The vice-president of the Ukrainian Association of Football (UAF), Oleg Protasov, has urged fellow members of Ukraine's soccer government body to think again about trying to oust President Andriy Pavelko from his post.
There had been reports that there could be domestic moves to replace Pavelko, after he was arrested in November for allegedly misusing international aid funds, with arguably Ukraine's best ever player and former national team manager, Andriy Shevchenko.
Newsweek previously reported that FIFA and UEFA had threatened Ukraine with suspension if an extraordinary meeting took place to discuss the presidency of the UAF. Protasov revealed on his Facebook page that soccer's governing bodies had made the threat.
Pavelko is being investigated by the National Police, the State Bureau of Investigation, the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine and the Prosecutor's Office over at least 10 alleged criminal cases.
He was arrested on charges of embezzlement by Kyiv Pechersk Court but was released on bail of UAH10,000,000 ($270,000).
This was paid by the UAF and, despite the arrest, Protasov has said that Pavelko still has full power at the top of the UAF.
Protasov wrote on Facebook on December 19: "FIFA and UEFA, in a letter addressed to the vice-presidents of the UAF, remind that the Ukrainian Association should manage its affairs without the influence of third parties.
"Any violation of this obligation may lead to the suspension of the membership of the UAF in FIFA and UEFA in accordance with Art. 16 of the FIFA Statute and Art. 9 of the UEFA Statute."
Protasov later warned that any attempt to have an extraordinary meeting would be "doomed to failure" and "catastrophic" for Ukrainian soccer.
There have been fears that the Ukrainian Security Service (SBU) could be involved and there have been allegations that it is a Russian plot to "kill Ukrainian football."
In another post on Facebook, Protasov reminded people that there is no meeting declared and if one takes place, it is without authorization.
He wrote: "According to unofficial data, the meeting of the Executive Committee of the Ukrainian Football Association is being prepared. As the first vice president and member of the UAF Executive Committee, I officially declare that the UAF Executive committee meeting for tomorrow is NOT SCHEDULED. Not another, not extra!
"Any attempts to organize some staged 'spectacles' that will end up trying to call the UAF Executive Committee are doomed to failure and will be interpreted as gross and illegal interference in the activities of the independent public union that is the UAF."
Protasov continued: "The same status—illegal actions—will have and attempts to make the results of such 'spectacles' or other changes to the Unified Register of Public Formations. There is information about such plans of individuals.
"The authors of these illegal manipulations should realize that their actions will lead to only one thing: catastrophic consequences for the whole football Ukraine at the level of UEFA and FIFA, which these organizations have already warned the day before.
"Therefore, we, together with the first Vice Presidents of the UAF Anatoly Demianenko and Alexei Mikhailchenko, addressed the Minister of Justice of Ukraine Mr. Denis Malyuska to prevent this disaster. We believe that the law, common sense and Ukrainian football will win! Glory to Ukraine!"
Newsweek has contacted FIFA and the UAF for comment.
Protasov had previously said in a Facebook post that the UAF president was the only one who can convene a meeting.
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
