In the light of fundamental and thorough preparing to conducting of EURO 2012 Football Federation of Ukraine (FFU) naturally concentrates its main attention upon this milestone event. But at the same time the football association never gives up its many programs of social implication. Among them one of the most important is developing football of the handicapped.
Sensational victory
Ukrainian disabled footballers get financial, technical, equipping and methodical support from FFU through the Football Association of the Invalids (FAI). And in their turn these great people glorify our country almost at all international competition. Thus, recently Ukrainians drew attention of the world of deaf and hearing impaired sport. The Ukrainian national team sensationally won 2nd World Deaf Futsal Championships held in Bulgarian capital Sofia from 8-18 November.
Three goals in final
The ‘yellow-blue’ players under the direction of Oleksandr Kunytsa and Oleksandr Vereschaka were best out of 24 teams including European champions from Russia and pre-tournament favorites Spain, Netherlands, Italy and hosts Bulgaria. But none of the world deaf futsal heavyweights reached the final match where Ukraine defeated Thailand (3:2) by the goals of Oleksandr Chalenko, Igor Khozyainov and Dmytro Puchkov.
“Bronze” from Brazil
On the other end of the earth − in Brazil − Ukrainians were not so lucky. They were the main favorites of 3rd World Cup among footballers with cerebral paralysis effect but this time Ukraine team had to be content with the third place. But nevertheless it is one more great achievement of the champions of world (1998, 2003), Europe (1999, 2002, 2006), and Paralympics (2004).
Help and support
Against major breakthroughs of cerebral palsy and hearing impaired national teams the seventh position of Ukraine in Amputee World Cup-2007 which was held in Turkish Ankara from 12-20 November seems not very big deal. But the president of Ukrainian FAI Borys Voskresenskiy says that every result of our disabled footballers makes everybody proud of them. “We can only be delighted with these great sportsmen and human-beings! They show us the way to be really strong and fight through every hardship, and FFU with FAI will do everything to help and support them”, − he promises.
