The Ukrainian Football Association has reached an agreement with UEFA regarding the national team's jersey for the European Championship, which had sparked anger in Russia due to its design. Ukrainian Association President Andriy Pavelko announced on Facebook that "the negotiations were extremely difficult and hit dead ends multiple times, but nevertheless, we succeeded in reaching a settlement with UEFA."
He added that the slogan "Glory to the Heroes" will be part of a new emblem added to the inside of the jersey, noting that the phrase will be removed from its original position on the collar. He continued, "I am confident that it will bring good luck to our men. UEFA requested the removal or complete coverage of the slogan," emphasizing that the design would remain unchanged on the commemorative shirts that are set to go on sale next week, according to Spanish newspaper AS.
The Ukrainian decision came in response to UEFA's request for modifications to the national team's jersey.
What is the story behind the jersey? The Ukrainian jersey design, which features yellow and blue colors, includes a map of the country that depicts Crimea, which was annexed by Russia in 2014. Pavelko presented the new outfit on his Facebook page, praising it as a symbol of "the indivisible homeland," which is meant to inspire players "to compete for all of Ukraine," according to the Associated Press.
The front of the yellow jersey shows Ukraine's borders in white, along with a slogan on the back that says "Glory to Ukraine!" and an internal phrase that states "Glory to the Heroes!", both of which are used as formal military greetings in Ukraine, according to Reuters.
Russia quickly rejected the jersey design, describing it as "provocative," and the spokesperson for the Russian Foreign Ministry, Maria Zakharova, mocked the design, calling it a "desperate" gesture. Dmitry Svishchov, a member of the Russian parliament, condemned the Ukrainian uniform as a political gesture aimed at merging sports with politics, stating that displaying a map of Ukraine "including Russian territories is illegal."
Reuters reported Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stating that the choice of Ukraine's official uniform was a matter for the tournament organizers. In response to a question about whether the Ukrainian jersey could exacerbate issues if Ukraine and Russia faced each other in the knockout stage of the tournament, Peskov said, "Sports are sports, and we need to rise above inciting hatred between Russians and Ukrainians."
