On October 24, in Kropyvnytskyi at the Theatre of Koryphaei, festivities were held to mark the 30th anniversary of the founding of the public union «Kirovohrad Regional Football Association».
Andriy Shevchenko. Photo: UAFRepresentatives of the football community from all corners of the region — coaches, referees, players, officials, and enthusiasts who have been developing and popularizing football in Kirovohrad for three decades — gathered for the event.
The celebration united not only football figures but also representatives of the regional military administration, local councils, educational institutions, sports departments, and territorial communities.
Special guests of the celebrations included the president of the Ukrainian Football Association, honored master of sports, Hero of Ukraine, chairman of the FIFA Committee for the Future of Football Andriy Shevchenko, the first vice-president of the UAF Artem Stoyanov, and UAF general secretary Ihor Hryschenko. Together with the honored worker of physical culture and sports Viktor Bezsmertnyi and the head of the CSU «KFA» Ihor Murdiy, they recognized over 100 people who made a significant contribution to the development of football in the region.
Notably, medals from the Ukrainian Football Association for significant contributions to football development were awarded to honored coaches of Ukraine Vadym Bondar (Andriy Pyatov’s first coach) and Yuriy Kevlich (Yevhen Konoplyanka’s first coach), the first head of KFA Volodymyr Hurskyi, president of the «Agrotech» Football Club (Tyshkivka) Serhiy Saus, and this club’s coach Oleksandr Myzenko.
Honorary certificates from the UAF were awarded to football veterans, heads of youth schools and futsal clubs, including Vadym Darenko, Oleksandr Kovalenko, Oleh Kolyuka, Andriy Antonov, Oleksandr Korinnyi, and others.
The Order of Merit was awarded to the heads of the Oleksandria District Football Association Ihor Kostyria, Holovanivsk District Association Serhiy Horbachov, Znamianka Association Oleksandr Zamurenko, Svitlovodsk Association Serhiy Lysytskyi, Znamia football veteran Anatoliy Holovatenko, FIFA referee assistant Andriy Skrypka, president of FC «Ingul» (Pervozvanivka) Yevhen Fomenko, and head coach of FC «Zirka» (Kropyvnytskyi) Samir Hasanov.
