On Tuesday, it was reported that soccer players from Ukraine had died during the Russian invasion of the country.
Vitaly Sapelo, a former youth player of Karpaty Lviv club, and Dmitrio “Dima” Martinenko of Gostomel team died.
The International Federation of Professional Footballers (FIFPro) expressed its sorrow for the deaths of the players.
“Our sympathies are with the families, friends and colleagues of the Ukrainian football players Vitaly Sapelo, 21, and Dmytro Martinenko, 25, the first two football deaths of this war,” Fifbro said. May they both rest in peace.
The Karapati club announced the death of Sapelo, and stated in a statement: On Friday, February 25, a student of our school, Vitaly Sapelo, died near Kyiv. Our sincere condolences to his family. Immortal memory of the hero.
Reports indicated that Sabelo was a tank commander and died in battle with Russian forces while defending Kyiv.
And the Ukrainian media reported what the Ukrainian Football Association announced on its Facebook page regarding Martinenko’s death, and stated that he and his mother died following a bomb fell on their house.
The International and European Football Associations announced that the Russian teams were banned from competitions at the club and team level until further notice.