Semyon Shapiro Chairman of the Belarusian Hockey Federation. The new head of the Belarusian Hockey Federation: there is no fire - the system is working. Limit on regional players and older players

Chairman of the Belarusian Hockey Federation Semyon Shapiro said that starting from the new season, salaries for hockey players of the Belarusian Extra League will be cut in half.

Semyon Shapiro. Photo: Olga Shukaylo, TUT.BY

According to him, in the club Division "A" extra league monthly salary fund will be 100 thousand Belarusian rubles (about 50 thousand dollars). And the maximum salary of one hockey player should not exceed 3 thousand dollars. The minimum is $150.

Please note that starting from the new season, the extra league will be divided into two divisions. There will be 8 teams in Division A.

Division “B” will feature the 4 worst teams in the extra league and 4 new clubs - from Orsha, Baranovichi, Bobruisk and Pinsk. They will be formed based on best teams current major league(now this is the second highest division).

The team from Orsha will be formed on the basis of Minsk Junior, BFSO Dynamo will relocate to Baranovichi, Gomel-2 - to Bobruisk, Shakhtar-2 - to Pinsk. At the same time, the rights to young players will remain with the extra league clubs. And if, for example, Oleg Khmyl wants to bring some of the young hockey players of Gomel-2 into the main team, then he will be able to do it. But foreign players and players over 28 years of age, who will be invited by the management of new clubs to strengthen the roster, will belong to these clubs.

IN division "B" extraleague monthly salary ceiling will be 50 thousand Belarusian rubles (about 25 thousand dollars). The maximum salary of one hockey player here should not exceed 2 thousand dollars. On average, players will earn 1 thousand dollars.

In addition, there will be bonuses for winning matches. These prize money will be distributed depending on the contribution to the victory of each hockey player, and the monthly amount of bonuses can reach the size of the basic salary, Semyon Shapiro explained. In his opinion, new system payment will help increase the intensity of the fight in the championship.

The Chairman of the FCB also clarified that the salary of a coach in extra league clubs cannot be higher than the salary of the highest paid player.

Semyon Shapiro explained the need to regulate the financial issue in clubs by saying that it is necessary to create equal opportunities for competition.

— Previously, each club formed its own budget depending on the capabilities of the enterprises that sponsored them. But, let's be honest, the main sponsors are state-owned enterprises. Neman has the Grodno Tobacco Factory, Gomel has the Druzhba oil pipeline, Shakhtar has Belaruskali. “Youth” is sponsored by many enterprises in the city of Minsk, usually state-owned.

Whoever found the most money simply lured players away from each other. For example, one of best players"Yunost" was invited to Shakhtar, where he was offered a sharp increase in his salary.

Of course, you can take money, gather the best players and become a champion. But where coaching work, where are the youth you are supposed to raise? Almost 20 people aged 28 and above gathered at Shakhtar. Dynamo Minsk parted ways with Materukhin and Kulakov - they came to Shakhtar. Who did Shakhtar give today for the national team, for Dynamo? Shakhtar solved their problems.

Yesterday I already told the president that the four strongest clubs gave little to Dynamo and the national team, but I must say that this does not include Yunost. Because more people from Yunost than from other clubs went to play for both Dynamo and the national team of our country.

But the same “Neman”, which is coached by Sergei Mikhailovich Pushkov, whom I respect, has been the best in the extra league for several years now. But, unfortunately, we do not get the required number of best players from there for Dynamo and the national team. Therefore, until now we have had not so much sports competition, but financial competition. If you have money, things are better. And if things get worse at the sponsoring company, then the club’s performance decreases. That’s why we halved the salaries of hockey players, and even more than halved the salaries of coaches. Today, a coach's salary cannot be higher than that of the highest paid hockey player in the championship.

Simply finding money from your sponsor and intercepting players - we believe this should not happen. And this will equalize the chances of clubs and create competition between clubs,” emphasized Semyon Shapiro.

Semyon Shapiro also addressed journalists and fans who often discuss the salaries of hockey players.

