The legend of Kyiv “Dynamo” (who also played for “Hapoel” Rishon LeZion), was arrested in Poland, and he is currently in prison.

Legendary Kyiv Dynamo footballer Ivan Yaremchuk found himself in the spotlight after being arrested in Poland. The incident occurred at Krakow airport, where he was detained by the police.

Unexpected Turn

Ivan Yaremchuk, a well-known former player of the USSR national team, was arrested before the Ukraine – Azerbaijan match. He has been in prison for more than ten days, and there is no contact with him.

According to his brother Mikhail, the arrest happened suddenly. Ivan flew from Belgium to Poland to participate in a veteran match, but he was detained at the airport. Mikhail recalls how Ivan managed to call and report the arrest, but further contact was lost.

Family and friends are trying to find out the reasons for the arrest. It is known that the case has been transferred to the prosecutor’s office and will be considered in the Krakow court. However, specific charges remain unknown.

Football Legend

Ivan Yaremchuk was born in 1962 in Zakarpattia. His football career began in Cherkasy’s “Dnipro,” and in 1985 he became part of Kyiv’s “Dynamo.”

With “Dynamo,” Yaremchuk won the Cup Winners’ Cup and played in world championships. However, a severe injury in 1986 nearly ended his career. Despite this, he returned to football and played until the age of 36.

Yaremchuk is also known for his gambling addiction, which began in Berlin. The footballer’s personal life remained in the shadows, but he has a daughter, Valeria, a Ukrainian synchronized swimming champion.

Challenges and Hopes

Ivan Yaremchuk’s family continues to search for a lawyer to understand the situation. Questions remain unanswered, but hope for resolving the situation does not fade.

Ivan Yaremchuk’s story is not only about football but also about the challenges faced by even the most famous athletes. Time will tell how this unexpected turn in his life will resolve.

Who is Ivan Yaremchuk

Ivan Yaremchuk was born on March 19, 1962, in Zakarpattia in the village of Velykyi Bychkiv. His first team was Cherkasy’s “Dnipro,” for which he played over 100 matches. In 1983, he was drafted into the Soviet army but served in Kyiv’s SKA, which played in the Second League.

Yaremchuk’s career took off in 1985 when he was invited to Kyiv’s “Dynamo.” A player from the Second League immediately became a key player in Valeriy Lobanovskyi’s great team and joined the USSR national team.

In 1986, together with “Dynamo,” Yaremchuk became the Cup Winners’ Cup holder, and that summer he scored goals at the World Cup in Mexico.

However, that year Ivan suffered a severe injury that could have ended his career at 24. During the annual Santiago Bernabéu Cup tournament, the famous Real Madrid player Jorge Valdano broke Ivan Yaremchuk’s leg. Due to the terrible injury and improper treatment, the Dynamo player did not play for almost a year.

After the fracture, Yaremchuk returned to football and played until the age of 36. He played in Germany, Israel, the Czech Republic, and Russia. The midfielder ended his playing career at Poltava’s “Vorskla.” Due to systemic injuries, Ivan could not fully realize his talent, although his name is inscribed in golden letters in the history of Ukrainian football.

In the 1994/95 season, Ivan Yaremchuk moved to the Israeli club Hapoel Ironi Rishon LeZion. According to statistics, he played about 30 matches for the team and scored 7 goals.

However, the season ended not only with sports results. According to Yaremchuk’s interviews and several sources, his stay in Israel was interrupted due to an incident: the player himself reported that after an incident involving stepping onto a balcony naked, the police approached him, and deportation procedures followed. In an interview, he says: “after a shower, I went out naked onto the balcony… someone from the neighbors called the police… then I was deported.”
These data suggest that his departure from Israel was related to a violation of public norms and resulted from the intervention of law enforcement or immigration services.

He was forced to leave the team due to a sexual scandal that led to his deportation from the country. According to eyewitnesses of his games in Israel, if not for the scandal, Yaremchuk would have received the title of “Best Legionnaire of Israel 1994/95.”

In the USSR national team jersey, midfielder Ivan Yaremchuk played 18 matches and scored two goals, playing, in particular, at the 1986 World Cup in Mexico and the 1990 World Cup in Italy.

In 1991, Ivan Yaremchuk moved from Kyiv’s “Dynamo” to the German “Blau-Weiss.” Due to injuries, he spent most of his time out of the game. In Berlin, he first entered a casino and immediately won two thousand marks. Gambling completely consumed the star footballer.

Ivan was never married, but he has an illegitimate daughter, Valeria, a Ukrainian synchronized swimming champion.