You're reading: Konkov, Surkis to jointly defend interests of FFU in FIFA

Kyiv, October 2 (Interfax-Ukraine) – President of the Football Federation of Ukraine (FFU) Anatoliy Konkov and honorary president of the FFU, UEFA Vice President Hryhoriy Surkis will jointly defend the interests of the national associations in FIFA.

“A telephone conversation took place today between FFU President Anatoliy Konkov, who is currently in Zurich, and Honorary President of the FFU, Vice President of UEFA, Hryhoriy Surkis. As a result of the talk, they agreed on joint actions to find the way out of the crisis that has arisen as a result of the FIFA sanctions applied against the FFU,” the FFU press service reported on Tuesday.

After this conversation, Surkis departed for the FIFA headquarters in Zurich, Switzerland.

As reported, the FIFA Disciplinary Committee at a meeting on September 27 decided that the 2014 World Cup qualifier between Ukraine and Poland in Kharkiv on October 11 would be played without spectators. In addition, Ukraine will be banned from playing in the Arena Lviv stadium as of September 27 and for the whole duration of the preliminary competition for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.

In the 2014 World Cup qualifier between Ukraine and San Marino, which was played in Lviv, Ukraine, on September 6, 2013, both the referee and the match commissioner reported several incidents involving pyrotechnical devices. Moreover, FIFA was informed by FARE (Football Against Racism Europe), that several racist and discriminatory incidents were apparently perpetrated by local supporters during the match, in particular by displaying neo-Nazi banners and by making “monkey noises and gestures,” as well as Nazi salutes.

The Football Federation of Ukraine will appeal against the FIFA sanctions. The FFU president left for FIFA headquarters to defend Ukraine’s position.