Igor Petrov Becomes President of Fake Shakhtar in Self-Proclaimed 'DPR'
Former Ukrainian national team midfielder Igor Petrov has been appointed as the president of the so-called football club Shakhtar, operating under the conditions of the self-proclaimed 'DPR'. This announcement was made on the Gorlovka.ua website, which specializes in regional news.
Igor Petrov, a 62-year-old former midfielder for the Ukrainian national team, has taken on the role of president for the self-styled football club Shakhtar, which is functioning in the context of the self-proclaimed 'DPR'. This information was reported by Gorlovka.ua, a news outlet focused on the region.
Petrov, who has been leading the football union of the so-called 'DPR' since 2016, recently acquired Russian citizenship, marking another step in his football career tied to this region. He previously played for clubs such as Donetsk Shakhtar, Metalurh (Donetsk), as well as Israeli teams Beitar and Ironi.
It is important to note that Petrov has played three matches for the Ukrainian national team. His debut occurred on September 7, 1994, during the Euro 1996 qualifiers in a match against Lithuania. This match was significant as Petrov became the first captain of the Ukrainian national team in official games, highlighting his importance in the history of Ukrainian football.
After retiring as a player in 1998, Petrov transitioned to coaching. He initially worked within the structure of Donetsk Shakhtar and served as the head coach of Donetsk Olimpik from 2005 to 2012, further emphasizing his long-standing connection to football in Ukraine.
However, following the onset of the Russian occupation of Donetsk in 2014, Petrov remained in the city and began working as a football official in the so-called 'DPR'. This decision has raised many questions, as it suggests his support for the regime controlling the territory.
The clone of the real Shakhtar, which Petrov leads, competes in Division B of the Second League of Russia. It was previously reported that this fake team earned the right to participate in this tournament after winning the so-called Commonwealth League—a competition involving clubs from occupied territories of Ukraine. This situation has sparked outrage among Ukrainian fans and football officials.
The home matches of this pseudo-club are held in Taganrog, Russia, further underscoring its detachment from Ukrainian football. Additionally, representatives of the occupying authorities have announced plans to create a training base for the team in Abkhazia, indicating their ambitions to develop this project.
Besides Shakhtar, a fake Zorya also competes in Russia, highlighting the issue of integrating fictitious clubs into Russian football. Ukraine has previously reached out to UEFA regarding this situation, expressing concerns about the integration of the fake Shakhtar and Zorya into Russian football. These actions raise alarms not only in Ukraine but also on the international stage, as they threaten the integrity of football competitions.