The war in Ukraine has left one of the most important training centres for Nordic Sports in Chernihiv fully destroyed. Before the war, some 300 kids and youth of all ages were regularly training there with some athletes living in the centre permanently. This is where some all-time Ukrainian winter sports champions come from: Valentina Tserbe-Nessina, Andriy Deryzemlya, Sergii Semenov and Artem Pryma, to name a few.

During the invasion, all the sports equipment in the centre was lost. To make sure the young athletes from the Chernihiv Centre can return to training as soon as the snow falls, the IBU is helping us stage an auction to collect funds to buy new equipment for the kids and youth (12-18 years old). To all athletes: Please help us by donating an item we can auction – the funds will go directly to the club running the training at the centre. To donate: • Contact Alla (allochka.avg@gmail.com or WhatsApp +380 63 386 5419) and tell her what you would like to donate. Good options are:

• Piece of your sport clothing or equipment

• Something such as art or crafts that you might have made yourself

• Meeting with yourself at an IBU event next season

• Zoom call with yourself, etc.

• Alla needs a description and ideally a picture of your donation ASAP.

  The IBU will run the online auction with its partner LivXP that will process the payment and transfer the money to the Chernihiv club.

  The IBU will also contact you to arrange the collection of your donation so it can be provided to the auction winner.