Sport and Athletes’ Training in Ukraine: Nature and Contemporary Challenges

Abstract

Abstract: This article examines the distinctive characteristics of sport in Ukraine under wartime conditions and the challenges currently faced by domestic athletes. The study identified specific features inherent to contemporary sport in Ukraine during the period of martial law. The aim of the research is to investigate and highlight the contemporary challenges that have emerged in Ukrainian sport following the full-scale invasion of the country. The objectives of the study are to analyze and systematize data on the role of оlympic sport at national and international levels in the modern world, and to identify and determine the problems that have arisen in Ukrainian sport since the beginning of the military invasion. Research methods included analysis and synthesis of scientific and methodological literature and online resources, analytical and synthetic approaches, sociological research methods (interviews with athletes and coaches from various sports). The results demonstrated that the war has led to substantial losses in sports infrastructure, the outflow of athletes and coaches abroad, suspension of official competitions in Ukraine, and psychological issues among athletes. Simultaneously, it is emphasized that оlympic sport performs a crucial stabilizing and integrative function, preserving the international image of the country, fostering national unity, and supporting the moral and psychological well-being of society. Conclusions. The study established that contemporary оlympic sport in Ukraine faces organizational, infrastructural, and socio-psychological challenges. Despite crisis conditions, sport continues to serve as a means of promoting humanistic values, symbolizing resilience and the struggle for national identity. Prospects for further research include exploring solutions for promoting sport, particularly football, among internally displaced persons in Ukraine, focusing on the organization of training and social adaptation of children in this population through sport and оlympic education. Keywords: оlympic values, оlympic sport, professional sport, long-term athlete training, football, competition, social adaptation, military situation.