500+ veterans, 8 sports and one goal: Kyiv has hosted the second annual competition “Sport and veterans of war (UBD)”

The second annual competition “Sport and veterans of war (UBD)” has been held in Kyiv — a large-scale initiative that has already become one of the key events in the sports rehabilitation of Ukraine's defenders. It was organised by the National University of Physical Education and Sport of Ukraine and the university's training and rehabilitation centre, which work systematically throughout the year to support veterans and develop an inclusive sporting environment. This year's cycle brought together more than 500 participants competing in eight disciplines: swimming, billiards, table tennis, wheelchair rugby, arm wrestling, futsal and e-sports. For many veterans these starts were not merely a chance to compete but a way back to an active life, to regaining control over body and emotions, to making new friends and feeling again the team spirit so familiar from the front. Sport that restores: a project with real impact The organisers stress that sporting events of this scale are not only about physical activity. They are about reintegration, social support, overcoming barriers and returning to the usual rhythm of life. Acting rector Oleksandr Pyzhov underlines the importance of consistency and involvement: “We see how sport helps veterans not only to recover physically but also to find support in a team, to feel backing and confidence. This project is about unity, strength and the path to new opportunities.” According to specialists, sporting events are the most effective way of helping veterans adapt as they return to civilian life after long service. Here they find themselves among people with similar experience, where they are understood without explanations or formalities. An environment of strength and support The training and rehabilitation centre is actively developing the rehabilitation and social adaptation of veterans. According to its director Viktor Korzh, such projects become a point of support for many participants: “Every day we work so that our veterans get the best opportunities for rehabilitation. These competitions prove that together we are creating an environment where every soldier can feel their own strength and find a new path of development.” Taking part in such events often becomes for veterans a bridge between the past and the future — the moment when they return to activity, feel their strength and find the drive to move forward. Voices of the participants: sport that gives new breath The veterans' impressions are the best testimony to the project's meaning. One participant, Danyil Honcharenko, shares his feelings: “I hadn't felt such drive and support in a long time. Here you understand that you are not alone — beside you are people who have walked a similar road. Sport brings back strength and the wish to move forward.” Similar responses came often from participants in different disciplines. For many of them the competition was their first experience of serious sporting activity after returning from the war. Development and the future: the project is scaling up The organisers say the cycle of competitions will not only continue but also expand. The plans include more disciplines, bringing in new cities and regions, and creating additional programmes for comprehensive rehabilitation of veterans through sport. The team stresses that veterans' rehabilitation is not a one-off event but a long process requiring systematic, professional and humane support. And it is precisely such competitions that prove sport can be not only rest or leisure but a real instrument of returning to life. Special thanks go to the partners who joined in organising these competitions: the Veterans Cluster of Ukraine, the Institute of Veterans “Architecture of Resilience”, the Mass Sports Agency of Ukraine, the fitness centre “Olimpiyskyi Styl”, Morshynska, the National Opera of Ukraine, Axor, Mil Time, the sports society Dynamo Ukrainy, Tryzub, Asino Pharm and Kusum Pharm.