The second annual “Sports and War Veterans (UBD)” competition took place in Kyiv — a large-scale initiative that has already become one of the key events in the field of sports rehabilitation for Ukrainian defenders. The organizers were the National University of Physical Education and Sports of Ukraine and the Training and Rehabilitation Center of the NUPESU, which have been working systematically throughout the year to support veterans and develop an inclusive sports environment.
This year’s series of competitions brought together more than 500 participants who competed in eight disciplines:
swimming, billiards, table tennis, wheelchair rugby, arm wrestling, futsal, and e-sports.
For many veterans, these competitions were not just an opportunity to compete, but a way to return to an active life, feel control over their bodies and emotions, find new friends, and relive the team spirit so familiar from the front lines.
Sport that restores: a project with real impact
The organizers emphasize that sporting events of this scale are not just about physical activity. They are about reintegration, social support, overcoming barriers, and returning to a normal rhythm of life.
Acting Rector of the National University of Physical Education and Sports of Ukraine Oleksandr Pyzhov emphasizes the importance of consistency and involvement:
“We see how sport helps veterans not only to recover physically, but also to find support in the team, to feel support and confidence. This project is about unity, strength, and the path to new opportunities.”
According to experts, sporting events are the most effective way to help veterans adapt to civilian life after long periods of service. Here, they find themselves among people with similar experiences, where they are understood without explanations or conventions.
An environment of strength and support
The NUFVSU Training and Rehabilitation Center is actively developing the field of rehabilitation and social adaptation of veterans. According to the center’s director, Viktor Korzh, such projects become a point of support for many participants:
“Every day, we work to ensure that our veterans receive the best opportunities for rehabilitation. These competitions are proof that through joint efforts, we are creating an environment where every soldier can feel their own strength and find a new path for development.”
Participation in such events often becomes a bridge between the past and the future for veterans — a moment when they return to activity, feel their strength, and receive inspiration to move forward.
Participants’ voices: sport that gives new life
The impressions of the veterans are the best evidence of the project’s significance.
One of the participants, Danylo Honcharenko, shares his feelings:
“I haven’t felt such drive and support in a long time. Here you realize that you are not alone — there are others who have walked a similar path. Sport restores your strength and desire to move forward.”
Similar comments were often heard from participants in various disciplines. For many of them, the competition was their first experience of serious sporting activity since returning from the war.
Development and future: the project is scaling up
The organizers say that the competition cycle will not only continue but also expand.
The plans include increasing the number of disciplines, involving new cities and regions, and creating additional programs for the comprehensive rehabilitation of veterans through sports.
The NUFVSU team emphasizes that veteran rehabilitation is not a one-time event, but a long-term process that requires systematic, professional, and humane support. And it is precisely such competitions that prove that sport can be not only recreation or leisure, but also a real tool for returning to life.
Special thanks to the partners who joined in organizing these competitions: the Ukrainian Veterans Cluster, the Veterans Institute “Architecture of Sustainability,” the Ukrainian Mass Sports Agency, the “Olympic Style” fitness center, Morshynska, the Ukrainian National Opera, Aksor, Mil Time, the Dynamo Ukraine Physical Culture and Sports Society, Trident, Asino Farm, and Kusum Farm.
COMPETITION, GONCHARENKO, SPORTS, war veterans, Корж, Пижов, УБД
