ERAFA Project Completes Comparative Analysis of European and Ukrainian Amputee Football Practices

The ERAFA (Empowering Recovery: Adaptive Football for All) project, funded by the European Union under the Erasmus+ Sport programme, has completed a comparative analysis of European and Ukrainian amputee football practices, identifying key opportunities to strengthen the sport's accessibility, safety and long-term development in Ukraine.

The report (D2.3) builds on two previous project deliverables: the review of European best practices (D2.1) and the National Needs Assessment of Amputee Football in Ukraine (D2.2). It examines existing strengths, identifies barriers to participation and provides recommendations for adapting European approaches to Ukraine's specific needs.

Ukraine Has a Strong Foundation for Further Development

The analysis confirms that Ukraine already has many essential elements of a developing amputee football system, including an expanding network of teams and competitions, experienced coaches, cooperation with rehabilitation specialists and strong public support for adaptive sport.

According to the national assessment, more than 80% of surveyed coaches have completed specialised amputee football training.

Amputee football plays a particularly important role in supporting veterans and people affected by war-related injuries, offering opportunities for physical recovery, psychological well-being, social connection and reintegration into active community life.

Key Challenges: Accessibility and Continuity

Despite this progress, several barriers continue to affect participation.

One of the most significant challenges is the lack of a sufficiently formalised rehabilitation-to-sport pathway. People who wish to join a team after rehabilitation may face difficulties accessing information, receiving appropriate medical guidance or finding a suitable training opportunity.

Transport costs, long travel distances, employment, family responsibilities and ongoing treatment can also make regular participation difficult.

The report further highlights the need for stronger multidisciplinary cooperation, continuing coach education, standardised athlete safety monitoring and greater opportunities for women and young people to participate.

Learning from European Experience

The comparative analysis explores different European approaches, including Poland's integration of sport science and academic research, Spain's community-based accessibility model and France's cooperation with established football clubs.

Rather than directly replicating these models, the report recommends adapting their most effective elements to Ukraine's realities.

Key recommendations include:

• Establishing a clear and coordinated pathway from rehabilitation to amputee football participation.
• Strengthening continuing professional development for coaches and cooperation with rehabilitation professionals.
• Improving transport accessibility and supporting regional participation opportunities.
• Introducing consistent approaches to injury prevention, athlete monitoring and safe return to training.
• Developing partnerships with rehabilitation centres, universities, football clubs and local communities.
• Piloting dedicated participation opportunities for women and young people.

The central conclusion is that Ukraine does not need to build its amputee football system from scratch. The priority is to connect and strengthen existing initiatives, turning successful local practices into a more accessible, coordinated and sustainable national system.

The findings provide an evidence-based foundation for further work within ERAFA and broader efforts to develop amputee football in Ukraine as both a competitive sport and a means of rehabilitation and social inclusion.

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Read the full report:

• Українською
• English

About ERAFA

Empowering Recovery: Adaptive Football for All (ERAFA) is a two-year Erasmus+ Sport project aimed at strengthening amputee football in Ukraine as a tool for rehabilitation, social inclusion and international cooperation.

The project is implemented by a consortium of five organisations: the UAF Foundation (Coordinator), the European Amputee Football Federation (EAFF), Lviv State University of Physical Culture named after Ivan Boberskyi, Shakhtar Social and Dragones de Lavapiés (Spain).

Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.