Thousands of defenders of Ukraine from all regions took part in football events organized by FFU in 2018

09.11.2018 15:01

Photo by milfootball.com.ua

About 4300 participants, 70 teams, representatives of all law enforcement agencies from all regions of Ukraine - this is a preliminary result of football events that took place in 2018 under the auspices and with the support of the Football Federation of Ukraine.

Also during the year, several new football projects were launched to support and assist in the rehabilitation of veterans and combatants in the Donbass. In particular, in 2018 the first drawing of the Open championship of Heroes of anti-terrorist operation took place. In total, about 1350 servicemen and law enforcement officers representing all types of troops and law enforcement agencies based in different regions of the country took part in these competitions, which took place in five regional zones (East, West, North, South, Center).

Photo by milfootball.com.ua

The tournament was held from April 20 to October 16, and the final of the competition happened in Kharkiv on the day of the winning match for the national team of Ukraine in the League of Nations. The decisive match between the teams of FC "Kropyvnytskyi" and FC "Cheetah" from Zaporizhia ended with the victory of football players from Kropyvnytskyi with a minimum score of 1: 0. Medals and prizes were awarded to the winners and participants of the tournament by FFU President Andriy Pavelko, FFU Organizing Committee Chairman and Vice President Oleh Sobutsky, FFU Vice President Oleg Protasov, FFU National Team Committee Chairman Myron Markevych and national team coach Oleksandr Shovkovsky.

With the assistance of the Football Federation of Ukraine, the winners of the first Open Championship of ATO Heroes and their colleagues attended the match of the national team of Ukraine with the Czech Republic in the first draw of the UEFA League of Nations. It will be recalled that this meeting, which took place on October 16 at the Metalist Stadium in Kharkiv, ended with the victory blue-yellow with a score of 1: 0. A total of 1370 servicemen serving in the Joint Forces Operation (JFO) zone and the Kharkiv garrison received tickets for this match.

Earlier, on May 9 this year, 850 military personnel serving in the area of ​​the OOS and the Odessa garrison received FFU tickets for finals of the Cup of Ukraine, where FC Dynamo Kyiv and FC Shakhtar Donetsk met.

Coaches and players of national teams were active in communication with the defenders of Ukraine during the year. In particular, about 40 wounded combatants undergoing treatment at the Central Clinical Hospital of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine received an invitation from the FFU for an open training of the main team of the country and the presentation of new sets of national team uniforms. During the event, the soldiers could communicate and take photos in memory of football stars and receive memorable gifts.

Photo by Pavlo Kubanov

Photo of FFU press service

In addition, on October 14, head coach of the national team Andriy Shevchenko and team players visited of the wounded Heroes in a garrison hospital of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine in Kharkov on the eve of the match with the Czech national team. The players congratulated the Warriors on the Day of Defender of the Fatherland, invited for a national team match and wished for a speedy recovery. A few days earlier, on October 11, wounded Heroes visited at the Central Clinical Hospital of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine coaches and players of the youth team.

Photo by Pavlo Kubanov

A new and extremely important for the ATO participants was a joint project of the Plenipotentiary of the President of Ukraine for the rehabilitation of ATO participants Vadym Svyridenko, the Ministry of Defense and the Football Federation of Ukraine - "Cup of the Unconquered", which was launched in May this year. In the first draw of the tournament, which took place on the fields of NTK. V. Bannikov, eight teams took part - a total of 160 players. Also within the framework of the project there was a match in which veterans of anti-terrorist operation players of the national team among amputees took part. "I am sure that your example, your desire to win and fighting spirit can inspire the players of our main team and give them strength in matches with even the most formidable opponents," FFU President Andriy Pavelko thanked the tournament participants.

Tournaments in honor of the fallen Heroes of Ukraine are special in football competitions with the participation of veterans, current and future defenders of Ukraine. In particular, it is a mini-football tournament in memory of the deceased on February 9, 2015 during the combat mission of Colonel Igor Pavlov, awarded the Order of Bohdan Khmelnytsky III degree (posthumously). Competition in honor of the Hero happened May 31 at the Military Institute of Telecommunications and Informatics. The tournament was attended by 60 footballers-defenders of Ukraine.

Photo by Pavlo Kubanov

About 100 participants took part in the first draw of the Tournament in memory of the Hero of Ukraine Andriy Kyzyl, who happened in the Military Lyceum. I. Bohun in September. Andrew is a graduate and the pride of the lyceum. Kyzylo became a company commander at the age of 21 and was recognized as the best company commander in Sector M. Competitions among Andriy's young brothers in his honor were initiated by the head of the lyceum and Hero of Ukraine Ihor Hordiychuk and were held with the support of the Football Federation of Ukraine. "I am grateful to the management of the Kyiv Military Lyceum named after I. Bohun for such a good sports initiative, and the Football Federation of Ukraine will have the honor to support the holding of this tournament in the future. Thank you for dedicating your life to the defense of Ukraine and I wish you peace and as many opportunities as possible to glorify your native lyceum and our state! ” - Andriy Pavelko addressed the participants of the tournament at the award ceremony.

About 180 defenders of Ukraine from six units of the assault force participated in competitions in honor of paratroopers killed in the war zone. Tournament matches happened On July 19-20 in Kramatorsk, which was released and defended from the aggressor in April-July 2014 by paratroopers. Players of the national team of Ukraine among veterans took part in the opening match of the tournament. "It is important that the representatives of all the Assault Troops met in the framework of this tournament on the football field - this demonstrates the unity of our Armed Forces. I want to wish you a peaceful sky, a speedy victory and good health, "said Valentin Latypov, FFU President's Adviser, at the award ceremony.