KIEV, Ukraine: Former Soviet footballer Mykhailo Fomenko has been appointed coach of the Ukraine national team.
Ukraine’s football federation announced the appointment on Wednesday of Fomenko on a one-year contract with an option for another year.
The 64-year-old Fomenko replaces Oleg Blokhin, who resigned in September after failing to lead the team out of the group stage at the European Championship earlier this year. Ukraine co-hosted Euro 2012 with Poland.
A product of the Soviet football school, Fomenko was capped 24 times for the USS.R. and was an integral part of the Dynamo Kiev team in the 1970’s. Starting coaching in 1979, he guided Metalist Kharkiv among numerous other Ukrainian clubs.
Ukraine had previously approached former Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp and ex-England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson to lead the national team without success.
Fomenko appointed Ukraine national team coach
Fomenko appointed Ukraine national team coach
Saudi boxing’s inaugural ‘Kingdom’s Belt’ Championship crowns winners in Riyadh
- Record participation of 246 fighters highlights growing momentum of boxing across the Kingdom
RIYADH: The Saudi Arabian Boxing Federation staged its inaugural “Kingdom’s Belt” Championship in Riyadh this week, with champions crowned on Saturday after four days of competition.
Held at the Mike Tyson Club in Boulevard City, the tournament featured 246 male and female fighters representing 46 clubs from across the Kingdom — the largest turnout for a domestic boxing championship organized by the federation.
Athletes qualified through regional tournaments, setting up national-level competition across multiple weight divisions in both men’s and women’s categories.
The championship formed part of the federation’s official calendar and was run under technical and administrative supervision, with bouts conducted in line with approved regulations and officiating standards.
Fighters progressed through preliminary rounds and semifinals before Saturday’s finals, where winners received the Kingdom’s belts during the closing ceremony.
The event showcased competitive matchups across divisions and highlighted the continued growth of organized boxing in Saudi Arabia.
Federation officials said the tournament represents an important addition to the domestic calendar, offering athletes a structured pathway to compete nationally while supporting efforts to develop the sport across the Kingdom.
