The Ukrainian Weekly 2000, No.39
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www.ukrweekly.com INSIDE:• Ukrainian fraternal organizations meet — page 3. • Ukrainian Independence Day marked in Lebanon — page 5. •A round-up of Soyuzivka sports — pages 9-11. Published by the Ukrainian National Association Inc., a fraternal non-profit association Vol. LXVIII HE No.KRAINIAN 39 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2000 EEKLY$1/$2 in Ukraine KyivT journalist U W Klochkova captures two golds for Ukraine by Peter Shmigel feared murdered Special to The Ukrainian Weekly by Roman Woronowycz SYDNEY – Ukraine’s Yana Kyiv Press Bureau Klochkova ruled the pool on September KYIV – Heorhii Gongadze, a 16 when she broke the world’s record for Ukrainian journalist considered to be the women’s 400-meter individual med- among the country’s brightest and most ley and won Ukraine’s first gold medal at aggressive, disappeared without a trace the Sydney Olympic Games. Three days on September 16 after leaving his Kyiv later the 18-year-old swimmer from office for a planned rendezvous with his Kharkiv captured Ukraine’s second gold family. by winning the 200-meter individual The matter has gained national and medley. international attention mostly because As of September 21, Ukraine had Mr. Gongadze was one of the most pop- earned nine medals at the XXVII ular and provocative political journalists Summer Olympiad: two gold, four among the capital city’s correspondents, bronze and three silver, placing 10th thus a journalist who did not fear to overtly far in the overall medals count. On the first day of competition after and brazingly taunt and criticize the the opening ceremonies of the Sydney Ukrainian government for limiting press Olympic Games, Ms. Klochkova smashed freedoms and intimidating the media. AP/Doug Mills the old world record, which had stood National Deputy Hryhorii Omelchenko, Ukraine’s Yana Klochkova in the finals of the women’s 400-meter individual since 1997, and the old Olympic record, a former KGB official who often has criti- medley on September 16 at the Sydney International Aquatic Center. which had stood since 1980, turning in a cized the Kuchma administration, time of 4:33.59 in the 400-meter individ- 1:55.35, won the gold medal, while Justin urban Sydney street, fell from her bicycle demanded that Ukrainian law enforcement ual medley. Her performance marked the Norris of Australia, who swam in 1:56.17, and landed on her shoulder, suffering severe agencies turn over what information they first of many record-setting times regis- took the bronze. Mr. Sylantiev is consid- bruising and muscular damage. have gathered to the Verkhovna Rada. tered by swimmers in the first days of the ered a top contender also in the 100-meter Local police rushed Ms. Yanovych to “Gongadze is known for his tough Sydney Olympics. butterfly. Bankstown-Lidcombe Hospital, where she opposition to the current regime of was initially examined. She was then In the lead for every stroke of the race, A cycling accident and a medal President Leonid Kuchma and his expos- Ms. Klochkova finished nearly 2.5 sec- returned to the Olympic Village, where she es on corruption among high-ranking onds ahead of silver medalist Yasuko World champion track cyclist Iryna was treated by the Ukrainian delegation’s authorities,” said Mr. Omelchenko. Tajima of Japan (4:35.96). Romania’s Yanovych, one of Ukraine’s hopes for a head doctor. “Journalists are being killed and beaten, Beatrice Caslaru took the bronze gold medal, was injured after being struck Though Ms. Yanovych’s shoulder was media outlets are being destroyed, jour- (4:37.18). Sports commentators noted that by a motor vehicle during an outdoor train- significantly impaired by the injury, she was nalists go missing under mysterious cir- the Ukrainian swimmer had not a single ing ride on September 15. The accident determined to ride on. cumstances, but law-enforcement bodies weakness in her strokes. One NBC analyst severely hampered Ms. Yanovych’s range That determination paid off on pretend that nothing is happening,” he observed that she is “the epitome of an IM of movement in one shoulder and saw her September 20 when she won the bronze underscored. [individual medley] swimmer.” relegated to ninth place in the women’s medal in the women’s sprint. France’s On September 21 the Verkhovna Rada Ms. Klochkova dominated the lead up track cycling pursuit competition on Felicia Ballanger and Russia’s Oxana (Continued on page 3) to the final with the fastest qualifying September 17. times by far. Following her first-place fin- Ms. Yanovych was side-swiped on a sub- (Continued on page 8) ishes at the European Championships in Helsinki earlier this year, Ms. Klochkova was considered a strong candidate for Olympic gold. Klochkova now On September 19 she won another gold medal, this one in the women’s 200- a household name meter individual medley, setting a new by Roman Woronowycz Olympic record with a time of 2:10.68. Kyiv Press Bureau Nearly two seconds behind her was Ms. Caslaru of Romania with a time of KYIV –A week ago, 90 percent 2:12.57; Cristine Teuscher of the United of Ukrainians probably could not States earned the bronze with a time of have identified Yana Klochkova. 