FIFA President Gianni Infantino has expressed his condolences over the death of Ukrainian footballers in a letter to the president of the Ukrainian Association of Futball (UAF), Andriy Pavelko, the UAF press service has reported.
“Dear President, I would like to express my sincerest and heartfelt condolences on the tragic passing of the football players, Vitalii Sapylo and Dmytro Martynenko. Words seem inadequate to describe the sadness we feel for these losses.
Vitalii Sapylo, member of FC Karpaty Lviv, and Dmytro Martynenko, FC Gostomel plyer, will not be forgotten, and both will be truly missed.
On behalf of the international football community, I wish to extend my deepest condolences to the Ukrainian Association of Football, FC Karpaty Lviv, FC Gostomel and, most importantly, to Vitalii's and Dmytro's families, teammates, friends and loved ones. Our thoughts are with all of you.
We hope that, in some way, our words of support can bring a little peace and solace in this time of sadness.
Sincerely yours,
Gianni Infantino”
Earlier, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy awarded the title Hero of Ukraine to Lt Vitalii Sapylo posthumously.
Sapylo, 21, was a student of the Lviv Karpaty Youth Football School. He was a tank commander. He was killed in a battle on 25 February.