April. Chronicle of events: forced pause in competitions, UEFA Executive Committee decision and UAF charity

03.05.2020 19:08

During April, due to the suspension of all football competitions due to the COVID-19 pandemic, no matches took place at Ukrainian stadiums. However, football life continued.

April 1. As part of a video conference held by UEFA with the Secretaries-General of all 55 national associations belonging to the European Football Union, a number of important decisions have been made. In particular, matches and tournaments with the participation of national teams scheduled for May-July 2020 have been canceled or postponed.

Photo by uefa.com

April 4. The FIFA Ad Hoc Working Group, which was set up to find ways to overcome the problems caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, made its recommendations public on international tournaments and other topical issues. The document, among other things, refers to the postponement of matches in the framework of international competitions to be played during 2020.

April 6. In connection with the pandemic of the COVID-19 virus, the leaders of the Ukrainian Football Association, players, coaches and staff of the national, youth, youth, women's, futsal and cyber football teams of the country appealed to the fans. The appeal emphasized the need to adhere to the recommendations made during quarantine and expressed confidence that the joint efforts would succeed in defeating the epidemic.

April 8. UAF First Vice President Oleg Protasov expressed his position Ukrainian Football Association on the end of club tournaments this season. "We did not plan and are not considering the option of early suspension of the championship. We are confident that at this stage, taking into account the decisions of UEFA, the season will be extended until August, and therefore there is an opportunity to finish the championship and play the decisive matches of the Cup of Ukraine, "said one of the leaders of the national association.

April 9. FIFA made the announcement, which noted the absence in connection with the pandemic of international matches and, accordingly, the movement in the ranking of the federation, except for minimal changes at the bottom of the register. 

Photo fifa.com

Ukraine still ranks 24th in the ranking.

April 10. The online communication between journalists and fans with the national team players of Ukraine Andriy Pyatov and Oleksandr Karavayev within the Breakfast with Champions project of TM Parimatch and the Ukrainian Football Association.

The footballers answered questions live. Pyatov and Karavaev spoke about their attitude to quarantine and transfer of the Euro, their life preferences and recalled the most memorable moments in their sports careers.

April 12. Volunteers of the UAF project "Open Football Lessons" have started conducting classes online. As long as the quarantine games are stopped, the project, through which a huge number of children join the football game, will continue remotely. 

April 14. Released the decision of the Sport Arbitration Court of Lausanne (CAS) in the case of an appeal of five former football players of FC "Donetsk" youth teams, who appealed against the decision of the UAF to be suspended from any activity related to football for a period of two years for manipulating the results of matches. CAS completely denied the players' appeal, and upheld the UAF's decision.

Photo by CAS

April 13-14. Held by the next video conference with the participation of arbitrators and observers of the arbitration of UPL and PFL competitions of Ukraine. The event was part of the UAF Arbitration Specialists' Distance Learning Program, developed and implemented by the Ukrainian Football Association Arbitrators Committee and the Arbitration Division.

April 14. In the two-match cyber football match FIFA20 national team of Ukraine beat Poland team 8: 6. The Blue and Yellows were represented by Yevhen Konoplyanka and Oleksandr Zinchenko, who competed with representatives of the Polish "representation" Mateusz Klich and Maciej Rybus.

"I followed the attacking style, like our national team. In general, I only played the last three days. But maybe I caught and understood this game correctly. ", - Yevhen Konoplyanka commented on the success of the Ukrainian national team in FIFA20.

April 16. As part of the Ukrainian Football Association's initiative to assist in the fight against the spread of coronavirus, UAF President's Advisor Valentin Latypov transferred to the National Military Medical Clinical Center "Chief Military Clinical Hospital" 500 rapid tests to detect the disease, which were purchased at the expense of City One Development and BO "Time of Action".

Photo by Pavlo Kubanov

Formerly representatives of the Association on the initiative of the UEFA President, member of the UEFA Executive Committee Andriy Pavelko visited the hospital and provided the wounded soldiers with personal protective equipment, utensils, gifts, souvenirs, food, treats and essential household items.

UAF representatives also handed personal protective equipment, including masks and gloves, to the hospital's doctors, with whom the UAF's association and leadership have been working closely together for many years.

April 16. Released official statement Committee on Ethics and Fair Play of the Ukrainian Football Association on ghost matches.

"The UAF Ethics and Fair Play Committee found illegal actions of criminal groups that used the names of Ukrainian amateur and professional clubs, as well as false announcements of matches in order to organize the acceptance of bets on them by bookmakers. As a result, bookmakers have suffered significant losses from the fraudulent actions of criminals, "the document said.

April 17. On the eve of Easter, the Ukrainian Football Association together with the Association of Football Veterans of Ukraine, the charity organization "Time of Action" and the company "Olive Line" held a pre-holiday event. Representatives of organizations visited the Main Military Clinical Hospital and handed over Easter cakes and food kits to medics and wounded defenders of our country.

