The General Director of «Chernihiv», Mykola Sinytsia, commented in detail on all the nuances of the match of the seventh round of the first league against «Metalist», which ultimately did not take place on Sunday.
Mykola Sinytsia (photo: chernigiv.ua)— Please tell us in detail what happened and why the game between «Chernihiv» and «Metalist» was still canceled?
— I’ll start with the fact that, unfortunately, yes, in Chernihiv and the region there are often prolonged air alerts. The longest one, if I am not mistaken, lasted 14 hours. However, today the alert was not that long.
I would like to note that the start of the match was scheduled for 12:30, and the all-clear sounded at 13:41. That is, the alert lasted only one hour and 11 minutes.
— And «Metalist», as I understand it, took advantage of the provision in the PFL regulations, which states that after an hour of air alert the match is canceled, and refused to continue?
— That is correct. But, and this is very important, this was not an official statement from «Metalist». We waited until the last moment and tried to find out what was happening, the players of «Chernihiv» remained in their uniforms and boots, they did not change. Our team even went for a warm-up. The stadium was full of people, by the way, it was our City Day today.
— Congratulations on that.
— Thank you. So, the weather in Chernihiv today is wonderful and sunny, as if ordered, and nothing hindered the match from taking place.
— But the regulation is the regulation.
— I will respond this way: «Metalist» left the stadium immediately after the all-clear. They understood perfectly well that the match could be resumed, but, yes, they referred exactly to the provision in the PFL regulations. But there is a nuance.
I am not a lawyer, but I know for sure: the chief referee and the match delegate must hold a meeting after the first hour and make a decision — to continue or not to continue the match. The referee and the delegate! Not the representatives of some team, you see?
— Yes.
— Let me add. The opinions of team representatives are considered, but, again, the final decision is made by the referee and the match delegate.
— So was there a meeting?
— No, there was no such meeting. «Metalist» simply left the stadium. However, the match delegate wrote a report stating that the referee was in favor of holding the match, the delegate also supported it, but the Kharkiv club was against!
Why our opponents behaved this way, I can only guess. Perhaps there were issues with the squad, or something else, but... I believe this is not very sportsmanlike or human. Some kind of disrespect towards us... The «Metalist» players just packed their things, went to the bus, and left.
They said they were late for a train, but, as far as I know, they arrived in Chernihiv by bus. So that’s an interesting nuance. It seems to me that the story about the train is a bit untrue, to put it mildly. This is my opinion, I don’t know all the nuances, and I’m not blaming anyone. Representatives of «Metalist» also said that they received instructions «from above» not to play.
— Is it already known when the match «Chernihiv» — «Metalist» will be played?
— The referees and the match delegate themselves did not understand what was happening today. This decision will be made later by the PFL administration.
Besides, in the same PFL regulations, there is a clause about air alerts, which states, I will say it in my own words, this is not a quote, the following: teams must do everything to play the match on the day of its holding or the next day.
The representatives of «Metalist» did not ask us anything: whether we wanted to play today or tomorrow… They just left.
Victor Glukhenky
