Midfielder of the Czech “Slovan” and the Ukrainian youth national team Ivan Varfolomeev commented on the decision of the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne (CAS) in the case against his former club - Lviv “Rukh”.
It is worth noting that the court confirmed that Varfolomeev did not violate anything during the transfer to “Slovan”. “Rukh” was ordered to pay forty thousand hryvnias in salary arrears to the player. The court also confirmed that officials manipulated the situation around the player, and witnesses from FC “Rukh” provided false testimony.
Ivan Varfolomeev— How did the option with “Slovan” come about?
— My journey began here in the football team MSM. I trained with them for a month, and then Vyacheslav Zakhovaylo suggested I go to Slovan. I went through a trial. At that time, I had a few months left on my contract with “Rukh” and with the permission of Vitaliy Yuriyovych Ponomaryov (head coach of “Rukh”, — ed.), I trained with the B team, and then “Slovan” was interested in whether I had a contract in Ukraine, and the clubs resolved this issue among themselves.
— How did you get to know Zakhovaylo?
— He was the coach at MSM. Then I found out that he had agency connections in Czechia. When the proposal to go to “Slovan” came, I did not hesitate for a second.
— Since you brought it up, let’s recall how your dispute with “Rukh” began?
— Everyone knows that when you sign a contract, a copy remains with the player. I was not given my copy; the documents were with the club. Since I was not of legal age, my mother first went to Vynnyky to the academy, and then to the club office in Lviv. She waited there for 5 hours, trying to talk to the management, but Kozlovsky's security threw her out the door. I also asked Dedishin and Lapitsky to return my contract, but I was not heard.
— Having an unprotected contract with “Rukh”, did you want to sign a preliminary agreement with “Slovan”?
— Exactly. After the start of the full-scale war, the team dispersed in different directions. Only about 5 people trained on their own. No one understood what would happen next, so my parents and I went to Prague. I immediately informed Vitaliy Yuriyovych. I lived in the “Slavia” hotel, which provided accommodation for Ukrainian refugees, and covered meals for which I am very grateful.
— Did “Rukh” demand that you return when the issue of football recovery became relevant?
— The club didn’t deal with this at all. Vitaliy Yuriyovych was constantly in touch with us.
— In the summer of 2023, the UAF Dispute Resolution Chamber considered a complaint against you, finding your actions unlawful and demanding a compensation of 100 thousand dollars. Did you personally participate in these proceedings?
— This was handled by “Slovan”, Vyacheslav, and the lawyers.
— How did the hearings in the Chamber go? Who testified against you?
— Ponomaryov and Dedishin testified against me. They accused me of fleeing. Allegedly, I left without telling anyone, although everyone in the club knew about my plans. Vitaliy Yuriyovych himself suggested going to Poland. We communicated daily, and at the hearings he said that I did not answer the calls.
— Did this throw you off balance?
— Yes. I arrived in another country, Ukrainian media wrote that I had abandoned Rukh. Training at “Slovan” coincided with court hearings that I was supposed to attend.
— What was “Slovan's” position?
— They assured me that everything would be fine. So I remained focused solely on football.
— Why was it impossible to achieve a fair decision in the Ukrainian Chamber?
— It's hard to answer. The main thing is that the truth is on my side now. As far as I know, “Slovan” paid “Rukh” 47 thousand euros in compensation. Did “Rukh” spend such money on me over a year and a half? I do not know.
— Are you or your lawyers going to sue “Rukh”? Is there still a grudge against Ponomaryov?
— I don’t want to respond to malice with malice. I want to forget this and move on my way.
Oleksandr Karpenko
