You're reading: Klitschko: Footballer Shevchenko won’t take votes from UDAR Party

UDAR Party leader Vitali Klitschko has said he believes that football player Andriy Shevchenko's joining the Ukraine-Forward! Party led by Natalia Korolevska will not harm the popularity rating of the UDAR Party, the party's reported on Monday.

Klitschko said that these political parties have different ideological platforms and focus on different voters.

He said in an interview with TSN.ua that the UDAR Party was a
political party uniting people with its ideology, rather than a sport
club or fan club.

“And it’s absolute mistake to think that we will divide voters using sport,” Klitschko said.

He said that the choice was “between the values and vision of which
policies and government can and should be like” in Ukraine, rather than
between athletes and sports.

While commenting on Shevchenko’s intention to begin a career in
politics, Klitschko said: “If a person decides to enter politics three
months before the elections, it should be a very balanced and
well-thought-out decision. I very much hope that this is a sincere
impulse of the soul.”

“I would not like a great athlete to become a participant in somebody’s political schemes,” he said.