The historic breakthrough of Ukrainian hockey has turned into an unexpected crisis within the coaching staff. Former national team coach Oleg Shafarenko revealed shocking details about his work with the team, stating that he led the squad for three years without an official contract. According to him, negotiations for a full agreement with the Ice Hockey Federation of Ukraine (IHFU) fell through precisely after the "blue and yellows" returned to the world elite.
Working on Enthusiasm and Promises
As reported by RBK-Ukraine, citing an interview with the specialist on "Suspilne Sport," the Federation's official version regarding the "expiration of agreement terms" does not correspond to reality. Legally, no documents existed, and the staff worked exclusively on enthusiasm and verbal promises.
"I worked three seasons without a contract. We were paid bonuses and small amounts of money during training camps or the World Championship itself. Over these three years in the national team, we perhaps decided that we had finally proven our right to a full contract. But, unfortunately, our views with the IHFU did not fully align," Shafarenko admitted.
Triumph as a Cause for Disagreement
The paradox of the situation lies in the fact that the grand success of the Ukrainians in the 2026 season and their return to the elite division for the first time in 20 years became a "cruel joke" for the coaching tandem of Dmytro Khrystyich and Oleg Shafarenko.
The specialist notes that immediately after the promotion to the elite, many "theorist-advisors" appeared within the federation. They began proposing solutions that might be relevant for leading hockey nations worldwide but do not at all correspond to the realities of Ukrainian sports.
The coaches logically expected adequate conditions after the historic breakthrough, stating that their staff was "worthy of a bit more." However, attempts to reach an agreement with IHFU President Serhiy Mazur led nowhere.
Pressure on Players and the Captain's Reaction
During negotiations, Shafarenko was asked to leave Kyiv's "Sokol," where he serves as head coach. Although the coach was eventually accommodated on this issue, a general compromise was never found.
Such personnel policy caused a serious resonance among the team leaders. National team captain Ihor Merezhko has already publicly expressed disappointment that the parties could not meet halfway.
Shafarenko himself assures that he did not try to incite the players, although the hockey players themselves "broke his phone" with one question: "How is this possible?" Despite the emotional intensity, the former coach urged the national team players to leave their feelings aside and continue fighting for the blue and yellow flag, regardless of who exactly will lead the team in the elite division.
