Press center Water Polo Federation of Ukraine spoke with Water Polo Federation of UkrainePresident Oleksandr Svishchov on the eve of the resumption of the Ukrainian men’s and women’s championships . Read the material to find out what plans the federation has for 2025.
– Oleksandr Yuriyovich, the Ukrainian Men’s Super League will resume soon after the winter break. What are your expectations on the eve of the championship’s resumption?
After the winter break, I am sure that all water polo players missed the official matches of the Super League. Moreover, in Kamyansk we will have a meeting tour, where the teams of groups A and B will play. This should arouse great interest in the water polo fan community. At the moment, we see four teams that will fight for championship medals: Water polo club “Dynamo” Lviv, Water polo club “Mariupol”, “LFKS”-”Aquatiko” (Lviv), NTU “KhPI-ShVSM” (Kharkiv). Most likely, these clubs will compete for medals of the Super League of the 2024–2025 season, but the national team of the Transcarpathian region should not be excluded from this fight. The guys, in case of winning all matches, can break into the fight for medals. Now an important factor will be the form of the teams, how their preparation for the resumption of the championship is going.
– During the Great War, the second consecutive championship is held with 8 teams. In your opinion, has the competition among men increased?
– Now we, as a water polo federation, did everything to preserve our sport during the great war. It is very difficult for our teams from the east: two Kharkiv teams, as well as the team from Mariupol, they are in difficult conditions and do not have a permanent opportunity to train. The team from Kyiv still has a personnel shortage due to the lack of water polo players who went to defend Ukraine in the ranks of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The combination of these factors, of course, weakened the team. At the same time, we are now observing a slow revival. For the second season in a row, all fans are pleasantly surprised by the Mariupol team, which is fighting for the Super League medals with an updated squad. The experience of the NTU KhPI ShVSM team also allows it to be among the leaders. Currently, no one can impose a fight on the current champions Dynamo Lviv.
Six Super League teams are currently working with young water polo players, and this is a good signal that young people will soon grow up, who will show results in the pool in 2–3 years. We managed to stabilize the men’s championship and attract young people’s interest in water polo. Of course, in the future we would like to have more teams from all regions of Ukraine, but for now we are working and doing everything to preserve the existing teams and give them an impetus for development.
– Women’s Major League matches will also take place in February. What do you expect from these matches?
Unfortunately, in the women’s championship we currently lack competition. Many young girls left Ukraine at the beginning of the full-scale invasion and the teams have noticeably weakened. Now the personnel situation for the girls is also quite difficult. There are three teams that are fighting for the championship. We are doing everything to increase interest in women’s water polo and strengthen competition.
– What challenges and tasks face the Ukrainian Water Polo Federation for 2025?
– This year will be quite eventful for our national teams. In June, our main water polo teams: men’s and women’s, will participate in the qualifying matches for the 2026 European Championship. The task for both the boys and the girls is to win tickets to the final stage of the continental championship. We do not yet know the opponents, as the draw has not taken place.
I believe that our men’s team has many quality players who are currently playing at a serious level abroad.
The U18 junior team also has a difficult challenge, the boys must remain in Group A. Recently, this team showed a good result and won the international tournament in the Czech Republic, Intercup Prerov. I think they are capable of fulfilling this task.
Another of our junior teams, under 16, should move up in class and advance from Group B to the cohort of the best in Group A.
Traditionally, the Ukrainian Cups for men and women and matches for the Super Cup will be held.
We have many challenges and work to do in 2025. I want to wish our water polo players, coaches and officials good results, a lot of strength and victory in competitions. We live in difficult times for the country and we must remember that our good results bring comfort and joy to the fans. Of course, the main dream for me, as well as for the entire water polo community, is the victory of our Ukraine in this war and peace for all of us.
