Sports scandal in Chernivtsi: pool bowl filled with earth

A public controversy has erupted in Chernivtsi regarding the fate of a 50-meter pool located in close proximity to the city's main sports arena. The trigger for widespread discussion was the emergence of information that the concrete bowl of the facility is being filled with earth. The situation has attracted the attention of the National Olympic Committee (NOC) of Ukraine, and the management of the local football club "Bukovyna" was forced to issue an official clarification.

NOC Position: "Destruction for a parking lot"

Vadym Gutzeit, President of the National Olympic Committee of Ukraine, reacted to the situation with a stern statement. He officially appealed to the Mayor of Chernivtsi, Roman Klychuk, demanding an immediate halt to the works, which he characterized as the destruction of a sports location.

According to the head of the NOC, information has spread in the media space that the pool bowl is planned to be liquidated solely to create a standard car parking lot. Gutzeit emphasized the relevance of preserving sports facilities under current conditions:

"Today, when the enemy destroys sports facilities daily with rockets and drones, we must do everything possible to preserve every existing sports venue. News from Chernivtsi, where the bowl of a 50-meter pool is planned to be filled to create a parking lot, causes particular outrage. At a time when pools are important places for the rehabilitation of our defenders, such decisions look incomprehensible".

The head of the NOC called on local authorities and the regional sports community to unite to prevent the final destruction of the facility.

FC "Bukovyna" Version: Forced measure and emergency condition

At FC "Bukovyna", they tried to calm the public and explain that filling the pool is a forced and purely technical step. Currently, the club is actively modernizing the stadium to bring it into compliance with all standards of the Ukrainian Premier League (UPL), within the framework of which the football turf is being completely replaced.

Club representatives voiced three key arguments in favor of their actions:

1. Logistical solution

Works at the arena are large-scale. To speed up the reconstruction process and not block the movement of heavy machinery on surrounding city streets, the pool bowl was temporarily used as a site for storing excavated soil. The club assured that the earth does not harm the concrete and, if necessary, will be completely removed.

2. Emergency condition of the structure

According to an official expert-technical conclusion, the facility as a functioning unit has not existed for about 17 years. The structure is recognized as completely emergency: the concrete is destroyed, the reinforcement has rusted, and the bowl itself will never be able to hold water.

3. Economic inexpediency

The old pool did not have a heating system. Experts note that building a modern complex "from scratch" will be significantly easier and cheaper than trying to revive dangerous Soviet ruins.

Conflict outcomes

FC "Bukovyna" added that they fully support the idea of building a new Olympic-standard pool in Chernivtsi. However, the club's management urges developing infrastructure intelligently and not succumbing to panic whipped up on social media. At the moment, filling works continue as part of the stadium reconstruction logistics.