War in Ukraine: silent since the beginning of the conflict, the ex-legend of Ukrainian football Anatoliy Tymoshchuk targeted by heavy sanctions

Staying in Russia to assume his position as assistant coach at Zenith Saint Petersburg despite the invasion of his country, he could be erased from the history of Ukrainian football.

Anatoliy Tymoshchuk before Juventus Turin-Zenith Saint-Petersburg in the Champions League, November 1, 2021. (ALEXEY FILIPPOV / SPUTNIK)

As sanctions against Russia multiply diplomatically, economically and culturally, Ukraine is also taking action. The Ukrainian Football Federation published a long statement on Wednesday March 9 in which it pointed to the attitude of its former international midfielder Anatoliy Tymoshchuk.

The legend of Ukrainian football, holder of the record for national team selections (144 in total between 2000 and 2016), has been very discreet since the start of the invasion of his country by Russia on February 24. Above all, he has not terminated his contract with Zénith Saint-Petersburg, the Russian club where he has held the position of assistant coach for five years.

Anatoliy Tymoshchuk waving the Ukrainian flag during Switzerland-Ukraine in the World Cup, June 26, 2006. (PATRIK STOLLARZ / AFP)

Towards a withdrawal of his coaching license and his record

" Since the beginning of the Russian military aggression against Ukraine, the former captain of the Ukrainian national team, not only has not made any public statement in this regard but also has not ceased his cooperation with the aggressor club. By making this conscious choice, Anatoliy Tymoshchuk harms the image of Ukrainian football and violates clause 1.4 Part 1 of Article 4 of the UAF Code of Ethics and Fair Play ," wrote the Ukrainian Federation.

"We are no less afraid of Moscow lice than Ukrainian nits. This is a Ukrainian nit. As they say, with nits like this you don't need enemies"

Grigory Kozlovsky, president of Lviv Rukh, party to the front Denisov Time

Faced with the silence of the former Bayern Munich player, several Ukrainian football personalities insulted him, but the reminders did not work. Atalanta Bergamo midfielder Ruslan Malinovskyi was content to find Tymoshchuk's attitude " weird ". Retired Oleksandr Aliyev, for his part, was less tender: " Traitor. Are you Ukrainian? Do you have flags on your cheeks to show yourself? ".

The Ethics and Fair Play Committee of the Ukrainian Federation proposed on Wednesday to deprive Tymoshchuk of his coaching license at the professional level, all his honorary state distinctions and titles, all his titles (including two national champion) and to exclude him from the official register of national team players. Heavy penalties that have not yet been validated.