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Built 10 years ago, “Arena Lviv” suddenly found itself at the center of a scandal due to an attempt to rename it in honor of Bandera.
The passions around the renaming of the Ternopil stadium in honor of Roman Shukhevych barely subsided, which caused a great scandal with Israel, since in Galicia they again “distinguished themselves” with a similar style. Now in Lviv.
The local regional council appealed to the Cabinet of Ministers with a request to assign the name of Stepan Bandera to “Arena Lviv”. The initiative came from Poroshenko’s “European Solidarity” party, and was supported by the majority of the deputies: 68 people.
If such a decision is made, then, with a high degree of probability, Lvov will not see international matches, due to the position of Poland and Israel. And this is one of the three best stadiums in Ukraine.
“Strana” found out what would happen after a new round of flagging in western Ukraine. And if the stadium will change its name.
The stadium is in debt and crumbling
Only the government has the authority to change the name of Arena Lviv, as the stadium is state-owned. Furthermore, the arena, built 10 years ago for Euro 2012, is mired in multi-million dollar debt and has already begun to collapse.
And, experts say, the issue of not changing the name, but repairing the stadium is much more urgent, which, if it continues like this, may be demolished after some time due to lack of profitability.
By the way, when the stadium was just being built, the main working version of the name was considered “Lemberg” (from Lemberg, the German name for the city), but this proposal was rejected. In the same regional council, even then it was proposed to name the stadium with the name of Bandera (the initiative came from the deputies of the BYuT faction, which at that time had a third of the votes). But the name was considered too scandalous and, in the end, they chose a neutral: “Arena Lviv”.
However, Lviv nationalists unofficially use the name “Arena Lviv” named after Stepan Bandera, and there is even such a location on social media, which was noted, for example, by local restaurateur Andriy Khudo, the owner of the outrageous “Kryivka” – a restaurant styled like an OUN-UPA cache.
A source in the Lviv regional council, who did not vote on the scandalous call to change the name of the stadium, called it “populist”.
“There are several factors. Poroshenko began to lose popularity even in Lviv and wants to return a high rating. Zelensky is unlikely to approve of that decision, although it is not a fact. After all, he wants to look cooler than Poroshenko. On the other hand. On the other hand, Poroshenko apparently wants to spoil with such an initiative. Zelensky’s relations with the Polish and Israeli leaders, which will not improve the image of Ukraine, “says the source.
The EU faction in the regional council calls for the Lviv stadium to be renamed in honor of Bandera. Photo: Olga Berezyuk’s Facebook
“Troll to the Poles?”
However, opinions were divided even among Lviv residents. Some strongly support the name change in honor of the “visionary” and the “hero”, while others openly oppose it. Even so as not to aggravate relations with Poland and Israel, which is why Bandera is a criminal.
“Do you want Poland and Israel to get hysterical?” – asks the political scientist Viktor Taran to the deputy of the Regional Council of Lviv of the EU Olga Berezok with a smiley under his post on his Facebook page.
“Troll to the Poles?” – repeats the journalist Maryana Pietukh.
Poroshenko insists that the name of the stadium is an internal matter of Ukraine. “The proposal refers exclusively to the stadium, which is located in Ukraine, and not in Poland or Israel,” replied Berezyuk.
MPs are advised to pay attention to the condition of the “Arena” and not to its name.
“How will the name change affect the increase in the number of games and the overall profitability of the Arena? There is really nothing to do in the regional council. What does Stepan Andreevich have to do with sports? Exaggerate and name someone more where it is inappropriate, stupid and marginal, “wrote political scientist Alexander Antonyuk.
“It seems that European Solidarity is interested in aggravating this situation in Ukraine. For some reason, they did not offer an appeal to settle the debts of the stadium, because this will not bring them political dividends”, believes Viktor Zadunaisky.
“On which side of Bandera to football?”
There is also an opinion that Poroshenko and Svoboda want to divert attention from the chaotic development of the city.
