Zaporizhzhya Metallurg has published an open letter to the UAF, PFL and the football community.
An open letter from IFC Metallurg
The principle of equal opportunities for each participant in the competition has always been the basis for the development of football. Only the final result of the match is an indicator of success or failure of each club. In addition, the Regulations stipulate that the task of the competition is to determine the winners and runners-up and to allocate the teams' places in the standings based on the results of the competition.
We emphasise that it is "based on the results of the competition".
Football has rules that ensure the "fairness" of the game and the "equality" of participants, so ensuring these principles is an extremely important criterion for the proper, impartial conduct of competitions.
Currently, the second part of the First League Championship is underway, consisting of 8 rounds among 8 teams.
As of now, 4 rounds, i.e. 16 games, are still to take place, and any actions aimed at discriminating against teams and clubs, prejudging the results of the competition and, much worse, providing all possible assistance in achieving the results desired by certain officials, turn professional football into a "backroom and underhand" process and violate the rights of all participants in the competition.
Based on these basic principles of equality and competitiveness, IFC Metallurg considers the actions of UAF and its head Andriy Pavelko to determine Polissya, Obolon, Karpaty and LNZ as the final candidates for the transition to the UPL, to hold official meetings with them on this issue and to post about it in public networks as contrary to the UAF and PFL Regulations, and violate the rights of the other 4 league teams.
We all support football of equal opportunities for all teams, non-interference of officials and compliance with the rules of fair play.
According to the results of 4 rounds, the difference between the clubs is extremely small and everything can change in rounds 5-8. Moreover, respect for all teams is the key to the development of football in Ukraine, the prestige of Ukrainian football in international competitions and around the world.
That is why IFC Metallurg calls on all UAF, PFL and UPL officials, as well as other Ukrainian clubs and players, to comply with the UAF and PFL Regulations and remain true to the Spirit of the game. And the results of the competition should be determined only after the completion of all 8 rounds.
Sincerely, IFC Metallurg.
