The full-scale offensive of Russian occupiers inflicted pain, suffering, and losses on many Ukrainians. The world responded to this pain by offering various forms of assistance. Ukrainian referees were not an exception.

At the beginning of April, for Ukrainian match officials (UFOs), with the support of Italian specialists Luciano Luci, Nicola Rizzoli from the UAF and Roberto Rosetti (UEFA's senior referee officer) among their Italian colleagues, financial assistance was collected which was immediately directed to the accounts of our referees in the most difficult situation (a total of 38 individuals — each receiving 4,000 hryvnias).

A little later, also in April, with the support from FIFA referees and Pierluigi Collina (head of the FIFA Referees Committee) and, specifically, thanks to a team led by Kerrie Whittey (FIFA's head of women's refereeing department) and Esfandiar Baharmast (FIFA instructor), the campaign #DoAGame4Ukraine (https://gofund.me/ea64ca94) was launched, within which referees from all over the world made donations. Approximately 30 thousand US dollars were collected for Ukrainian match officials — and as the team of this campaign confirmed, it is not yet the end.

The UAF Referees Committee has been collecting information and monitoring the current location, status, situation, financial and non-financial needs of representatives of the refereeing corps since the beginning of Russian aggression. This information is promptly transmitted to the UAF Coordination Center, which takes measures to provide support and assistance to members of the Ukrainian football community who need it, including referees.

Returning to financial aid for Ukrainian referees, the UAF Referees Committee made the following decision:

1. Considering that it is unknown when hostilities will end, not to spend all funds received through the #DoAGame4Ukraine campaign at once but distribute them over time, i.e., now (in April) make the first tranche of assistance for 104 Ukrainian UFOs (determined based on weekly monitoring), and the next one — a month after the first tranche (i.e., in May) etc.
2. To allocate an equal amount of aid to all match officials determined based on weekly monitoring.

After making this decision, the UAF Referees Committee approached UAF President Andriy Pyvovar and the UAF Coordination Center with a request to technically organize the transfer of funds to referees', assistants' and UAF match officials' accounts based on account details and a minimum package of personal documents provided by the UAF Referees Committee to the UAF Coordination Center. Thus, funds from the #DoAGame4Ukraine campaign were transferred to Ukrainian referees thanks to the UAF.

It is worth noting separately that among the list of 104 UFOs determined based on weekly monitoring and approved by the decision of the UAF Referees Committee, all categories of match officials are included: Premier League referees, PFL, youth league Premier League, non-professional women's matches. This aid tranche for a total amount of almost $12,400 was allocated not only to those who remain in Ukraine, including temporarily occupied territories, but also to those who found themselves abroad.

However, with the sum and concern, we must inform that out of 104 approved UFOs, assistance could not be sent to two youth league Premier League referees from Mariupol city as their connection was lost on April 10th. Despite UAF's efforts to establish their whereabouts and status at the time of payment, it was impossible to receive the necessary minimum package of personal documents from them. We hope that contact with them will be restored soon, and they and their loved ones will be in good health.

It is also worth noting that our Ukrainian refereeing community communicates, interacts, and extends a helping hand not only within its group but beyond it as well. Our referees and observers fight alongside the Armed Forces of Ukraine and territorial defense units, engage in volunteer and humanitarian work.

The UAF Referees Committee on behalf of all Ukrainian match officials expresses great gratitude to everyone who helps our country's referees in any way during this difficult time — with their time, money, attention, and kind words. We thank the world's referees, FIFA and UEFA, especially the #DoAGame4Ukraine campaign team, we thank Italians, and we thank UAF leadership, President Andriy Pyvovar personally!

Regarding this matter, the head of the UAF Referees Committee Luciano Luci noted: "We truly appreciate and feel the warmth and concern of the entire global refereeing community during this harsh time for the Ukrainian people who suffer from Russian aggression that is stealing lives of our brothers and sisters."

"We are grateful to football communities in various European countries and around the world, UEFA, FIFA, the international corps of referees, who have been helping Ukraine since the beginning of the full-scale offensive of Russian occupiers, especially Ukrainian colleagues-referees. True partners and friends are revealed during difficult trials. We are glad to have such reliable friends and are infinitely grateful for their solidarity with Ukraine which is defending the entire civilized world today," — noted UAF President Andriy Pyvovar.