---
title: "The Price of Triumph: Oleg Shafarenko Reveals Details of Conflict with IHFU After Historic Promotion to the Elite"
description: "Former Ukrainian national team coach Oleg Shafarenko revealed details of the conflict with the IHFU: three years of work without a contract ended in a rupture immediately after the historic promotion to the elite. Players are shocked, captain Merezhko expressed disappointment, and the coach urges to forget the squabbles for the sake of victory. 🏒🇺🇦📉"
date: 2026-07-20T08:38:00.000Z
lang: en
url: https://xab.info/en/posts/price-of-triumph-shafarenko-conflict-with-ihfu-after-historic-promotion
tags: [oleg-shafarenko, fhu, ukraine-hockey, igor-merezhko, sergey-mazur]
publisher: "XAB.info"
---

# The Price of Triumph: Oleg Shafarenko Reveals Details of Conflict with IHFU After Historic Promotion to the Elite

![Oleg Shaferenko in the Ice Hockey Federation of Ukraine uniform on the ice rink, discussing details of the conflict after the historic promotion to the elite](https://xab.info/media/2026/07/20/oleg-shafarenko-konflikt-s-fhu-posle-vyhoda-v-elitu/oleg-shafarenko-konflikt-s-fhu-posle-vyhoda-v-elitu-1.webp)

The historic breakthrough of the Ukrainian national ice hockey team in the 2026 season, which returned the team to the elite division for the first time in two decades, turned into an unexpected crisis for the coaching staff. Former national team coach Oleg Shafarenko, in an interview with Suspilne Sport (citing RBK-Ukraine), revealed shocking details of the rupture of relations with the Ice Hockey Federation of Ukraine (IH FU).

### Three Years of Work on Enthusiasm

According to the specialist, he and his colleagues worked in the national team for three seasons without signing an official contract. Legally, no documents regulating their activities existed. The coaching staff acted on the basis of verbal agreements and enthusiasm, receiving only bonus payments and small fees during training camps or World Championships.

"I worked three seasons without a contract. Over these three years in the national team, we probably decided that we had finally proven our right to a full-fledged contract. But, unfortunately, our views with the IHFU did not fully converge," Shafarenko admitted.

### The Paradox of Success

The situation took on an absurd character: the very moment of triumph and return to the world elite became the breaking point. The Federation's official version of "expiration of agreements" does not correspond to reality, as there were no agreements initially.

Shafarenko notes that after the promotion to the elite, a group of "theorists" became active in the IHFU leadership. Numerous advisors appeared who began to impose concepts on the coaching staff that are relevant for leading hockey powers but completely do not correspond to the realities of Ukrainian sports.

### Insurmountable Disagreements

Attempts to agree with IHFU President Serhiy Mazur on decent working conditions after the historic success were unsuccessful. The coaches logically expected adequate remuneration, stating that their staff "deserves a little more".

The situation was exacerbated by the fact that Shafarenko was required to leave the post of head coach of Kyiv's "Sokil". Although they later met him halfway on this issue, a general compromise could not be found.

### Players' Reaction

The federation's personnel policy caused serious resonance within the team. National team captain Ihor Merezhko publicly expressed disappointment that the parties could not find common ground.

Shafarenko himself assures that he did not try to incite the players to rebel, but the hockey players themselves took the initiative. The coach's phone "rang" non-stop with one question: "How is this possible?". Despite the tension, the former coach urged the players to leave emotions aside and continue to fight for the honor of the country in the elite division, regardless of who will lead the team in the future.