Stories from Kharkiv #2

It is not easy for us, but if we do nothing, it will be much harder

 By Yryna Baryshevska 

Media and Communication Specialist

Viktor Khrystoiev is a resident of Kharkiv who not only did not leave the city during the bombings, but also began to help the residents of the region, often risking his own life. He heads the department of the National Olympic Committee of Ukraine in the Kharkiv region, has been known in the country and abroad for more than 40 years as an experienced head of regional bodies in matters of physical culture and sports, worked as the Deputy Minister of Youth and Sports. He was recently awarded the "European Laurel Award". This award was established 15 years ago and is given to people who do many important things for the development of sports. The ceremony took place in Olympia, Greece, during the seminar of the European Olympic Committees, only 10 laureates received the award. Viktor Khrystoiev overcomes modern challenges with dignity, despite the extremely difficult situation in Kharkiv - shelling and destruction, actively engages in volunteering, supporting the elderly, large families, hospitals and everyone who needs help during martial law.

Viktor, you stayed in Kharkiv after February 24. How did you come to this decision and were there thoughts of going to a safer place?

There were a lot of offers to move to remote corners of the Kharkiv region, to Germany, but for me everything is very simple: I realized a long time ago that I cannot stay outside Kharkiv for more than three days. In this city, my everything, my sources, it is dear to me, in general, I bear separation from the city very painfully. I know that I cannot live without this city. That's why I didn't even have the thought of going somewhere. You can even move to the end of the world, but then the body will be there, and the soul will be here, it will be even more difficult, so let them be together.

I know that you help athletes, sports veterans, and their families. Who was the first in the Olympic family to organize volunteer assistance?

When Kharkiv was one of the first cities to be invaded, all life was turned upside down. I will never forget the moment when we were in the shelter with my grandson in the first days. When there were bombings, I held his hand, and he cried, was very afraid and asked: "Hey, Viktor, when will it end?". Then he was very afraid to leave the basement, I will never forget his tears. There was a lot of destruction, there were direct hits to athletes' houses, swimmer Igor Snitko's apartment was hit, he was left with nothing, operations were also needed for those who suffered a sports injury and those who were wounded during the shelling - a girl at the KhTP district, she is a pupil of children's and youth sports school, it was necessary to help. Many were left without means of livelihood, even for food. We immediately turned to the National Olympic Committee with a request to help athletes and residents of the Kharkiv region.

The president of the National Olympic Committee, a member of the International Olympic Committee, Serhiy Bubka, responded immediately. We received money from the International Solidarity Fund  by the International Olympic Committee and started helping athletes. It was necessary to support the athletes who were at the sports camps at that time. Sports veterans were sick, it was necessary, to help the glorious Gennady Bliznetsov, rest in peace, but then he, unfortunately, died, they provided assistance for the burial. Now we support his family: his wife stayed in a village in the Poltava region. There is a lot of help for our children who have not gone anywhere and live in the Kharkiv region, some have newborn babies, it is very difficult for them. We are helped by the Olympic committees of Slovakia, Hungary, Turkey, and many other countries. We give the received baby food to the doctors, and the doctors give it to those who need it. The families of those whose husbands are currently in the Armed Forces of Ukraine also turn to us. One's grief is everyone's grief , you have to get out of it together.

Every day you move around the city, region, take risks, there were many dangerous situations, it is not easy both mentally and physically. What keeps you going?

Of course, it's scary, it's normal for a person. Once we were going to one community and planes were flying over us, flying very low. And on the way, where to run, where to hide? Faith in the future helps. Through the darkest night, there is a brighter day. And this approach gives strength and confidence. You just have to put yourself in the place where those people found themselves. It can happen to anyone. And good must be done. If not us, then who? You know, I once watched the movie "Peaceful Warrior". He really changed me and my attitude towards many things, especially after the trials I had to go through with my own health. This is an American film about an athlete, based on real events, about the struggle of a gymnast who suffered 15 fractures in a road accident and no one believed that he can walk, about how he got back to normal life. And there was such a moment when the boy decided: whether to do a dangerous exercise and return to the sport, or to forget about it forever, because it was too risky.

And he received an answer from his "angel" that he must act here and now. I also think that my moments are here and now, because "then" may not come. Everyone gets upset, but you have to be patient, maybe someone is worse off than you. For example, today the Olympic Committee and the Ukrainian Women's Organization helped us deliver 20 tons of drinking water to the de-occupied territories in the Izyum district. Water is needed there like air, just clean drinking water!

