Former Minaya director Mykhailo Kopolovets commented on Tymoshchuk's lawsuit against the UAF in Lausanne.
Mykhailo Kopolovets (photo: footballhub.com.ua)- He probably wants to somehow whitewash himself and justify himself. He has won and deserved these awards and believes that betrayal of his homeland is another story. It's like "sport without politics". We, Ukrainians, believe that he betrayed our country and does not deserve these awards. People like Tymoshchuk have no right to wear state awards.
In any case, Tymoshchuk will not be able to work in Ukraine. If he returns, he will be spat upon here. Our people hated him, just like they hated Ani Lorak and our other "stars" who stayed to work for Russia. They abandoned our country in the most difficult time in history. The road to Ukraine is closed to them. The fans loved Tymoshchuk as a footballer and a personality, but he let them down and went after money. He had a business in the swamps and he knew he could lose it. But he had to make a choice. Rakitsky and Voronin made the right choice and left Russia, but Tymoshchuk did not. I don't understand how you can sit there in silence when missiles are flying at your friends and relatives in Ukraine. Tymoshchuk thought that he would sit quietly and get away with it, but it won't work that way. This is not the story.
We will definitely not be surprised if he gets a Russian passport. Ukraine will definitely not take him back, he is a traitor. He does not deserve to be executed, we are not beasts. If he had been a spotter and guided enemy missiles, surrendered our positions, declassified state secrets, then yes. Such people deserve the death penalty more. Tymoshchuk stayed in a hostile country and did not express his position on the war. He betrayed Ukraine, but not in such a way that he should be executed. Tymoshchuk has already received a severe punishment - his homeland and the Ukrainian people have disowned him. We regret that this man played for the Ukrainian national team. Tymoshchuk wore yellow and blue ribbons, and as soon as our country was in trouble, he betrayed our people. He does not deserve to be a Ukrainian and wear awards," Kopolovets said.
