Kryvbas Vice President Artem Gagarin commented on UPL.TV on the club's appeal to UEFA to replace Arda Kardesler, the referee of the 1st leg of the Conference League qualifying playoffs against Betis, due to his work at the friendly match between Russia and Serbia in Moscow in the spring of 2024.
- How did you even find out that this referee would be refereeing this match?
- The media department always prepares some kind of information for our subscribers and fans about the referee working the match. And it was the head of the press service who noticed and said: "Is this the referee who was at the match in Moscow?"
Of course, we unanimously decided that we would write such an appeal, because we simply do not understand how it could be otherwise. It is incomprehensible to us. Let's see what UEFA's response will be.
But I want to say that we have appealed to both the UAF and the Referees Committee. They are aware of this, and they will also contribute to this situation being resolved for the better - more adequately, I would say. Because this is unacceptable for us.
- Is there any plan B if, for example, UEFA does not react to this?
- Let's take it one step at a time. There are important things here, I don't want to comment more than we said in the statement, because this is an important, delicate situation, and it is UEFA, the referees, who are very sensitive to this. I don't want to comment on it more than we said.