The global players union for professional footballers has confirmed two Ukrainian stars have died during Russia’s invasion.
FIFPRO revealed on Wednesday 💶 Vitalii Sapylo, 21, and Dmytro Martynenko, 25, had been killed in Ukraine.
“Our thoughts are with the families, friends, and teammates 💶 of young Ukrainian footballers Vitalii Sapylo and Dmytro Martynenko, football’s first reported losses in this war,” FIFPRO tweeted. “May they 💶 both rest in peace.”
Sapylo played for Karpaty Lviv’s youth team as a goalkeeper and the club paid tribute to him 💶 in a statement that said: “We cherish the eternal memory of this hero.”
Sapylo’s father Roman reportedly told German publication BILD: 💶 “He was such a happy, fun-loving boy. It was an air strike by that damn Putin. He took my child 💶 from me.
“He really wanted to fight. First one tank broke down, then the second. But under no circumstances did he 💶 want to leave the front.”
Martynenko played for Ukrainian second-division side FC Gostomel.
On Wednesday FIFPRO’s General Secretary Jonas Baer-Hoffmann spoke to 💶 BBC radio about the tragedy.
“We’ve had confirmation from the ground (of their deaths) which is of course incredibly sad,” he 💶 said. “We don’t have clear information on how many of our members are really currently involved in the conflict.
“Of course 💶 there are still hundreds of Ukrainian players, male and female, in the country so it’s very difficult right now to 💶 get an overview how many of them are at what degree of risk.
“Our union on the ground is effectively working 💶 out of bunkers and cellars.
“These two players have passed away as part of this military invasion.
“They’re showing how football and 💶 sport in general is just an afterthought because they’re just individuals who unfortunately got caught up in this terrible war.”
Meanwhile, 💶 the International Biathlon Union (IBU) confirmed 19-year-old professional skier Yevhen Malyshev had been killed in the fighting.
“Above all, the IBU 💶 expresses its deepest condolences on the loss of former Ukrainian biathlete Yevhen Malyshev (19), who died this week serving in 💶 the Ukrainian military,” the union wrote.
“The Executive Board once again condemns the Russian attacks on Ukraine and the support provided 💶 by Belarus.”
Dmytro Martynenko. Source: Twitter
Vitalii Sapylo. Source: Supplied
Professional athletes are among those Ukrainians staying behind the fight against the Russian 💶 invasion. Tennis star Sergiy Stakhovsky, who famously beat Roger Federer at Wimbledon in 2013, has returned to Kyiv to take 💶 part in the struggle to repel the Russians.
“I know how to use the gun. If I’ll have to, I’ll have 💶 to. I pretty much hope that I won’t have to use the gun,” Stakhovsky told BBC Radio 4’s Today program.
Questioned 💶 about the difficulty of leaving his wife Anfisa and children at their home in Hungary, he said: “I’m still not 💶 sure how I’ve done it.
“I know that it’s extremely hard on my wife. My kids don’t know that I’m here. 💶 They don’t understand war. They’re too little to understand what’s going on.”
Three-weight boxing champion Vasiliy Lomachenko is believed to have 💶 joined the fight too. The 34-year-old was photographed wearing military uniform with a rifle across his shoulder in a post 💶 on his Facebook page.
World heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk, who defeated Anthony Joshua in September, is also said to have left 💶 London to take part in the war.
Asked by the BBC to confirm whether Usyk had gone to Ukraine to fight, 💶 his promoter Alexander Krassyuk said “every Ukrainian joined the defence”.
Ukrainian heavyweight icon Vitali Klitschko, the current Mayor of Kyiv, will 💶 serve in the war. The 50-year-old’s brother Wladimir has also signed up as a reserve for the territorial forces.
“I am 💶 Ukrainian, and I am a fighter,” Wladimir Klitschko said on Monday. “Our strongest force is the will and desire to 💶 live in a free country, and we have chosen the direction we want to go.”
