KIEV-(MaraviPost)-Two Ukrainian Footballers, Vitalii Sapylo, and Dmytro Martynenko, been killed following their country’s invasion by Russia.
FIFPRO, the global players’ union, announced this in a statement on Tuesday afternoon, March 1.
“Our thoughts are with the families, friends, and teammates of young Ukrainian footballers Vitalii Sapylo (21) and Dmytro Martynenko (25), football’s first reported losses in this war. May they both rest in peace, ” reads part of FIFPRO’s statement.
The 25-year-old Martynenko, who last played for second-tier FC Gostomel, was reportedly killed after Russian bombs hit his home in an apartment block in the capital, DailyMail reported.
While reports suggest Sapylo, a 21-year-old goalkeeper with third-tier side Karpaty Lviv, has died in Kyiv last Friday after joining the army as a tank commander.
This is the first reported losses in the football fraternity since the conflict began last week.
Football has largely turned against Russia following the invasion, with both the country and its clubs banned from Fifa and Uefa competition, including this summer’s women’s European Championship and next month’s men’s World Cup qualifying play-offs.