UAF President Andriy Shevchenko spoke in an interview with Tribuna.com about the association's budget deficit.
Andriy Shevchenko- What are your impressions of this month of work at the UAF? Is everything as you expected, worse, better?
- As expected, it is not easy. We have just started to implement changes - this concerns the structure, personnel issues. We have reduced the number of committees from 18 to 11, and replaced almost all the chairmen of these committees. Including the chairman of the Arbitration Committee, Luciano Luci, who was replaced by Kateryna Monzul. Arbitration is an important and painful issue for clubs and fans. The primary task is to restore confidence in the referees. To do this, we are implementing two innovations. The first is a polygraph, which all referees will have to take. We are currently developing a transparent and clear procedure for this. The second is the appointment of arbitrators by lot.
We plan to submit reports on our activities. Including financial reports. One of our first steps in the digitalisation of football is the introduction of electronic document management. It will be easier to receive information.
- Will the figures coming from UEFA and FIFA under various programmes also be detailed and what they are spent on?
- Of course. This is completely open information.
- We can't find it on the UAF website yet.
- We had little time to carry out digitalisation and make the appropriate changes.
- Are we talking about the future?
- But it is very easy to come to this. There are earmarked funds, they go for specific projects and programmes, part of the funds is used to finance the UAF's operational activities - salaries and so on. Everything is distributed to the relevant committees, and they will report. We are now setting up this process.
- And it will be public and open? Something that can be published, at least.
- The reports will be public. I am interested in the open process of the UAF.
- You recently stated that the UAF has financial problems. Can you elaborate?
- We have a budget deficit of 105 million hryvnias.
- What did it consist of? Will it be known after the audit?
- Yes, it will become clearer after the audit. But we need to wait, as the audit covers 9 years. And this is not only a financial audit, but also an operational audit - the administrative activities of the UAF are analysed, and this complicates the process.
- You said at the UAF Congress that the results would be available in two months. A month has already passed...
- I know that journalists love specifics, but I can't tell you more precisely when the audit will be over. But everyone will know the results of the audit.
Oleg SHERBAKOV
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