Teplice Ukrainian Yegor Tsikalo: "I was made a scapegoat"

Ukrainian Teplice footballer Yegor Tsikalo wrote to the Sport.ua editorial board with a letter of refutation to the Czech media outlet Bez Frazi, some of whose quotes were recently circulated by the media.

Here is Yegor's letter:

"Many of my friends and acquaintances have written to me saying that I have said too much.

My parents found out about this article yesterday through their friends.

For me, this article is shameful and untrue, I don't have to justify myself, because there are no grounds for that, but I will not be silent, because silence means agreeing with what I am accused of.

I have never said this phrase:

"Normal Ukrainians have no problems with Russians, just as normal Russians have no problems with Ukrainians. Both peoples live together, there are many marriages between them."

He never discussed politics, 7 presidents and so on.

Maybe it was a mistake to agree to an interview without knowing the language perfectly and their true intentions and message, it was my first experience with the media, Bezfrazi is about the lives of famous Czech athletes, I thought this interview would help me as an athlete and draw attention to the problems of Ukrainians related to the full-scale invasion of Ukraine by the aggressor, I knew that the Czech Republic is one of the countries that helps Ukraine the most.

The Czech media explained to me that it would be the story of a simple Ukrainian sportsman who was playing in the Czech 4th Football League at the time. I was asked questions exclusively about my feelings and my family, who are from Bakhmut, and I, like no one else, understood that the war started in 2014 and Russia is the aggressor. My position has been clear for a long time, as has my attitude.

I talked about my inner feelings before and after the invasion, and about my misunderstanding of how a 'brotherly' nation with whom I had so many relationships could go to war? I was asked whether there were representatives of the aggressor country in the training camp and how they reacted to their country's invasion of Ukraine. I answered that when I contacted them, they had nothing to say, that they were afraid. But the Czech media twisted it and wrote it in their own way.

Sport is always a struggle for a place, for respect, and it is especially difficult for foreigners, and it is especially important now to raise respect for Ukrainians and Ukraine. I have a small salary in the team now. With what I have, I have to pay for accommodation and recommended meals to keep myself in good shape. Without the help of caring Ukrainians, it would be impossible to exist as an athlete, and I also try to keep up with helping Ukraine in charity projects.

I didn't have the time or money to deal with the reaction to this article. And then I didn't think about it at all and forgot about it. I don't understand why, two years later (I emphasise that the article in the Czech edition is two years old!), they pulled out hype phrases from a dead, useless, half-true article, from 15 pages, and even those that don't belong to me, and made me a scapegoat. I don't agree, because it's not true. Why do you print this nonsense without even trying to contact me and condemn me without any explanation from me? I am ready for any interview. And I hope for justice.

I am grateful to many people who did not believe this, because over the past two years I have done many charity projects and volunteer work with them. They all agreed that, firstly, I was used, and secondly, it was some kind of "order".

This incident was a good lesson for me, but the most offensive and incomprehensible thing for me is that even in such a difficult time for our country, people are trying to hype and increase their rating through dirty and untrue articles. But in the future, I will be more selective in my communication with journalists so that I don't have to prove anything to anyone. It is better to focus on football.

And my position has always been the same, and my dream remains unchanged: "One day I will wear the shirt of the Ukrainian national team".

Glory to Ukraine! Glory to the Armed Forces!"