Football has been played again in Ukraine, which has been paralyzed since February. The interruption took place due to the Russian occupation, which is still in effect at this time.
This morning (23), Shakhtar Donetsk and Metalist 1925 drew 0-0 for the Ukrainian Championship at the Kyiv Olympic Stadium.
“This is an initiative like no other in history. Football against war in war conditions. Football for peace,” said Andrei Pavelko, president of the Ukrainian Football Federation.
There was no one in the stands in the stadium where the same Euro 2012 and 2018 Champions League finals were played between Real Madrid and Liverpool.
The games in Ukraine were replayed, but in a different way. Due to the war, there are no spectators at the matches and there is the presence of a large military unit.
In addition, in the event of an airborne alarm, game participants must take shelter in shelters that will be set up a short distance from each field. The protocol states that it should not be more than 500 meters from the stadium. Departure times and locations will also not be announced for security reasons.
“Hosting football tournaments during the war is not just a sport. It shows the courage, indomitable spirit and desire for victory of our people,” Pavelko said.
Another point to note is that two teams will be missing in this season’s Ukrainian Championship. Mariupol will not play the competition, as the port city has been captured by Russian troops. In addition, Chernigov, one of the cities most affected by the military occupation.
The opening matches of the season are timed to coincide with Ukraine’s National Flag Day and offer another show of resistance after the invasion of Russia in February of this year.
But this also came at a time when the US Embassy in the capital warned of an increased possibility of Russian military aggression against Ukraine.
source: Noticias
