Dynamo Kiev launches disabled supporters association

On the 13th of November 2014, CAFE’s European Head of Development Elena Karpukhina, and Project Coordinator in Ukraine Oleksandr Ostapa, attended an event dedicated to the launch of a Disabled Supporters Association at Dynamo Kiev.

A large number of disabled supporters gathered at the NSC Olympisyky Stadium in Kiev to celebrate the newly-created group, representing all disabled Dynamo Kiev fans.

During the press conference, one of Dynamo Kiev's most well-known football players, Oleksandr Shovkovskiy, and the White-Blues official Fan-club president Serhiy Mykhailenko handed a branded T-shirt to the new coordinator of DSA, Vladislav Platonenko.

Serhiy said, "The DSA will work hard to fully incorporate disabled fans in the life of the club, including attending matches, training sessions and all social events".

Elena added: "I am very pleased that we helped to create the DSA together with Dynamo Kiev and NSC Olympiysky Stadium. I hope that this will give disabled fans the opportunity to attend more football matches, meet new friends, communicate with the players and also to speak with one voice for a more inclusive future".

At the end of the press conference, Elena announced that Oleksander Shovkovskiy had accepted the invitation to become CAFE’s newest ambassador in Ukraine.

CAFE believes that this initiative will give better strength to disabled Dynamo Kiev fans, and we congratulate them on the creation of the DSA. We look forward to working together closely.

The launch of the DSA also received mainstream media attention in Kiev, as can be seen in the below video: