Usyk’s dissertation scandal: boxer accused of academic fraud
19 March 14:07
The defense of the dissertation by boxer and WBA, WBO, WBC and IBO heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk caused a loud response in the scientific community. Svitlana Vovk, coordinator of the anti-plagiarism platform Dissergate, sharply criticized the athlete’s work, calling it an imitation rather than a real scientific study, "Komersant Ukrainian" reports
on March 18, Usyk received a doctorate in philosophy. He defended his dissertation on “Administrative and Legal Support of International Cooperation in the Field of Physical Culture and Sports” at the Kharkiv National University of Internal Affairs.
It was broadcast on the YouTube channel of Kharkiv National University of Internal Affairs.
Oleksandr Usyk was awarded a doctorate in law. He successfully defended his dissertation at Kharkiv National University of Internal Affairs (KNUIA). His scientific work is devoted to the topic “Administrative and legal regulation of international cooperation in the field of physical culture and sports”.
In 2020, Oleksandr Usyk entered Kharkiv National University of Internal Affairs, where he is pursuing his second degree. Previously, he graduated from Lviv State University of Physical Culture (then he was a postgraduate student at this university).
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“Today is another day of shame for Ukrainian science – the defense of the champion Usyk. Mr. Oleksandr Usyk, why do you need to imitate a dissertation defense? Why do you need to devalue Ukrainian science by doing this? Do you want to get paid extra for a fake degree and join the ranks of fake scientists who rob the Ukrainian budget? Given your employment and the schedule of training and fights, it is obvious that you did not have time to conduct research, write articles and dissertations, or participate in conferences,” she wrote.
Vovk believes that Usyk’s supervisor and members of the special council should be suspended from their activities.
“A question to the special council of the Kharkiv National University of Internal Affairs, KhNUIA – why are you imitating the certification process? Don’t you smell money? I ask the National Agency for Quality Assurance in Higher Education to cancel the decision of the specialized academic council based on the application of the clause on violation of academic integrity, in particular, academic deception – “providing deliberately false information about one’s own educational (scientific, creative) activities or organization of the educational process” (Article 42 of the Law of Ukraine “On Education”),” Vovk said.
She called on Usyk to refuse his diploma.
“I think that the champion, if he is worthy of all those victories, should refuse the fake diploma and apologize to the society. And his supervisor and members of the special council should be suspended from their activities,” the expert said.
Svitlana Vovk holds a PhD in Economics. She has exposed dozens of cases of academic plagiarism in the dissertations of Ukrainian top officials, including the works of former Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk, former Ministers of Education and Science Serhiy Shkarlet and Lilia Hrynevych.
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