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Champions Without Sponsors and the Dynamo Sport Complex

27 July, 00:00

By Ihor DAVYDENKO, student at the Institute of Journalism Ukraine's national team bagged the gold in the disabled soccer championship of Europe, held in Belgium. Having outplayed the teams of Finland, Ireland and Great Britain in the round robin tournament and drawn the game with that of Holland, the Ukrainians came off second in Group B, owing to the difference of goals (+29 against +30), which made them play in the semifinals against Group A's No. 1 and a traditionally unpleasant rival, the Russian national team. Only in the 10-minute overtime did our boys recapture the initiative, managing to score four goals (incidentally, the championship's best bomber Serhiy Vakulenko did a hat trick in this match). In the finals, they met for the second time with and defeated the Dutch team, thereby complementing their world championship title with that of champions of Europe.

The Day's correspondent met a participant in the match, the Ukrainian team's fullback, Kyivan Serhiy Krot, who answered a few questions.

"Serhiy, what is the financial state of your team?"

"During the world championship, we were assisted by the State Sports Committee, the Soccer Federation of Ukraine, and Adidas, but during the championship of Europe, only by the Soccer Federation and the Sport Committee. The management tries, so far unsuccessfully, to find sponsors."

"Where is your training base?"

"In Zhovti Vody, Dnipropetrovsk oblast. There, we prepare for competitions and have all our training sessions."

"Why Zhovti Vody, of all places?"

"We failed to find something closer and cheaper."

"Were there any alternatives?"

"There were negotiations with the Dynamo Sports Complex in Koncha-Zaspa, but they quoted a championship price."

"Most of players are not local. It must be hard to get to Zhovti Vody..."

"Yes, only three live in Dnipropetrovsk oblast, others go there for training. Some have even decided to move over there, although there were only two all-team sessions before the championships of the world and Europe."

"Are you regularly paid your salary?"

"Until recently, the team players were only paid bonus and per diem. After we had won the world championship, the FFU paid a $2,000 bonus to each player. But we recently signed a contract, so I think it will be easier with money."

"And what about uniforms?"

"The jerseys Adidas presented last year at the world championship are already fading. So they won't last long. And recently, just a few pairs of socks were issued for the whole team."

"Serhiy, is soccer a way of self-fulfillment for you?"

"No. I simply like to play and get pleasure from it."

Newspaper output №:

№28, (1999)

Section

Society