Anatoliy Tymoschuk, former skipper of the Ukrainian National Football Team, may face heavy punishment due to his silence on the Russian invasion of Ukraine and his association with a Russian football club.
THE SILENCE OF TYMOSCHUK HAS DRAWN THE ATTENTION OF UAF
Tymoschuk, who is currently an assistant coach of Russian Premier League club Zenit Saint Petersburg, would, in all probability, face harsh punishment for his silence on the Russia-Ukraine issue that has drawn global attention. While most Ukrainians involved in Russian sports teams have vacated their respective posts, Tymoshchuk has neither left his post as an assistant coach, nor publicly criticized the Russian invasion of his nation.
The Ukrainian Football Association has called for Anatoliy Tymoshchuk to be stripped of all his awards and titles 🇺🇦
The former midfielder, who won 144 caps for Ukraine and is now assistant coach at Zenit, has yet to publicly come forward and address the conflict with Russia 🇷🇺 pic.twitter.com/ClHYMxZcQC
— GOAL News (@GoalNews) March 9, 2022
The Ukrainian Football Association (UAF) ethics and fair play committee has stated that the former National captain’s silence and co-operation with a club of the aggressor violate the codes of ethics.
“Since the beginning of Russia’s military aggression against Ukraine, Tymoschuk AA, the former captain of the Ukrainian national team, not only did not make any public statements in this regard, but also did not stop his cooperation with the club of the aggressor. At a time when another former Ukrainian club, FC Bayern Munich (Munich), publishes statements and holds actions in support of Ukraine, Tymoschuk AA continues to remain silent and work for the club of the aggressor. By making this conscious choice, AA Tymoschuk damages the image of Ukrainian football and violates Clause 1.4. Part 1 of Art. 4 of the Code of Ethics and Fair Play UAF,” the statement reads.
The ethics and fair play committee has requested for the revocation of the violator’s pro coaching license, to deprive him of all state awards and honorary titles, to remove him from the official list of winners of Ukrainian football trophies, and, finally, to erase him from the official register of players of UAF national teams.
HE IS UKRAINE’S MOST-CAPPED FOOTBALLER
Tymoschuk is one of Ukraine’s footballing greats. He achieved great success for the likes of Bayern Munich, Shakhtar Donetsk and Zenit Saint Petersburg, and is considered a club legend in the latter two. He is the Ukrainian with the highest number of national caps, with 144 appearances to his name.
The midfielder, who appeared as a part of Ukraine’s maiden FIFA World Cup squad in 2006, has thrice been selected as the Ukrainian Footballer of the Year.
