Mykola Kushnir: Renowned Coach and Outspoken Critic of Sports Infrastructure
Mykola Kushnir, a 67-year-old Ukrainian coach, is best known for guiding athlete Inesa Kravets to a world record and Olympic gold in 1996. Today, he trains skeleton racer Vladyslav Heraskevych. In a recent interview, Kushnir sharply criticized the International Olympic Committee (IOC) for allowing Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete internationally. He also took aim at Ukrainian sports officials, including Valeriy Borzov and Sergey Bubka, calling out the deteriorating state of sports facilities in Ukraine and the lack of government commitment to athletic development.
Career and Achievements
Kushnir began his own athletic journey with three years of wrestling before enrolling in a specialized sports boarding school. In 1995, he traveled to a competition in Cannes without his athletes. His partnership with Kravets started in late February of that year, and by the end of 1995, she had set a world record at the World Championships in Gothenburg.
Beyond track and field, Kushnir has worked with football players, notably Pavlo Yakovenko, who was recovering from a knee injury. Yakovenko later coached the Russian club Uralan twice in the 1990s. Kushnir also recalls his time in Kuwait, where he trained two age-group record holders, and his work with tennis players such as Oleksandr Dolgopolov and Denys Molchanov.
Kushnir stated: 'The state has no demand for sport.'
He highlighted a shift in Ukraine: previously, the focus was on building sports venues, but now the discussion revolves around demolishing or repurposing them. Kushnir also dismissed women's high jump as 'the most effortless discipline in athletics' and remarked that 'most coaches view physical training as spitting blood.'
Starting July 1, Kushnir and Heraskevych will begin preparations for competitions at Koncha-Zaspa. The coach commented on Heraskevych's suspension and expressed frustration with the IOC's response. Kushnir also criticized Ukrainian sports officials, saying they 'hid somewhere to avoid being seen' during difficult times.
Kushnir has worked with FC Arsenal Kyiv and spent five years at the Dynamo Kyiv academy. He noted that over his long career, he has collected many certificates and awards, but urged more decisive action to advance sports in Ukraine. His remarks underscore systemic issues in Ukrainian athletics and the urgent need for government and institutional intervention—especially amid current challenges. Developing new training programs and preparing athletes for international competition could be key steps toward improving the country's sporting achievements.