The values ​​you instill in your athletes are important, as well as your personal inner guidance, which has now also manifested itself in helping sometimes strangers in such dire circumstances.

I believe that warm human feelings and Olympic values ​​should be the norm of life: friendship, respect, solidarity. And not only in difficult moments, but always. These are the most important values, surely everyone should live by them always. We have to be a team player. Athletes shake each other's hands before the match and shake hands when they leave the court, this is a manifestation of solidarity and mutual respect. These are ideals to strive for. We perceive any defeat as another step towards victory. It is not necessary to change the dream, it is necessary to change the path to it, if necessary. Don`t stop. If you can't run - walk, if you can't walk - crawl, if you can't - just look in that direction. This is life, you have to get up and go. I am glad that we have our Olympic family. Whoever can do something, should do it. It is necessary to pass these tests with dignity, so as not to be ashamed. There is a good Christian saying: if you want to do good, fear God and do it. If you don't want to do evil, fear God and don't do it.

How are Kharkiv athletes doing now, where do they train?

We are very grateful to the support of the International Solidarity Fund for supporting athletes of Ukraine, it is 7 million dollars. Many Kharkiv athletes are currently abroad at camps, they are allocated funds for the federations, the fees are paid in Germany, Italy, and the money will also go to the preparation of athletes for the Olympic Games in Paris in 2024 and the Winter Olympic Games. Everything is under the control of the state, without it it is impossible. Our athletes in Germany, Poland, Israel, all scattered around the world and this is not an exaggeration. Bubka's name worked a lot, and now that the National Olympic Committee has been headed by Vadym Gutzait, the work continues just as successfully: we receive both food and clothing. When I was invited to the meeting of the European Olympic Committees on October 1-2, I met with all my colleagues, they gave me the floor, I had the honor to speak for 50 European countries, I expressed my gratitude to the entire European Olympic family for the help and support that we have that we were given.

Despite the difficulties faced by the athletes, their coaches and families, Ukraine can still rejoice in the success of those who remained. 

Of course! We can be happy very easily and there are a lot of them! Oleksandra Nazarova and Maksym Nikitin, participants of the Olympic Games in Beijing. After the performance in Beijing, they came home, we met them, had a reception at the diplomatic club, and 2 days later the war began. They had to go to the World Figure Skating Championships. They reached France in tracksuits and performed in tracksuits. They are recognized as the best sportsmen of the Kharkiv region according to the results of March. Boxers Ayder Abduraimov became the champion of Europe, Veronika Nakota became the champion of Europe among young people, Maria Gangur, our weightlifter, won three medals, two of which were gold, at the European Weightlifting Championship in the weight category up to 64 kilograms, which was held in Albania in the city of Tirana, now they are in Transcarpathia with her coach. 

The synchronized swimming team, which went to Italy in March, won 2 gold and 5 silver medals at the World Championships in Budapest in June, and won the European Synchronized Swimming Championships in August. Judoka Nazar Viskov became a bronze medalist in the weight category up to 60 kg and a silver medalist in the team competition of the XVI European Youth Olympic Festival held in Banska Bystrica (Slovakia). Mykyta Kudinov - a representative of the Kharkiv swimming school, who won a bronze medal in the 50-meter freestyle competition of the XVI European Youth Olympic Festival, Mykhailo Vyshnevetskyi, 

World Champion in Greco-Roman wrestling among juniors under 20 years old in the weight category up to 130 kg, Yaroslav Filchakov and Andriy Kulyk, athletes from Greco-Roman wrestling who won bronze medals at the World Championships in the capital of Serbia, Belgrade, weightlifter Kamila Konotop won 3 medals at the European Championship, Iryna Dekha became the world champion in weightlifting in December. 

Athletes do everything on the sports front. We are happy that after their victories, the national anthem of Ukraine is playing in the world. We are grateful to the Armed Forces of Ukraine, thanks to which they can leave. Victories do not come easily. Even abroad, athletes worry about their parents and relatives who have remained in Ukraine. Athletes say: yes, we are hard, like all people, but we do our best, we are hard to break. Terrible tests, as we go through, we have to go through with honor. You have to protect those around you.

We must overcome difficulties together, strong faith, hope and love will help us in this. Mercy and benevolence will help our strong state win. We just have to take a small grain of sand each and throw it into a big pile of sand of our national idea — peace on Ukrainian land.