Hockey Club “Kyiv Capitals” finds it necessary to address the Hockey Federation of Ukraine (FHU) concerning the recent decision of the Appeals Committee once again regarding our complaint regarding biased officiating during the match held on February 3, 2024.
We remind everyone that the main referee for this match was Andrii Volodymyrovych Kicha, who also holds the position of Vice President within the FHU. We previously requested disciplinary proceedings against him for his alleged misconduct.
To our surprise, the Appeals Committee, which reviewed our complaint, is chaired by the personal lawyer of Kicha A.V., who is currently defending him in a corruption case. Furthermore, at least two out of the five members of the Appeals Committee are personal attorneys for the arbitrator/FHU Vice President against whom we filed the complaint.
Given this clear conflict of interest, we believe that objective justice cannot be ensured. Despite our objections, Kicha’s legal team adamantly rejected our appeal, claiming their decision is final and not subject to review.
We refuse to accept such blatant disregard for fairness within the structure of the Hockey Federation. Our inquiry addresses the FHU’s stance on the apparent conflict of interest within its Appeals Committee and the presence of corruption within its ranks.
It is concerning that just a week ago, the Federation approved its Code of Ethics, yet it appears to be in violation of its own conflict of interest regulations.
Should our inquiries remain unanswered, we will escalate our concerns to the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF).
HC “Kyiv Capitals” remains committed to ensuring fair and transparent sports justice within the FHU, upholding the principles of fair play and ethical conduct in sports, and rejecting any form of corruption or abuse of power.
