Vadym Gutzeit asked "which 3,000 are these" Ukrainian athletes who have received IOC Solidarity Fund support ©NOCU

Ukrainian Sports Minister and National Olympic Committee (NOC) President Vadym Gutzeit has cast doubt on the International Olympic Committee's (IOC) claim that its Solidarity Fund has benefited approximately 3,000 athletes and coaches from the country.

The IOC has said its Solidarity Fund totalling $7.5 million (£6.2 million/€7.0 million) is being used to allow Ukrainian athletes to continue training and competing at major events.

It has expressed "the unprecedented solidarity of the Olympic Movement", and wants a "strong team" from Ukraine to feature at next year's Olympic Games in Paris and the 2026 Winter Olympic Games in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo.

Its move to explore a pathway for the return of Russian and Belarusian athletes to international competitions has sparked anger in Ukraine.

Gutzeit, who replaced IOC member Sergey Bubka as NOC of Ukraine (NOCU) President in November, has questioned the extent of the IOC's support.

The IOC has vowed to ensure a
The IOC has vowed to ensure a "strong team" from Ukraine competes at Paris 2024 and Milan Cortina 2026 ©Getty Images

"From the first days of the war, the Solidarity Fund was created, the federations and athletes of the national team were supported," he said, as reported by Tribuna.

"Regarding the words that more than 3,000 athletes were financed - for me, this is also a question of which 3,000 are these.

"Maybe it's some kind of personal help.

"According to the funds that were allocated from the Solidarity Fund (I know approximately, because at that time [I] was not the head of the NOC of Ukraine), about $1.5 million (£1.2 million/€1.4 million) to $2 million (£1.7 million/€1.9 million) were provided to the federation and to the athletes who are preparing.

"It is difficult to say that this is the support of 3,000 athletes, because it is not enough."

insidethegames has asked the IOC for a comment.

Ukraine's athletes, including Yaroslava Mahuchikh and Kateryna Tabashnyk, gold and bronze medallists in the high jump at this month's European Athletics Indoor Championships, have continued to keep their country's flag flying at international events ©Getty Images
Ukraine's athletes, including Yaroslava Mahuchikh and Kateryna Tabashnyk, gold and bronze medallists in the high jump at this month's European Athletics Indoor Championships, have continued to keep their country's flag flying at international events ©Getty Images

There has been a public row between the IOC and NOCU since the plans to pursue a return of Russian and Belarusian athletes were announced.

The NOCU has suggested it could boycott Paris 2024 if Russia and Belarus attend under any flag, prompting a warning from the IOC that this would be a breach of the Olympic Charter.

The IOC has said more than 115 requests have been backed by the Solidarity Fund for the Ukrainian Olympic community.

It has pointed to examples including Ukrainian athletes' participation and success at a Wrestling World Cup in the United States in December and the International Table Tennis Federation World Paralympic Championships in November.