Back to the Nineties? My story with Kolomoysky

I have known Ihor Kolomoyskyy for 25 years.

And if he threatens someone, it is wise to take these threats seriously.

I am confident that a lot of Ukrainians were, (to say the very least), surprised to see the owner of one basketball team threatening the other after a game between their two teams.

I’m addressing the conflict which occurred on 14th of October, after the game between “Dnepr” and “Prometey” sports clubs.

And those threats from Ihor Kolomoysky towards myself as well as businessman Volodymyr Dubinsky - President of the “Prometey” еeam.

I would like to clarify this matter and tell you truth on what actually happened.

Ihor Kolomoysky.

Basketball is about sports, not scheming.

On October the 14th, “Prometey” and “Dnepr” - two of major domestic sports clubs have clashed on the hardwood in terms of Basketball Super League.

Excitement could be felt even outside the basketball court.

In my business activities I am dedicated to maintaining the principles of equality for all parties and the same goes for sports: it doesn’t matter whether you are a top dog or not.

Everyone can win or lose out there on the hardwood.

This is precisely why the game was downright fair.

All of us have seen the results on display.

But not everyone is ready to admit that Ukrainian sports may be clean and unprejudiced.

After the game Ihor Kolomoysky hurtled threats towards his victorious opponents, including the whole “Prometey” team and its owner.

By the way, Ihor Kolomoysky, who attended the game as a spectator, happens to be the father of Gregory Kolomoysky - one of “Dnepr” team players.

Those were no mere words, but actual threats to “ruin his business”, “have him brought into the wilds” (apparently to have him murdered?), “disqualify the whole team from championship”, and avenge the loss of his basketball club in general.

The arbiters also received a “fair share” of threats, which may be treated as an attempt to interfere with the results.

Being a president of Ukrainian Basketball Federation, I had to step in.

net” has already published screenshots of my correspondence with Kolomoysky, clearly indicating that the committee considers this game as complicated but fair.

We later met at “Kalina” restaurant, where Kolomoysky continued threatening me and Dubinsky.

The same methods were used in the “lawless nineties”.

Incursions, forced demands and attempts to intimidate opponents with threats… a maleficent absurd, all of it! Nobody is “breaking someone’s legs”, that’s for sure.

I will not take threats.

I insist that such statements and threats are completely intolerable.

All of us should draw attention to this matter.

If we fail to stop it here and now, intimidation methids will continue.

To put it baldly: I do not fear neither his associates, nor his proximity to power.

I will not allow him to dictate rules in sports, politics, society, whatsoever.

Our homeland went through a lot and certainly not for backing down just now.

I always covered corrupt practices of businessmen, politics, whatever.

It doesn’t matter if they are at the helm or in opposition.

Let’s recall the infamous Pavlo Fyks, who was close to Kolomoysky.

Despite his influence over the underworld and ties with Russian intelligence agency, his corrupt scheming with Kyiv Subway (when residents of the capital have lost almost 2 billion hryvnas) and purchase of Cyprus company with arrested funds of Yanukovich, became part of a public domain.

This time will be no different from the other.

I will not remain silent and let infamous personalities get the best of me, that’s for sure.

I also demand him to leave the arbiters, as well as businessman Volodymyr Dubinsky alone.

The latter as I already came to know is experiencing first difficulties with receiving disbursements under works, performed in terms municipal contracts in Dnipropetrovsk region.