Ukrainian volleyball player was banned from playing in the same club with a Russian in Turkey
The manager of the Ukrainian Timofey Poluyan informed the club about the ban on playing with the Russian in the same team under the threat of removal from the national team by the federation. The Ukrainians also offered to fire the Russian and send another player in return.
Timofey Poluyan
(Фото: Global Look Press / Keystone Press Agency)
Ukrainian volleyball player Timofey Poluyan fled from the location of the Turkish club “Hekimoglu” in Bursa after the Ukrainian federation banned him from playing for a team in which a Russian already plays. This was reported by the press service of the team on Facebook (owned by Meta Platforms, the Tverskoy Court of Moscow recognized the company as extremist and banned its activities).
Poluyan became player “Hekimoglu” on January 12, but did not have time to play a single match. The player’s manager told the club that he had received a call from the Ukrainian federation, which asked the player to leave Hekimoglu, since Russian blocker Oleksiy Nalobin is in their squad. The federation said that “this will never be allowed,” otherwise Poluyan will be deprived of his license and will never be called up to the Ukrainian national team.
Hekimoglu also said that they were offered to fire the Russian and send another Ukrainian player in return. “We stated that we would not participate in such things, which are absolutely contrary to the spirit of the sport, and demanded that our rights under the contract be respected. While negotiations were underway with the volleyball player’s manager, the player ran away from the hotel on Tuesday night, ”the club said in a statement.
The Turkish club promised to defend their rights.
Nalobin is 33 years old and plays as a blocker.
Hekimoglu is 11th in the Turkish Championship.