Украина Футбол Федерациясы: Тарихы мен қазіргі жағдайы

Association football governing body of Ukraine

The Ukrainian Football Association (Українська асоціація футболу; UAF) is the governing body of football in Ukraine. Before 2019, it was known as the Football Federation of Ukraine (FFU; Федерація Футболу України). As a subject of the International Olympic Movement, UAF is a member of the National Olympic Committee of Ukraine. UAF is also member of international football organizations such as UEFA and FIFA. The Ukrainian Football Association governs all sport events and organizations associated with the game of football including irregular competitions of beach football, mini football, street football and others. Its main features include football competitions including the Ukrainian Professional League, the Ukrainian Cup, the Amatory, the competitions among the youth (under 18), and also the Ukraine national football team. It also sets the regulations to the Premier League and the Professional Football League. It is headquartered in the national capital, Kyiv near the Olimpiyskiy National Sports Complex at the House of Football. The organization was established in 1991. Between 1932 and 1991 with the Football Federation of the Soviet Union there existed its direct predecessor, Football Federation of Ukraine (Ukrainian SSR). The Soviet federation of Ukraine also conducted own championship, cup competitions, competitions among amateur teams (collectives of physical culture), as well as had own national team which participated exclusively in Soviet competitions such as the Spartakiad of Peoples of the USSR.

The first governing body was created in summer of 1918 in Kharkiv as All Ukrainian Football Union by its constituent assembly. The chairman of the Union became V. Agiton, while a secreatary treasurer – B. Shifrin. After the Bolshevik's occupation, in 1932 there was created the All Ukrainian Football Section in Kharkiv and was part of the Ukrainian Council of Physical Culture that administered all types of sports. The first elected president was a Kharkiv football referee Oleksandr Yakovych Levitin who published a book "Game rules of football in questions and answers" ("Правила гри у футбол у питаннях і відповідях"). However, it fully was still controlled and subordinated to the Moscow's main governing body. According to its commentary, that was made in order for the associations of those four countries in advance build their relations with football unions of other countries, and their footballers participate in friendlies of national team levels. The first round of the 1992 Higher League was scheduled on 6–7 March 1992. On 29 April 1992 the FFU scheduled its first international friendly with the Hungary national football team. The head coach of the national team was originally planned to appoint Valeriy Lobanovskyi, who at that time headed the UAE national football team. It was diaspora that made possible for the national to play games in the United States. At the XXII Congress in Zaporizhzhia, the Football Federation of Ukraine was renamed into the Ukrainian Association of Football. For that decision voted 79 Congress delegates.

The association announced the suspension of the Ukrainian Premier League on 24 February 2022, the day of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

The main decisions of all national importance are discussed at the meetings of the Congress of Football Federation of Ukraine (FFU). Congress also elects the president and vice presidents (presidential cabinet) of federation and confirms several football government bodies such as presidium, executive committee, appellation committee, and others. The congress is more of a legislative body of government and sets goals and directions for the development of football in the country. All official meetings of various football government institutions take place at the "Building of Football" (Budynok futbolu) in Kyiv. All structural and organizational issues are executed by the Executive Committee (Vykonkom). The executive committee consists of about 30 people and includes the presidential cabinet of federation. To assist the executive committee there exists a presidium which organizes the meetings of the Vykonkom. The presidium composed of 16 people, among which are all the members of the presidential cabinet as well.

The federation also has two judicial bodies of government: the control disciplinary committee (KDK) and the appellation committee. Those are small committees and are confirmed by the congress of Football Federation of Ukraine. Aside of the above mentioned organizations there are numerous other committees and directorates that supplement in the organization of football events in Ukraine. Among the most important are the Committee of professional football, the Committee of national teams, the Committee of referees, the Expert Commission, the Council of a strategic development of professional football, and many others. There are also collective members of federation that include various public organizations such as regional federation, student associations, independent leagues, travel agencies, others. The importance of collective members is that every single one of them can delegate up to three its representatives to the Congress and announce its own candidates on the position of the president.

After German weekly news magazine "Der Spiegel" published its investigation titled "How did the UEFA payments get to the British Virgin Islands?" the UAF addressed the State Bureau of Investigations, Prosecutor General's Office and the Internal Ministry of Ukraine filing a claim that Hryhorii Surkis, former president of the Football Federation of Ukraine, has committed a criminal offence stealing hundreds of millions Euro. According to "Der Spiegel", starting from 1999 (that is for almost 15 years) the UEFA has been transferring the money (in general €380 million) allocated for the Football Federation (now Ukrainian Association of Football) to Newport management Ltd. – an offshore entity. This company is registered in the British Virgin Islands and, according to the publication, is controlled by Hryhorii Surkis, who had been chairing the FFU from 2000 till 2012, and who's been a member of the UEFA executive committee for more than 10 years until February 2019). In March 2018 at the FFU Executive Committee the FFU first vice president Oleksandr Bandurko was accused of wasting 2 million euros back in 2003 when he along with Hryhoriy Surkis announced construction of a training center for national team in suburb of Kyiv, Horenychi. On 19 February 2020 Andriy Pavelko was forced to sign his letter of resignation as a chairman of the FIFA Disciplinary Committee. In October 2022, owner of FC Rukh Lviv, Hryhoriy Kozlovskyi, accused the UAF president in the collapse of Ukrainian football. On 29 November 2022 both the UAF president Andriy Pavelko and general secretary Yuriy Zapisotskyi were placed in jail on the order of the Pecherska District Courty of Kyiv City. Their bond was set to 9,880 thousands hryvnias. On 17 February 2023 the Pechersk District Court of Kyiv City granted the request for removal from office the UAF president Andriy Pavelko. Earlier on 29 November 2022, Mr. Pavelko has been issued arrest by the court in connection with the disappearance of a million euros on a scheme with the construction of a factory of artificial coverings for football fields. Between 2018 and 2020, there were opened 12 criminal proceedings against Pavelko, but none were finalized. Coincidently Pavelko's lawyer is "kindred" (godparenting) with Artem Sytnyk (former National Anti Corruption Bureau of Ukraine director). Unlike the previous court order that was adopted earlier in February and later was appealed, the new one was adopted to be executed immediately. On 9 October 2023, the Zaporizhia Oblast Association of Football requested removal of Anatoliy Demyanenko from the office of UAF first vice president and appointment of acting UAF general secretary. Soon thereafter two more regional football organizations (Zakarpattia Oblast and Kirovohrad Oblast) supported the request. The Ukrainian Association of Football posted couple of explanatory articles about its offshore company and its factory in Kramatarosk.