On Thursday, Mykola Tomenko, Deputy Chairman of The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, attended the All-Ukrainian Grand Ceremony "Heroes of the Sports Year." Delivering a keynote speech, M.Tomenko congratulated the sportsmen on successful performance, and stated that athletic feats in 2010 were achieved in defiance of the authorities rather than owing to them.
M.Tomenko admitted that members of the Cabinet of Ministers are slowing down enactment of the new version of the Law of Ukraine "On Physical Culture and Sports." He reminded that adoption of the Law was rather complicated. Unfortunately, withdrawal of the provisions on a bigger financial support of coaches and teachers of physical education became a compromise. The Deputy Chairman also stressed that the legislative provision that envisages tax privileges for the businessmen who support physical culture and sports since January 1, 2011 had not been ratified by the resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers yet.
The Deputy Chairman admitted that the officials in charge of the state information policy lack understanding the role of sports in the promotion of Ukraine. M.Tomenko named the leaders of the First National Channel ‘night patriots´, because they broadcasted performance of the national biathlon team of Ukraine in the World Biathlon Championship at night.
"Central and local authorities shall practically support the physical culture and sports. Thus, it is possible to conclude that athletic feats in 2010 were achieved in defiance of the authorities rather than owing to them," stressed the Deputy Chairman of The Verkhovna Rada.