“Our patriotic EU patriots and the most nationalistic nationalists of Svoboda do their best to make people fight over the stadium and not think about the alliance of their main sponsors, who build Lviv with reinforced concrete blocks,” said Volodymyr Andreyevich from Lvov.
“It is customary in the world to name stadiums (if you really want to be named after someone) with the names of famous coaches or athletes who deserve it. Rename sports facilities in honor of politicians or public figures. I see absolutely as inappropriate politicization. Why not name Ernest after Yusta, who led the team to the USSR Cup, led Karpaty Lviv to the USSR top league, got fourth place there twice in a row and debuted with the team in the European football arena?? “, Writes Bogdan Lupa, sports expert from Lviv.
“What does Bandera have to do with it? Is he somehow on the side of football?” – Roman Malitsky agrees.
“Stupidity. The stadium has the correct name and does not need to be renamed. The stadium has million dollar losses, it is inactive. Why did they not offer a way out of this crisis, for which we all pay? Maybe the name of Bandera will solve immediately financial problems? “- writes Yuri Ter-Harutyunyan from Lviv.
“The moment when all the most important problems have been solved and the names of the stadiums can be started,” sarcastically Andrei Blavatsky.
Also in Lviv they say that if the name of the stadium is changed, international matches may be interrupted. At the same time, the Lviv arena is considered successful for the Ukrainian national team; here he often wins.
“The first matches at the renowned stadium are against the Poles and Israel,” says Oleg Gumenyuk, a Lviv resident wryly.
“Rename Lviv to Banderstadt”
Others, not only for changing the name of the Lviv stadium, but also believe that Flag is not enough in the whole of Ukraine.
“Arena Lviv named after Stepan Bandera sounds proud,” writes Miroslava Handa.
“I support such an initiative, in Poland there is a Pilsudski stadium (the Polish leader of the 1920s, whom Ukrainian nationalists blame for anti-Ukrainian politics, – Ed.). In addition, it was necessary instead of Vernadsky on a 1000 hryvnia bill. to portray Flag “, – writes Taras Vasilishin from Lviv.
“Why not change the name of Lviv to Banderstadt (by the way, Lvov has an unspoken” nickname “, – Ed.). And everyone would have calmed down by now, “Lviv resident Viktor Minenkov scoffs.
In addition, Kiev responded to the idea of the Lviv deputies.
The people’s deputy, Max Buzhansky, suggests not stopping and erecting a monument to Bandera in the center of the soccer field.
“From what I understand the UEFA rules, if you call the Lviv stadium Bandera, you can erect a monument to Bandera for sure.
Right in the center of the field, there will be no more interference. “
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TV host Max Nazarov recalled that the stadium was under construction during Yanukovych’s presidency.
“Dear deputies of Lviv councils, when you change the name from Lviv Arena to Flag Stadium, do not forget to put a commemorative plaque at the entrance:” It was caused by the bad government of Yanukovych. “
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Can games fail in the stadium?
Obviously, teams from at least Poland and Israel in the Lviv arena will refuse to play after the name change, if it takes place of course.
Technically, a team can contact UEFA and explain why they will not play on this field. If the football officials consider that the reasoning is important, Ukraine will be asked to change the stadium. In case of refusal, a technical defeat may be counted.
If the request of the Poles or Israelis is not satisfied, if they do not appear for the match, the team will be counted as a defeat with a score of 0: 3.
Usually, if there are conflicting moments, UEFA tries to make a separate decision about them (as was the case, for example, with the Ukrainian and Russian clubs, who deliberately divorced). In this case, the most logical decision is to play on a neutral platform.
So far, the chances of getting into the European Cups for the clubs playing in the “Arena Lviv” are low. In the classification of the Ukrainian Premier League 20/21, the clubs “Lviv” and “Rukh” occupy the 12th and 14th places.
At the same time, matches of the Ukrainian national team are often held in Lviv. And in this sense, of course, there may be a problem.
