Oleksandr Svertoka, Deputy Chairman of the Board of the Politechnic Rugby Club, Master of Sports of the USSR in Rugby, a graduate of the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, got awarded the Gold Medal of Honor for Youth, Sports, and Associative Engagements!
Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of France to Ukraine Etienne de Poncins presented the High State Award to the famous rugby player on the first day of July.
Oleksandr Svertoka got the Gold Medal of Honor for Youth, Sports, and Associative Engagements of France for significant personal achievements and contributing to youth cooperation, sports, public activities, International Francophonie Day, and popularizing the French language, for strengthening and expanding cooperation and friendship between Ukraine and France.
Rugby has been one of the University’s hallmarks for almost six decades. University teams of different ages have repeatedly won prizes or became winners of prestigious Ukrainian and international rugby tournaments. Therefore, the rugby founders in Ukraine - Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute students of the early 1960s - Valentyn Khonin, Vitalii Pelekh, and Yevhen Ihnatov, Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute graduates - the national team players of Ukraine and masters of sports of the USSR - Ihor Havryliuk, Andrii Dudko, Leonid Deineko, masters of sports of Ukraine - Hlib Lvov, Oleksandr Korovin and others attended the award ceremony.
One of the most notable annual events of this type of sports game is the traditional international Tournament for the Cup of the Ambassador of France in Ukraine. The Politechnic youngest team has repeatedly been winners or prize-winners of the match. Oleksandr Svertoka, as the Deputy Chairman of the Board of the Politechnic Rugby Club, takes care exceptionally of the youngest players.
On behalf of the French government, Etienne de Poncins thanked Oleksandr Svertoka for developing rugby and establishing contacts between young Ukrainian and French athletes over the past decades.
The KP newspaper joins the congratulations to a longtime friend of the newspaper office, Oleksandr Svertoka, on the high state award of the French Republic. KP wishes him success in promoting student and rugby at Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute and in Ukraine and greater cooperation between the two states!
