Yevhen Dykyy: “The UPL clubs owned TV rights only until 2019. Since then, these rights belong to the UAF"

UPL Executive Director Yevhen Dykyy spoke about the situation with a single pool for broadcasting matches of the Ukrainian Championship. Recall that five clubs refused to enter the TV pool based on the Setanta broadcaster, and now a scandal is brewing in Ukrainian football, and “refusing clubs” may face sanctions.

— President of Dynamo Igor Surkis said that the rights to broadcast matches of the championship of Ukraine belong to the clubs, not the Ukrainian Premier League. Eugene, we would like to hear an explanation from the UPL on this matter.

- In 2011, the executive committee, at that time the FFU, really transferred the rights to broadcast to the clubs for eight years, i.e. until 2019. This decision has not been extended; accordingly, since 2019, the UAF has already been the owner of these rights (Article 47 of the UAF Charter).

Before the start of this season, we signed an agreement with the UAF on the transfer of the rights to the UPL, including the broadcasting of football matches.

In addition, before the start of the season, all clubs, in accordance with the certification procedure for the season and in accordance with the Competition Regulations, are required to provide a document confirming that they undertake to comply with all the requirements of the UAF and UPL charter, as well as decisions of the UAF and UPL governing bodies.

The main governing body of the UPL is the General Meeting of the UPL clubs, which, by its majority, decided to create a single media pool and supported the proposal of the Setanta company. Accordingly, this decision is binding on all other UPL participants.

- Did Dynamo also confirm?

- According to the regulatory documents of the UAF, the provision of a document by which the clubs undertake to comply with all the requirements of the UAF and UPL charter, as well as decisions of the UAF and UPL governing bodies, is a mandatory requirement for attestation and application of teams for the season.

- If Dynamo still broadcasts home matches on 2+2, and not on Setant, what are the sanctions?

- All sanctions are provided for by the disciplinary rules of the UAF. This can be for the first violation - a fine, and with subsequent tightening of sanctions - up to the removal of points.

- Can clubs somehow regain the rights to broadcast?

- Only in one case - if such a decision is made by the executive committee of the UAF, as was done in 2011.

Andrey Piskun