful and purposeful youth.”
During the meeting, the participants were also greeted by the Head of the Department of Physical Education and Sports, Professor Oksana Shukatka, and the Head of the National Olympic Committee of Ukraine in Lviv Region, Yurii Turyansky.
During the event, students of Lviv University asked Vadym Gutzeit questions, which mainly concerned the development of sport in Ukraine during the war and the prospects of using sport as a tool to strengthen national unity and support the war effort.
At the end of the meeting, Vadym Gutzeit presented the staff of Ivan Franko National University of Lviv, represented by Rector Volodymyr Melnyk, with a letter of appreciation for their contribution to the development of the Olympic movement. At the same time, the NOC Chairman also presented personalised letters of appreciation to the lecturers of the Department of Physical Education and Sports of Lviv University. Thus, the following people received letters of appreciation for their significant personal contribution to the development of the Olympic Movement:
- Head of the Department of Physical Education and Sports of the Faculty of Pedagogical Education, Professor Oksana Shukatka;
- Associate Professor of the Department of Physical Education and Sports Araz Tuvakov;
- Senior Lecturer of the Department of Physical Education and Sports Liubov Bentsak;
- Senior Lecturer of the Department of Physical Education and Sports Larysa Horlova;
- Lecturer of the Department of Physical Education and Sports Vira Mudra;
- Senior Lecturer of the Department of Physical Education and Sports Stepan Matula.
