Andriy Pavelko, the former president of the Ukrainian Football Federation, has been detained in Slovakia, according to the Prosecutor General’s Office. He is accused of organising a scheme to siphon off nearly 295 million hryvnias from the federation’s funds through fictitious contracts for the supply of goods which, according to the investigation, did not exist. Ukraine has already initiated extradition proceedings.
Briefly about the main points
- Pavelka was arrested in Slovakia, according to the Office of the Prosecutor General.
- He is accused of organising a scheme to siphon off nearly 295 million hryvnias.
- The investigation points to fictitious contracts for the supply of goods.
- Ukraine has informed Slovakia of its intention to submit an extradition request.
- Extradition is not automatic and requires procedural decisions in Slovakia.
Investigators allege that the supplies were fictitious
According to the Office of the Prosecutor General, funds belonging to the Ukrainian Football Federation were siphoned off via contracts for the supply of seafood, tea, coffee and equipment. The investigation claims that these goods did not actually exist.
Pavelka is accused of organising this scheme. The case involves almost 295 million hryvnias of the federation’s funds. At this stage of the proceedings, these allegations represent the prosecution’s case and do not imply a finding of guilt by the court.
Ukraine has initiated the procedure for issuing
According to a statement from the Office of the Prosecutor General, citing Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko, the arrest took place in Bratislava. The Ukrainian authorities have sent a letter to the Slovak authorities stating their intention to submit an extradition request and to seek his provisional detention.
This marks the start of formal discussions regarding the possible transfer of the detainee to Ukraine, but does not mean he will be handed over immediately. Ukraine and Slovakia are signatories to the European Convention on Extradition.
What might the next steps be?
In order to consider the issue of extradition, the Slovak authorities must receive a duly completed set of documents, including the decision forming the basis for the search, a description of the alleged offences and their legal classification. The admissibility of extradition is assessed in the first instance by a court, whilst the final administrative decision authorising extradition is taken by the Slovak Minister of Justice.
The timeframe for the proceedings and their outcome have not been publicly specified. They will depend on the submission of documents, Pavelko’s position and the procedural decisions of the Slovak authorities.
Current status of the case
Pavelko had been at the helm of the Football Federation of Ukraine, which later became the Ukrainian Football Association, since March 2015. In January 2024, Andriy Shevchenko was elected president of the UAF.
In November 2022, Pavelko was charged in a case involving the embezzlement of funds, and by the end of 2025 he was listed as a fugitive from the pre-trial investigation authorities. His arrest may remove a practical obstacle to further legal proceedings in Ukraine, but does not in itself determine the outcome of the case.
