"Ukrainian Paralympic and Deaflympic athletes are shocked by FIFA’s reaction to personal demonstration of positive attitude to Ukraine by players and coaches of the Croatian National Football Team in out-of-match time, in fact, during their leisure time," proclaimed Valeriy Sushkevych, President of the National Sports Committee for the Disabled of Ukraine, Commissioner of the President of Ukraine for the Rights of People with Disabilities on his Facebook page. #FIFA #GlorytoUkraine

"There are no FIFA regulations and competition rules prohibiting any expression of the emotional support by players, coaches, team managers to any country. Such an emotional support FIFA`s president as an official expressed in public to the president of Russia. It has included Facebook publication as well. We have all witnessed it.

We consider FIFA's response is a violation of the Croatian players` and coaches` rights to the freedom of speech.

And finally ...At the time of Paralympic Games and Deaflympic Games, on the national uniform of the National Paralympic and National Deaflympic Teams there has been (and there is) a patriotic, not political slogan - "Glory to Ukraine" ("Слава Україні", “Slava Ukraini”) - an expression of our love and devotion to the people of Ukraine ", states the message of Valeriy Sushkevych.

Press Service of the National Sports Committee for the Disabled of Ukraine