The meeting in the House of Football was attended by the first vice-presidents of the Ukrainian Football Association Oleg Protasov and Vadim Kostyuchenko, the executive director of the UPL Yevgeny Dykiy, the president of the PFL Oleksandr Kadenko, the deputy head of the Kyiv Military Administration Serhiy Klyavlin, representatives of the Department of Emergency Situations in the city of Kyiv and the Department of the National Police of the city of Kyiv, representatives of the Committee on Stadium Issues and Security of UAF Competitions, as well as representatives of UPL and PFL clubs that plan to hold their home matches in the capital, and representatives of the management of Kyiv stadiums, where football matches of professional teams are planned to be held.
The day before, Minister of Youth and Sports of Ukraine Vadym Gutzait, UAF President, UEFA Executive Committee member Andriy Pavelko, UPL Executive Director Yevhen Dykiy and PFL President Oleksandr Kadenko signed a document containing requirements for additional security measures during football matches. These requirements have been agreed with all law enforcement agencies that will be involved in the organization of matches during martial law.
"I want to thank everyone once again for the painstaking work done. On the instructions of the President Andriy Pavelek, the Ukrainian Football Association with the help of all our partners carried out a huge amount of work in preparation for the start of the new championship. We have a document that regulates the organization and holding of football matches in Ukraine among professional football clubs under martial law. This document has been approved by all departments whose representatives are present at today's meeting. Kyiv has a special responsibility, because it is here that the opening match of the championship, which will be held for the first time during martial law, is to be held here on August 23. And immediately after it, the second match will start at another stadium in the capital. We all need maximum concentration so that the first matches of the championship become a model for other cities," said Vadym Kostyuchenko, the first vice-president of the UAF, addressing the participants of the meeting.
"The document developed by all of us contains certain requirements for security during football matches. Once again, I pay attention to the full implementation of all the actions prescribed there. In particular, during an air raid, the match must stop immediately, everyone present in the stadium must go to the bomb shelter and stay there until the end of the air raid. A representative of the military administration will be present at the meeting before each match, so if anyone has additional questions, you will be able to get them answered. We all understand the importance of resuming football competitions in the conditions of war, but at the same time, I emphasize: the most important thing in such a situation is not the sports result, but safety," Serhii Klyavlin, deputy head of the Kyiv Military Administration, emphasized in his turn.
