Representatives of the first adaptive basketball team in the Ministry of Internal Affairs system, Veterans Basket, took part in the competition and became members of the prize-winning teams.
This year’s adaptive sports tournament was held in Odessa and brought together veterans, service members, and representatives of law enforcement and security agencies from different regions of Ukraine. The initiative was implemented by the Ministry of Veterans Affairs of Ukraine, Invictus Games Ukraine, and the NGO Free Warriors.
Before the start of the basketball tournament, participants were traditionally divided into teams by drawing lots. In line with the maritime theme of the event, the teams received symbolic names such as “Crabs,” “Rapanas,” “Sprats,” “Shrimps,” and others. Veterans of the Veterans Basket team representing DSUIA were assigned to different teams this time, adding even more sporting intrigue and competitiveness to the tournament.
Artem Formalov joined the team “Rapanas,” Oleh Sakhno represented “Sprats,” Yevhen Luchko played for “Mussels,” Viacheslav Kaistro and Serhii Kyrychienko competed as members of “Crabs,” while Serhii Shtym and Yurii Zhurba joined the team “Flounder.”
During the matches, the veterans demonstrated strong teamwork, determination, and a high level of wheelchair basketball skills. The final game was particularly intense, with the team “Rapanas” securing victory by a score of 13–11.
According to the tournament results, “Rapanas” won first place, “Crabs” finished second, and “Sprats” took third place. Thus, DSUIA representatives were part of all three prize-winning teams, making a significant contribution to their success.
Participation in sporting events of this level is an important component of physical recovery, social adaptation, and the development of veterans’ sports. The performance of DSUIA veterans once again demonstrated their active life position, readiness to take on new challenges, and determination to achieve high results both in sports and beyond.
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