necessary to separate politics
Not really football: what you need to know about the scandal “Dynamo” and “Mariupol”
The biggest scandal in Ukrainian football this summer – the non-appearance of Dynamo Kyiv for the 7th round match of the Premier League in Mariupol – only at first glance it has a purely sports basis. Ukrainian football is a long and complex history of relations between the powerful, a series of alliances, betrayals, offenses and backstage negotiations. Often intertwined with big politics and always tied up with big money and influence. What are silent, discussing the topic of “Dynamo” and “Mariupol” – in the material RBC-Ukraine.
Post-revolutionary decline
After 2014, the second Maidan, the start of the war and the annexation of a part of the Ukrainian territory, the once growing, albeit with oligarchic money, Ukrainian football entered a steep dive. Part of the Ukrainian oligarchs were cut off from budgetary flows and influence on political processes. Some of them were forced to flee the country, while others cost a significant drop in Forbes ratings. Continue reading
Offside: how football players get into political scandals
In the match against the Czech Republic, the players of the Ukrainian national football team came out in a game form, which depicts the inscription “Glory to Ukraine!”. This step immediately caused a negative reaction from Russia – the local football union complained about this to FIFA and UEFA. This is not the only case of political scandals in football. RBC-Ukraine recalls the loudest of them that have happened lately.
Who prevents someone else’s “Glory”
Ukrainian footballers were accused of politicizing the game. The Ukrainian national football team in a match on September 6 won the Czech team in the first round of a new tournament of European teams, the League of Nations. The day before the match, a new game form of the Ukrainian team was presented. The slogan “Glory to Ukraine!” Appeared on T-shirts, which caused a mixed reaction in Russia. Continue reading