- Dear Colleagues! When we count hockey players' money, I would like to speak out in this regard. Yes, of course, this money is higher than the average salary in the country. And many people who don’t know the specifics of hockey and are very far from it don’t understand that it’s not that much money.

After all, the parents of these hockey kids spent 10 years carrying bags of equipment for them, going with them to competitions, spending their money on it, buying uniforms themselves (which costs from 500 to 1000 dollars per set). They invested a huge amount of money in the development of this hockey player. These guys go under the puck, play from 50 to 90 games a year, spend half their lives on the bus, get a lot of injuries, and many then have serious health problems. Therefore, when we talk about a salary of 2 thousand, believe me, this is several times less than it was yesterday and the day before, and noticeably less than in many other leagues.

So there is no need to pit hockey players and fans against each other. Or here’s another detail: today we have about 5,200 children playing hockey. Of these, about 10-20 come to clubs every year, but for the rest, it turns out that parents spent a lot of money, but their children never became professional players,” said Semyon Shapiro.

Chairman of the Hockey Federation of Belarus Igor Rachkovsky announced his resignation during the extraordinary reporting and election conference of the FHB.

Speaking with a report, Igor Rachkovsky summed up the activities of the federation over the past year, recalled the results of the performance of the youth, youth and national teams in the past season and noted that he had not achieved his goals.

— The Belarusian national team took 13th place at the World Championships. This is the place and the level at which our hockey is located. Seeing how serious progress is being made by those federations that 10 years ago were not competitors for us, it is clear that we need to move and develop. I have not achieved the goals and objectives that were set before me, so I am announcing my resignation. As for the assessment of the federation’s activities, I propose to consider it satisfactory,” said Igor Rachkovsky.

A few minutes later the elections for the new head of the FCB took place. The Hockey Federation of the Grodno Region proposed the Chairman of the Minsk Regional Executive Committee for this post Seeds Shapiro. By a majority of votes, the delegates supported his candidacy.

Semyon Shapiro was born in 1961. He is an Honored Worker of Agriculture of the Republic of Belarus.

At the time when Semyon Shapiro was the head of the Grodno region, he breathed a second life into the Grodno “Neman”, which, after several years of crisis, returned to the ranks of the leaders of club hockey in Belarus.

After Semyon Shapiro headed the Minsk region, Shakhtar Soligorsk became the champion of Belarus (2015), over which the governor also took patronage.

After the election of a new federation helmsman Igor Rachkovsky delivered his farewell speech.

— My dear friends, colleagues, guys and girls, the journalistic fraternity who helped us move forward! I emphasize: they helped. Somewhere they creaked, somewhere they found understanding, but everyone walked in the same row. It was a great honor to work with you. Together we endure failures and defeats, but also together we conquer the peaks that we have achieved.

Thank you. I'm not leaving anywhere, I'm staying in the country. Human relationships still cannot be exchanged for anything. We communicate with everyone, we have friendly relations with many.

I believe that the majority of those with whom I had the opportunity to work are absolutely decent, honest, loyal people, real hockey players and men, as the famous song says. Perhaps there is an exception for Grodno. Trus also plays hockey there (I mean Neman goalkeeper Vitaly Trus).

I am very glad that Semyon Borisovich Shapiro was elected head of the hockey federation. It’s no secret that we have a long-standing friendship, we always communicate and share. And if I can help him with something, I’m always ready. Thank you for your kind words,” said Igor Rachkovsky.

And before that, on behalf of the conference delegates, the director addressed Rachkovsky with words of gratitude hockey school Minsk "Dynamo" Dmitry Baskov.

— On behalf of the majority of those here, I would like to thank Igor Anatolyevich for his good work. Because when a person comes from outside the field of hockey and gets involved in this difficult industry... We know how difficult it was. He deserves applause from us,” said Dmitry Baskov.

At the emergency reporting and election conference, a high concentration of government officials was noted, among whom the head of the Presidential Administration Natalya Kochanova, presidential assistant for special issues Nikolai Korbut, Minister of Sports and Tourism Alexander Shamko, and Deputy Prime Minister Vasily Zharko sat on the stage at the presidium.

