Petro Dyminsky, a businessman who has been the honorary president of Lviv Karpaty FC since 2001, has fully handed over the administrative powers of the club to the fans of the team, signing an agreement with the Zavzhdy Virni (Always Faithful) public organization of the team's fans.
“Today we’ve taken a historic step, effectively handing over control
of the club to the fans. Now every fan of Karpaty can influence the
adoption of decisions. There is a clear understanding that the club
shouldn’t depend on the private funds of the founders, but over time
must become an independent, financially stable club, [and this] is the
strategic goal of this reorganization,” the press service of the Lviv
club quoted Dyminsky as saying.
Karpaty is the first Ukrainian club to be managed by the fans.
“Every fan can come to our office and share their ideas about how to
make the club better. Now the most active fans, as the managers of the
club, will regularly prepare proposals and formulate demands concerning
the work of the club. All initiatives will be considered and discussed
at general meetings of the club, and if a majority of votes support
them, they will be done. The club’s director general will be charged
with implementing the given decisions. The initiative group will consist
of the members of the Zavzhdy Virni public organization and reelected
by voting,” said the head of the organization, Taras Pavliv.
In turn, Karpaty Director General Ihor Dedyshyn said that this model
of work of the football club, which is unique in Ukraine, was both
promising and viable. He mentioned example of Spain’s Barcelona, where
the fans directly participate in the club’s administration, taking
decisions regarding the selection of management staff.
At the same time Dyminsky remains the honorary president of Karpaty,
and will invest in the club until it becomes self-supporting.
The Lviv club’s press service noted that a daughter of honorary
president of Karpaty, Zhanna Dyminska, and Crystal Holdings Limited are
shareholders in the club. Each shareholder has a 50% stake in the
charter capital of the club. Zhanna Dyminska is a manager, while Crystal
Holdings Limited controls the club. In September 201, Dyminska
concluded an agreement with Zavzhdy Virni organization on management of
the club’s share of corporate rights belonging to her. The fans received
all the powers as a shareholder of the club, except to sell the 50%
share in the club’s charter capital.