"Ukrainian physicians are now in particularly difficult conditions, so support for them is extremely important, and doctors of the Main Military Clinical Hospital can always count on UAF assistance," said UAF president Andrii Pavelko.

April 21. Officially the transfer was announced Valery Lobanovsky's tournament for 2021. The competition with the participation of the youth national teams of Ukraine, Portugal, Slovenia and Bulgaria was to take place on the Ukrainian fields on May 29-31. Now, due to the pandemic and the verdict of the UAF Executive Committee to suspend all football events until the additional decision of UEFA, the tournament will take place next year. The approximate dates remain the same.

Photo of UAF press service

April 21. It has happened UEFA briefing with the secretaries general of all 55 national associations. Various projects of competition calendars concerning both national and club teams were discussed. Funding for national associations through the Hat Trick program was considered. UEFA also strongly recommended to complete the national championships in the top divisions and the drawing of national cups.

April 23. As part of the BreakfastwithChampions project an online conference took place with players of the national team of Ukraine Oleksandr Zinchenko and Ruslan Malinovsky. Live, the footballers answered topical questions from journalists and fans about quarantine, transfer of the Euro, the end of the current season, told about their life preferences and recalled memorable moments in their sports careers.

April 23. The UEFA Executive Committee, attended by UAF President Andriy Pavelko, made a number of important decisions. In particular, postponed to 2022 the final tournament of the European Championship among women's national teams, which was to take place in 2021. Given that clubs' incomes are declining due to the global crisis, decided to make payments immediately clubs for their contribution to UEFA national team competitions. It has also been announced that Euro 2020, carried over to 2021, will retain its name.

In addition, the UEFA Executive Committee decided on tournaments national teams and club teams in 2020. The ideal scenario is that, if the pandemic situation allows, the suspended national competitions will be completed. At the same time, there are cases in which national associations and / or leagues, making every effort to complete national competitions, will still have legal grounds for early termination of their tournaments. It was emphasized that UEFA will require national associations to select clubs to participate in next season's club competitions on the basis of sporting results.

"The Championship of Ukraine and the Cup of Ukraine must be completed, as all matches of championships of other European associations must be completed. This was and is the position of the UEFA Executive Committee, "said Andriy Pavelko, President of the Ukrainian Football Association and a member of the UEFA Executive Committee.

April 23. Moved to 2021 The 17th international tournament in memory of the first president of the National Football Federation Viktor Bannikov, which was to take place from 25 to 31 August this year.

April 28. During working meeting, which was initiated by the Ukrainian Football Association, the options for renewing the tournaments of professional teams in Ukraine were analyzed. The meeting was attended by the first vice-president of UAF Oleh Protasov, representatives of the legal department of UAF, the All-Ukrainian Association of Professional Footballers, the All-Ukrainian Trade Union "Football of Ukraine", as well as the leaders of the UPL and PFL.

April 28. Yevhen Konoplyanka brought victory to the national team of Ukraine in the FIFA 20 cyber-football feud with the Romanian team represented by Rezvan Marin.

April 29. In video conferencing format there was communication officials of UAF, UPL, PFL and the All-Ukrainian trade union "Football of Ukraine" with representatives of all three professional leagues. The issues of resumption of football competitions in Ukraine were discussed.

As the first vice-president of UAF Oleg Protasov noted, “finally all dates - the beginning of the resumption of competitions, the calendar of matches in all leagues after the resumption of the tournament, the dates of the semifinals and finals of the Cup of Ukraine - will be approved by the UAF Executive Committee. quarantine ".

April 30. During working meeting A number of issues related to the options for quarantining Ukrainian football were discussed with the use of video communication under the leadership of UAF President Andriy Pavelko with the participation of heads of regional associations. "Now the number one priority is to preserve the health of the whole of Ukraine, so together we are waiting for good news and the opportunity to revive football life in Ukraine," said Andriy Pavelko.

It was also analyzed during the meeting the situation with the preparation before the final match of the Cup of Ukraine in Ternopil.

Photo by Pavlo Kubanov

After the workshop, the UAF President answered the question, which is of interest to the football community, - regarding the new contract of the head coach of the national team Andriy Shevchenko. "We all do not imagine the national team of Ukraine at the Euro in 2021 without a coaching staff headed by Andriy Shevchenko," said Andriy Pavelko. - But you need to be patient. We will prepare a relevant decision for the next meeting of the UAF Executive Committee. It is the executive committee that will make this decision and determine for how long a new contract will be signed. "

In addition, daily work continued within the framework during April of UAF initiative on assistance in combating the spread of the COVID-19 virus, supported by regional associations and other actors in Ukrainian football. As part of the initiative get help health care workers, sports veterans, and other categories of citizens in need of support. Many healthcare facilities have been provided with the equipment and equipment needed and are able to use it provided by vehicles for transportation of workers.