2:13.32. Today she is a household name. Undeniably Ms. Klochkova can be Winning two gold medals in the said to own the individual medley. She is span of four days will do that, espe- considered also to be a contender in the cially since her initial victory gave upcoming 800-meter freestyle. Ukraine its first gilded trophy at the Ms. Klochkova, who stands 5 foot 11 Sydney Olympics. What adds partic- inches tall and weight 152 pounds, can be ular luster to her accomplishment is considered one of the early and very suc- that the victories gave the country its cessful products of an independent first gold medals in Olympic swim- Ukrainian sports program, as she started to ming in 12 years. swim only in 1989. She trains with the Ms. Klochkova’s picture has been Dynamo sports club. splashed over all the front pages of the Among Ukraine’s men swimmers, national newspapers, and a good Denis Sylantiev of Zaporizhia Oblast led the way with a silver medal in the 200- amount of ink has been devoted to her AP/Eric Risberg achievements. She has earned several meter butterfly, with a time of 1:55.76. American Tom Malchow, who turned in Cyclists of Team Ukraine on their way to winning the silver medal in men’s team (Continued on page 6) an Olympic-record setting time of pursuit at Dunc Gray Velodrome on September 19. 2 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2000 No. 39 ANALYSIS Language and nationalism in the post-Soviet space NEWSBRIEFSNEWSBRIEFS Medal winners to get bonuses Turkmenistan. He said it was inadmissi- by Taras Kuzio Russophones after he refused to stop ble for Ms. Tymoshenko to have signed KYIV – Ukraine’s medal-winning singing Ukrainian songs. The Lviv Oblast the protocol and subsequently made Olympians have an incentive to do well A battle is raging over language in the Council responded by limiting the use of known its terms when “Russia is forced at the Sydney Summer Olympics. The post-Soviet space. Soviet nationality poli- Russian in public places, including popular to buy gas from Turkmenistan.” He government has promised a bonus of cies left a legacy of 25 million Russians and music in cafes, and in business circles. added, “The East is a subtle thing, and it many more “compatriots,” that is, Russian Radical parties formed volunteer squads to $50,000 for a gold medal, $30,000 for a would be better if men, not women, trav- speakers, in countries of the former USSR monitor the application of these new rules. silver and $20,000 for a bronze. The eled there.” (RFE/RL Newsline) excluding Russia. Moscow sees the contin- On June 7 Russia’s Foreign Affairs sums compare with an average monthly ued use of the Russian language in former Ministry condemned the “anti-Russian hys- salary in Ukraine of some $40. Ivan Ukraine makes Eurobond payment Soviet states with large numbers of teria” sweeping western Ukraine, and 10 Fedorenko, president of the country’s Russophones as ensuring its continued Olympic Committee, said Ukraine’s best KYIV – The Finance Ministry said on days later Russian Ambassador to Ukraine September 14 that Kyiv made a second influence over these countries. Ivan Aboimov complained about the prospects are in track and field, swim- Russia has therefore praised Belarus and ming, wrestling, weightlifting, sailing, scheduled payment of $56.3 million on alleged official encouragement of the its Eurobonds, Interfax reported. The Kyrgyzstan for elevating Russian to second Russophobic campaign against the Russian boxing and fencing. (Reuters) state language and official language, Eurobonds are part of the debt-reschedul- language. Ukraine’s Foreign Affairs Cabinet proposes balanced 2001 budget ing scheme drawn up in the spring, respectively, and Kazakstan’s President Ministry rejected these allegations and the Nazarbayev for proposing a CIS Fund to whereby Ukraine swapped $2.7 billion right of Russia to speak on behalf of KYIV – Prime Minister Viktor worth of bonds maturing in 2000 and Promote the Russian Language. In June Russians and “compatriots.” Yuschenko’s Cabinet submitted a draft of Russian President Vladimir Putin suggested 2001 for seven-year Eurobonds denomi- The Russian State Duma, for its part, the 2001 budget to the Verkhovna Rada nated in Euros (10 percent interest annu- that if Moldova raised Russian to a second provoked further tensions by accusing last week. Finance Minister Ihor state language, Moscow would cease sup- ally) and U.S.