“Coming was not an easy decision because our families, our hearts and our thoughts are in Ukraine“, confides the manager of Motor Zaporizhia, Dmitry Karpushenko. It was he who coordinated the transfer of his team to Düsseldorf (North Rhine-Westphalia), to line up in the 2nd division of the German Handball Championship. The 22 handball players, nine times champions of Ukraine, were able to regain the grounds, which they had abandoned because of the Russian invasion.
On the sporting level, the club is having a complicated start to the season: four defeats and a single match. win. The players admit it: they had a hard time concentrating on the championship. “Of course I’m happy to be here, with the team, and to be able to play. But the most important thing for me is the situation in my country, and that everything goes well for my family“, says left winger Oleksandr Kasai, 25, from the edge of the field.
“We are fighting for Ukraine, to show Europe, and the world, that Ukrainian handball still exists and to give hope to our compatriots by giving them positive emotions.”
Dmitry Karpushenko, manager of Motor Zaporizhiaat franceinfo
The handball players, aged 19 to 35, hope the “things will change soon to play in Ukraine again“, says Oleksandr Kasai. At his side, the club manager continues: “We are much more effective here, it’s our front.” In addition to players, some of the families and members of the management have also settled in Germany. Around fifty people in total live in reception centers in Düsseldorf.
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A city that was not chosen at random as a base. There were already 7,000 Ukrainians in the capital of North Rhine-Westphalia before the war. The refugees came again to swell the ranks of the community. “We had the ideal conditions here, with an ultra-modern hall that can accommodate 3,000 spectators.“, details Marcel Ortmanns, of the sports department of Düsseldorf.
“City visits, football matches, concerts… We make them feel at home to integrate them as best as possible.”
Marcel Ortmanns, Sports Department Düsseldorfat franceinfo
“They are professional players, handball is their profession, continues Marcel Ortmanns. If they are forced to take a break of one or two years, we do not know if they will be able to regain their level. So for them, it’s very important.”
Zaporijjia management and players now dream that other German cities will follow Düsseldorf’s lead and welcome new Ukrainian teams to allow players to compete on the sports field.