Andriy Shevchenko: "Adapting to the realities of war is our greatest challenge at UAF"

14.06.2024 16:27

The President of the Ukrainian Association of Football (UAF), Andriy Shevchenko, gave an extensive interview to the Polish publication WP Sportowe Fakty.

In it, the UAF President discussed the importance of Ukraine's participation in EURO 2024, the football collaboration between Poland and Ukraine, and the most challenging aspects of his current role.

Regarding the qualification of the Ukrainian national team for the final stage of the European Championship in 2024, Andriy Shevchenko emphasized the necessity of this achievement, especially during wartime.

"Firstly, we have shown that even during war, we can compete at the highest level, as evidenced by our qualification for the continental football forum. Secondly, and even more importantly, we proudly represent Ukraine and remind the world what we are going through.

Every victory for Ukraine, both on and off the field, is crucial for every Ukrainian, especially for those who are currently defending our country. Although political statements are prohibited during the Euro, I believe it is still a great opportunity to remind the world that Ukraine exists and is fighting...

Unfortunately, global interest in the war in Ukraine is fading. I often hear questions like, 'Is the war still going on?' This is very painful because we are fighting for our existence, but we are also fighting for a civilized world against a very strong enemy. Ukraine's participation in EURO 2024, while the country is in the midst of a full-scale war, is a very good opportunity to remind the world about this," emphasized the UAF President.

Moreover, Andriy Shevchenko highlighted the very fruitful cooperation between Poland and Ukraine during these challenging times.

"I would like to thank Poland for their help, not only in football. We have felt your support from the very first hours of the full-scale war with Russia, and we deeply appreciate everything you are doing for Ukraine. As the President of the Ukrainian Association of Football, I want to thank my colleagues from the Polish Football Association, as well as those clubs and cities that became football homes for Ukrainian teams for some matches. No matter what happens, we must maintain our closeness and partnership," said Mr. Shevchenko.

Finally, the UAF President, who took office in January 2024, talked about the most difficult aspect of his current job.

"Adapting to the realities of war is our greatest challenge at UAF. They are constantly changing. We have to work under many constraints, including safety issues, air raids, missile attacks, and power outages. This complicates our work, but we are managing well," concluded Andriy Shevchenko.