Renat Popruzhny, a 16-year-old player, has been released by "Odesa Football Media Team" following a controversial incident with former Ukraine national team player Yevhen Seleznov during a match against "FC Armat".
The teenage footballer, known as RENEPRO, reportedly confronted Seleznov about speaking Russian, which quickly escalated into a heated exchange. The video of their interaction went viral across social media platforms, creating unexpected backlash.
"We view the actions of player Popruzhny and, primarily, his father Artem as a display of disrespect toward our team. It was the father who created a situation that went beyond the sporting context and has negative consequences," the club stated in their official announcement.
Interestingly, "Odesa Football Media Team" claims that the video clearly shows Seleznov actually speaking Ukrainian, not Russian as alleged. The club believes the publication of the video was a deliberate provocation intended to create conflict where none existed.
The club didn't mince words about their position on the matter.
"We are convinced: using language issues for publicity is unacceptable. It not only divides the football community but also casts a shadow on those who engage in such behavior," the statement continued.
The Odesa-based media football team has officially apologized to Seleznov and the entire Ukrainian media football community. While thanking young Renat for his contribution to media football development in Odesa, they emphasized the importance of responsibility for actions that extend beyond the playing field.
Could this incident spark a broader conversation about language politics in Ukrainian sports? The controversy certainly highlights the sensitive nature of language issues in post-2022 Ukrainian society, even in recreational football formats.
