Igor Boiko, Deputy Head of the Donetsk Regional State Administration, participated in a joint online meeting organized by the Ministry of Youth and Sports of Ukraine, the Ministry of Community and Territorial Development of Ukraine, and the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine, as well as a meeting of the Organizing Committee for the preparation and conduct of all-Ukrainian physical education and health events and competitions “Side by Side: All-Ukrainian School and Student Leagues” under the slogan “TOGETHER WE WILL WIN.”
The event was attended by members of the Organizing Committee, representatives of regional state administrations, and relevant structural units responsible for implementing sports initiatives in the regions.
The following topics were discussed during the meeting:
- the organization of the 5th (All-Ukrainian) stage of the “Side by Side All-Ukrainian School Leagues” competition among students of general secondary education institutions in the 2025–2026 academic year;
- the organization of the IV (All-Ukrainian) stage of the “Side by Side All-Ukrainian Student Leagues” competition among students of higher education institutions in the 2025–2026 academic year.
During the meeting, Ihor Boiko reported on the status of project implementation in the Donetsk region.
Specifically, regarding the “Side-by-Side All-Ukrainian School Leagues,” it is noted that as of April 7, 2026, 137 general secondary education institutions, 255 teams, and 1,680 participants have been registered from the region. In 23 local communities, 50 competitions have already been held at the local level in various sports, including chess, table tennis, orienteering, recreational soccer, track and field, cheerleading, basketball, and volleyball.
Regarding the “Side-by-Side All-Ukrainian Student Leagues,” Ihor Boiko reported that as of April 7, 2026, four teams from the Donetsk region had registered for the futsal competitions:
- Donetsk National Technical University (9 participants);
- Donbas State Machine-Building Academy (12 participants);
- Mariupol State University (7 participants);
- Donbas State Pedagogical University (12 participants).
Donetsk Oblast’s participation in nationwide sports initiatives promotes the development of physical culture, the promotion of a healthy lifestyle among young people, and the unification of the student community, even under martial law.