They were kept company by the recently inaugurated first vice-president of the National Olympic Committee Andrey Astashevich, who has been playing in the lineup for many years hockey team Alexandra Lukashenko.

Taking the floor Natalya Kochanova explained such close attention of the sovereign's people to the extraordinary conference of the FCB.

— Just look at how much attention the President of our country, Alexander Grigoryevich Lukashenko, pays to sports. And it is true. This is ideology. This is what can unite a nation. Quite recently, when appointing the vertical, the head of state said exactly these words. Therefore, today I think that the election of Semyon Borisovich Shapiro as the head of the federation is a serious step. There are not many such managers in the country. You know what the governor is like today. This is one of the key positions in our country,” said Natalya Kochanova.

Let us note that after the unsuccessful start of the Belarusian national team at the World Championships in Paris, Igor Rachkovsky, in the event of elimination national team from elite division. However, the Belarusian hockey players managed to score 7 points in the final three matches and retained their place in the strongest class, taking the final 13th place among 16 teams.

And on May 19, Belarus together with Latvia at the annual congress in Cologne, beating the Finnish Tampere and Helsinki.

Under Igor Rachkovsky, who took over as head of the hockey federation in the fall of 2014, the Belarusian national team took 7th place at the 2015 World Cup, became 12th at the world forum in 2016 and finished 13th at the 2017 World Cup. In addition, in September 2016, Belarusian hockey players qualifying tournament in Minsk failed to qualify for the 2018 Olympics in Pyeongchang.

But at the end of this season, for the first time in almost a decade and a half (since 2003), all three Belarusian national teams (U18, U20 and the adult national team) are in the strongest divisions of the World Championship.

After recent critical statements by Alexander Lukashenko, during his annual address to the people and parliament, it became known that many national federations from the National Olympic Committee with recommendations to hold extraordinary reporting and election conferences. When selecting new candidates for the positions of federation leaders, the emphasis is to be placed on people from sports, and not government officials, as has been the practice for many years.

It is noteworthy that the series of May re-elections of federation leaders was not without surprises. So, in the fencing federation, unexpectedly puzzling government officials. As a result, re-elections were called, and the candidate agreed at the top was elected chairman.

Chairman of the Minsk Regional Executive Committee Semyon Shapiro was elected head of the Belarusian Hockey Federation. His uncontested candidacy was supported on May 20 by participants in the reporting and election conference of the RFRB, which lasted 48 minutes.

Semyon Shapiro

55-year-old Shapiro replaced 49-year-old Igor Rachkovsky, who has led the federation since October 2014. Shapiro's candidacy was submitted to the conference for consideration by the Grodno Regional Hockey Federation and HC Neman (Grodno), which became the national champion last season.

“The last victory of Belarusian hockey was yesterday in Cologne”

Shapiro spoke to the audience after his election. “The Federation has done a lot. And the last victory was yesterday in Cologne, when our country received the right to organize. Igor Anatolyevich’s greatest merit in the development of hockey[Rachkovsky] » , - said the new head of the federation. At the same time in this sport "a lot of problems".

Shapiro noted that he cannot be found on the list of hockey players, although “The president said that federations should be led by people who have played before.”

“All my life I worked in other areas: I headed an agricultural enterprise, the Ministry of Agriculture and Food. But, being the chairman of the Grodno regional executive committee, I fell in love with hockey, and together with[Chairman of the Board of HC "Neman"] Anatoly Mikhailovich[Varivonchik] we decided to make the Grodno residents rejoice at the success of Neman,- he said.

According to Shapiro, he is known as a tough and demanding person. “There should be no laxity”- emphasized the head of the FHRB. However, he does not intend to engage "personnel purges", realizing that the new boss is “a certain amount of stress for the entire team.”

Shapiro intends to decide on his deputies at the FHRB within two weeks. “I want to meet people and talk. We will make a decision collectively. There is no fire. The system is working», - he said.

Former head of the federation Igor Rachkovsky stated that he was pleased with the election of Shapiro, with whom he is associated “a long, long-standing interpersonal friendship.” “Always ready to help. I’m not leaving anywhere, I’m staying in the country,”- he said.

