Very disgusting. Head of the NOC Gutsait commented on Kovtun's change of citizenship

According to glavcom.ua: President of the National Olympic Committee (NOC) of Ukraine Vadym Gutsait commented on the change of citizenship by gymnast Ilya Kovtun. According to Gutsait, the athlete along with his coaches decided to change the country after the 2024 Olympic Games. Proposals regarding funding and conditions for preparation from the Ukrainian committee did not help, and he was surprised to learn from the press that the athlete received Croatian citizenship. Gutsait noted that he considers such actions shameful, especially during wartime when Ukrainians are fighting for their country.

«I learned from the press that he received a Croatian passport. What questions can there be if he does not want to be Ukrainian. And this is during the war when our guys and girls are dying and defending the country, while someone raised the flag of Ukraine, received all the money from Ukraine, all honors from Ukraine, and then decided that he would compete for Croatia. If he believes that Croatia is more valuable to him than Ukraine, then, well, what can I say, this is very disgusting to me», – said Gutsait.

Kovtun is known for his scandalous statements. In an interview with Croatian media, he complained about Ukrainians and spoke about his moral duty to the people in Osijek, where he trains. The gymnast also confirmed that he has not been in Ukraine since the start of the war. Note that both the gymnast and his coach received financial support from the budget.

The change of citizenship by gymnast Ilya Kovtun provoked a sharp reaction from the president of the National Olympic Committee of Ukraine Vadym Gutsait. The Ukrainian athlete accepted Croatian citizenship, causing outrage in the sports community and society. At the same time, Kovtun and his coach remained financially supported from the Ukrainian budget, which became the subject of acute discussion and criticism in the Ukrainian sports community.