On 13 December 1991, the Football Federation of Ukraine terminated its membership in the Football Federation of the former USSR. The Football Federation of independent Ukraine was headed by Viktor Maksimovich Bannikov, formerly a great goalkeeper, then a coach, sports organiser, Honoured Coach of Ukraine, awarded the UEFA Rubinov Order of Merit. He headed the Football Federation of Ukraine from 1991 to 1996.
Then the heads of the main staff of Ukrainian football were Valeriy Pavlovich Pustovoitenko (1996-2000), Hryhoriy Mykhailovych Surkis (2000-2012), Anatoliy Dmytroevych Kon'kov (2012-2015), Andriy Vasylyovych Pavelko (2015-2023). On 25 January 2024, the youngest president, 47-year-old Andriy Shevchenko, took the football throne. At the extraordinary XXVI Congress of the Ukrainian Football Association, 93 delegates out of 94 voted in favour of his candidacy - Shevchenko himself, of course, did not take part in this vote.
Andriy Shevchenko was born on 29 September 1976. He is a father of four sons. Football career of the most famous and titled football player of Ukraine, the owner of the "Golden Ball", long-term captain of the national team, and then its coach is well known to football fans. And Andriy Mykolaivych is also a Hero of Ukraine, holder of the Order of Merit I, II and III degree, the Order of Prince Yaroslav the Wise. In August 2022, Shevchenko became the first winner of the National Legend of Ukraine award, as well as the first ambassador of the United 24 platform.
About the staff of the sixth president of our football. Compared to the previous one, it has been significantly reduced. It includes the first vice-president, a lawyer by profession Pavlo Boychuk, vice-presidents - coach of the national team of Ukraine Serhiy Rebrov, Oleksandr Shevchenko, head of the association of football Lviv region, members of the executive committee - Serhiy Vladyko, president of the Futsal Association of Ukraine, Evgeniy Dikiy, president of the UPL, Oleksandr Zinchenko, a player of the national team of Ukraine, Oleksandr Kadenko, head of the PFL, Kateryna Monzul, former FIFA referee, head of the Referee Committee, Mykola Pavlov, president of the All-Ukrainian Association of Coaches of Ukraine, Andriy Poltovets, president of FC LNZ and head of the Football Association of Cherkassy region, Artyom Stoyanov, deputy head of the UAF Appeals Committee.
Andriy Shevchenko and his associates are facing difficult tasks. Ukrainian football must become more mass and accessible, national teams - the pride of every Ukrainian, and clubs - stronger. The structure of our football must be transparent and there must be a reform of arbitration.
Our football must rise to a higher level, it must become our pride. Time will show whether the new head of the UAF will be able to do it.
Oleksandr LIPENKO for Dynamo.kiev.ua
Вибори по совковськи.