Rachkovsky: the giants did not believe that our bid with Latvia would win

Igor Rachkovsky

Igor Rachkovsky considers the hockey team’s place at the 81st World Championship (13th among 16 teams) objective.

"We were hoping for best result, but for now we are in this place based on our capabilities,”- said Rachkovsky during a report at the reporting and election conference of the RFRB.

According to him, serious progress has been made by teams that ten years ago were not competitors of the Belarusian national team. "We must move on", - the speaker emphasized.

Missing Belarusian team in the final part of the 2018 Olympic tournament, Rachkovsky named "one of the biggest disappointments" last season. The qualifying tournament took place in Minsk. Because of this, the start of Dynamo Minsk in the KHL championship was postponed to a later date.

The results of voting at the congress of the International Ice Hockey Federation in Cologne on May 19 for candidates vying for the right to host the 2021 World Championship "somewhat of a shock" for delegates. “Many grandees did not believe that our joint application with Latvia would win,”- noted Rachkovsky.

Kochanova: sport is what can unite the nation

Natalya Kochanova

“There are not many serious specialists of this level,”- said the head of the Presidential Administration Natalya Kochanova, characterizing the new head of the Hockey Federation Semyon Shapiro.

Kochanova called hockey a sport that “loved and appreciated in our country.” "Behind last years a lot has been done to strengthen the material and technical base. Magnificent arenas were built that one could only dream of. This should be appreciated by both athletes and coaches,”- she said at the FHRB conference.

According to the official, sport is “This is an ideology, this is what can unite a nation.” Needed “victories, victories at the most important competitions in the world”, Kochanova emphasized. According to her, when the hockey team lost, conversations about it interrupted all other topics. "There must be results"- said the head of the Presidential Administration, speaking about expectations from the new chairman of the RFRB.

Shapiro: don't rush, there won't be any sensations

The new chairman of the federation, Semyon Shapiro, does not know whether he will be left in charge of the Minsk region.

“My main position is the decision of the head of state. Can I do both or should I devote myself completely to hockey? That will be the decision of the head of state. Our state is structured in such a way that a “governor” is a person who is determined by the head of state. But I am deeply convinced that in any case I will fully engage in the most conscientious manner. Of course, I understand that in order to achieve something, you need to deal with this matter, and not work on two fronts. But this is not my decision, I emphasize again,”- Shapiro told reporters at the end of the FCRB reporting and election conference on May 20.

“I have no doubt that by creating an atmosphere of collegiality, respect for members of the federation, taking into account the opinions of all participants in the process of training specialists of the national team, including the team, we will raise hockey to a higher level. high level, although, as I said earlier, Belarus has already turned into a serious hockey power,”- he noted.

Shapiro is not yet ready to talk about the candidacies of his deputies and other personnel decisions. “If I had come straight away with a clear ready-made plan, without communicating, without listening to opinions, without analyzing the situation, I would not be a completely successful leader. Dear colleagues, do not rush, do not cause sensations. There won't be any. I’m not at that age when I come to the federation and in the first minute talk about how this one will go here and this one will go there. If you had such a leader, I would be sorry. A collegial opinion will be developed,”- he said.

New chapter Federation considers it necessary to improve the work of children's and youth sports schools. “Having so many ice palaces, we don’t have enough guys who play hockey. While working in Grodno, I saw the problem of financing children's and youth schools - teachers' salaries, equipment. There are issues that need to be addressed systematically and comprehensively,”- he said.

It takes time to win against the Canadians and Czechs at the World Championships, Shapiro emphasized. For this it is necessary “to create your own serious school.” “We will defeat them, I am convinced that we will,”- said the chairman of the FHRB. In his opinion, the hockey team in last matches World Championship against opponents of comparable class, “she showed character and fought for our country with dignity”.

In the national championship, Shapiro considers it important to strengthen weak teams, since, he noted, now there are four or five strong clubs and the rest.

Semyon Shapiro is not yet ready to talk about the topic of Dynamo Minsk, although "That week" met with the team captain Alexander Pavlovich several times and "discussed some issues."

