ГО "Карпати" / NGO Karpaty

TO: FC Karpaty Administration;
Football Federation of Ukraine;
Premier League.

OPEN LETTER

     From the Premier League official web-site we found out that FC Karpaty was warned for “Non-conformity of sector no.16 of Ukrayina stadium to Regulations on certification of Ukrainian football clubs and UEFA Stadium Infrastructure Regulations” where spectators stood at 2-nd, 4-th and 6-th rounds of the Ukrainian Premier League. Also our club was forbidden to allow people enter this sector until it is prepared according to abovementioned regulations.
     In other words, FC Karpaty is obliged to put back individual plastic seats in the sector no. 16.
We, the active supporters – fans of FC Karpaty, strongly disagree with the decision of Ukrainian Premier Leage Disciplinary Committee concerning prevention of exploiting the sector no. 16. It was a result of our numerous demands to FC
     Karpaty that the club’s administration decided to take away plastic seats from the sector no. 16, where active fans gather and support FC Karpaty at home matches.
Our demands to take away seats were based on following reasons:
1. Active FC Karpaty fans have been supporting their team in our stadim in standing fashion for over 20 years, and that is the way many other fans support their teams in other world staiums;
2. Supporting a team when standing is more convenient and secure in stands without seats with plastic backs. After disassembling of seats in the sector no. 16 there were no injuries among standing fans in these stands.
3. The absence of seats made positive influence on prevention of lawbreakings with respect to throwing and destroying of plastic seats. Unfortunately plastic seats can be easily damaged and destroyed in the process of active supporting.
4. Also the abovementioned step resulted in reducing of misunderstandings in relations between club’s fans, administration and police. Before lots of conflicts appeared because of damaging the seats in the sector no. 16 and fines which were consequently imposed on FC Karpaty by the Premier League.
     According to information we have, in other countries, especially in Germany, clubs are allowed to disassemble seats with obligation to put them back for international matches.
     Taking into account the abovementioned arguments we consider such approach of the Premier League rather not right for solving this problem.
     We, FC Karpaty fans, demand taking into account interests of active fans, for which such organisations as FFU or PL exist, and reconsider the possibility of holding matches in stadiums with standing terraces.
     We are sure that active fans all over Ukraine also support us.
     Let’s get united for football sake.

Serhiy Malkov,
Heorhiy Lushchenko,
Mykhaylo Korniy,
Anna Kandyba,
Roman Shymechko,
Serhiy Senchyshyn…
(762 signatures in total)