Maryna Streletska: "I work in Switzerland, but I am ready to return to Ukraine at any moment"

28.03.2022 17:03

FIFA Assistant Referee Marina Streletskaya (right) with the support of the UAF Referees Committee currently has a practice in Switzerland

The UAF Arbitration Committee fully supports domestic referees and does everything possible to ensure that they do not lose their qualifications during the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

In particular, the assistant referee Marina Streletskaya, who went to Switzerland, had the opportunity to work on matches of the third local division.

- Marino, how did you get the opportunity to continue your professional career?

- At the beginning of the war, I went to my sister in Switzerland, but later the leadership of the UAF Arbitration Committee in our social group tried to offer help to everyone. And I am very grateful to the chairman of the committee, Luciano Luci, who, knowing that I was in Basel, agreed that I could continue my work in the profession, have practice and retain the appropriate qualifications.

- How do local authorities help you?

- There is no word "refugee" here, just people who came here because of the war, fall into the category of people with status S. Therefore, having completed all the documents, in two weeks you can get help to rent housing and food.

- You have already worked in one of the matches of the third Swiss division (analog of the second Ukrainian league). What are your feelings?

- Since I haven't played matches for almost a month, there was a little excitement. But, as they say, everything started to work out with the starting whistle. The level of games corresponds to our second, and sometimes the first league.

- How do you communicate on the football field?

- Mostly everyone here speaks German, which I do not speak. I can speak English. War helps, but colleagues often forget about it, and then correct themselves (smiles).

- What are your working conditions in Switzerland?

- I have a fee before each game, such are the local conditions. But this is not the main thing, for me it is important that I am at work.

- What is the attitude to the Russian invasion of Ukraine in Switzerland?

- They all sympathize with our grief. But because Switzerland is a neutral country, people are just learning to help the suffering. I know that there are many families here who have a free room or two, so they invite people to their place. All Swiss hope that the war will end soon, because there is nothing better than a peaceful sky overhead. I start every day with news from Ukraine, I really want to go home. My suitcase is always packed ...