“I can’t give any assessments now. To make any statements, you need to thoroughly, seriously study the issue, figure it out, and consult. Emotional statements may not be the most accurate and may even be unnecessary.”- said Shapiro.

Photo by Alexander Shichko, FHRB press service

The last two World Hockey Championships, the Belarusian national team took 12th and 13th places, barely escaping relegation. Youth and youth teams, at best, play the role of an elevator: they will fly out of the elite, then return, then fly out again... With Dynamo Minsk in the KHL old story: Everyone wants access to the playoffs and for more Belarusians to play, preferably young and promising ones. But more often it turns out that in pursuit of two birds with one stone, it is not possible to catch either.

On this occasion, a number of reforms were launched in Belarusian hockey, affecting mainly the domestic championship of Belarus: several limits were introduced, the salary ceiling was lowered. This was reported on Saturday by who is responsible for the development of hockey. The soloist was the chairman of the federation (FHB).

LIMIT ON KEGIONARIES AND AGE PLAYERS

So, the Belarusian hockey championship will be divided into two divisions according to the strength of the teams: A and B. The strong will often play with the strong and will not travel 300 km in vain in order to throw a whole bag of pucks at teams that are not comparable in class. Also, according to the head of the RFRB, next season the number of matches for leading clubs will increase to 56.

There was an acute question about the number of legionnaires in Belarusian clubs. Now there are 35 of them, and 25 of them are Russian hockey players. It was decided that in one match each team can use up to 5 foreign players. Moreover, without reference to nationality (discussions began prematurely that there was supposedly an idea to allow the signing of only young Russians, who could then be involved in playing for the Belarusian national team).

Regarding the debate about young players, each team can now enter 7 players whose age is above 28 years. According to Semyon Shapiro, experienced hockey players will disperse to different clubs and will help their youth grow professionally. At the press conference they tried to discuss, they say, if a young player did not play in the Belarusian championship until he was 20 years old, should he be expected to do so thanks to the limit. Shapiro asked not to look for a contradiction in this, and Alexey Kalyuzhny, who recently became the head of the training center youth teams, gave examples of Russians Nikita Kucherov and Nikita Gusev. Approximately, of course, good, but how will it be for us?

Semyon Shapiro insisted that all decisions were made collectively at a meeting with the participation of coaches and managers of all Belarusian clubs. And if it becomes clear that they have taken a wrong turn, then everyone is ready to return to the discussion.

SALARY LIMIT

Starting from the new season, clubs will have a salary cap set. For division “A” - 50 thousand dollars (100 thousand Belarusian rubles), in division “B” - the figures are half as much. Simply put, the minimum bet everywhere will be 150 dollars (but don’t forget about bonuses for victories - you can earn twice as much), the maximum for division “A” is 3 thousand dollars, for division “B” - one and a half.

Previously every hockey club formed the composition based on the financial viability of the sponsors. The teams solved their problems, depending on their capabilities, but many leading clubs do not prepare players - very few of their hockey players can be invited to main team countries. Starting from the new season, each hockey club will have a financial limit. The salaries of players and coaches in Belarusian clubs will be revised downward, Shapiro said.

At the same time, he hastened to urge outside observers to treat such salaries with understanding:

When we count hockey players' money, I would like to speak out in this regard. Yes, of course, this money is higher than the average salary in the country. And many people who don’t know the specifics of hockey and are very far from it don’t understand that it’s not that much money. After all, the parents of these hockey kids spent 10 years carrying bags of equipment for them, going with them to competitions, spending their money on it, buying uniforms themselves (which costs from 500 to 1000 dollars per set). They invested a huge amount of money in the development of this hockey player. These guys go under the puck, play from 50 to 90 games a year, spend half their lives on the bus, get a lot of injuries, and many then have serious health problems. Therefore, when we talk about a salary of 2 thousand, believe me, this is several times less than it was yesterday and the day before, and noticeably less than in many other leagues. So there is no need to pit hockey players and fans against each other. Or here’s another detail: today we have about 5,200 children playing hockey. Of these, about 10-20 come to clubs every year, but for the rest, it turns out that parents spent a lot of money, but their children never became professional players.