Arsenal legend Ian Wright donates equipment for Ukrainian children to Dublin club

Arsenal football legend Ian Wright has kindly provided football boots, socks and gloves for Ukrainian children who recently joined Dynamo Dublin FC after fleeing war with Russia.

r Wright, who won the Premiership and two FA Cups with Arsenal, decided to act after spotting a call from the Dublin club on social media.

“Ian Wright saw our call for help on Facebook and really helped us,” said Volodymyr Khrystych, a Dynamo manager who moved to Ireland 20 years ago.

“We had 30 kids of all ages to train with but we didn’t have any shoes or equipment for them so we’re so grateful to the famous Arsenal striker for his generosity.”

All of Mr Wright’s equipment, who now works as a pundit for both BBC Sport and ITV Sport, was handed over to the club by the Ukraine Crisis Center in Ireland.

Mr Khrystych, who is also the head coach of the UCD Olympic handball team, has involved his family in the war at home in Chernihiv in the north of the country and in the capital Kyiv.

“My daughter left Kyiv after three rockets hit a nearby apartment building,” he said.

“My wife had to go back to help her poor parents who have contracted Covid and desperately needed her help.”

Dynamo was founded in 2002 by a group of different Russian-speaking nationalities from the countries of the former Soviet Union.

The club, originally called Soviet Union FC, was recruited from all former Soviet countries to promote multiculturalism and social inclusion.

In the founding years of the club, the Russian embassy even provided financial support at times.

During the club’s inaugural season, the team played in Division 3a of the Leinster Football League in the 2002-2003 season.

At the end of the 2008/2009 season, club members decided to change the team’s name to Dynamo Dublin FC.

The decision to organize football training for children was made by Mr Khrystych and the other coaches after hearing about thousands of children being resettled in Ireland from a war zone.

“We have boys and girls aged six to 16,” he explained.

“Membership is free for kids and we train them at Phoenix Park on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. It takes them out of the hotels that a lot of them stay in and gives them a little bit of normality, exercise and a chance to socialize with other kids.”

Dynamo Dublin coaches are hoping to use their contacts to find coaches in other Irish cities to provide an opportunity for Ukrainian children who are scattered across the country.

“The Irish have also been fantastic by making donations and buying shirts and gear for the kids, but we’ll have more recruits soon so hopefully they’ll continue to help,” eh said.

On 25 March, Dynamo’s senior team, representing fans of the Ukraine national team, played an Irish side in a fundraiser at Home Farm Stadium in Drumcondra. All proceeds from the game went to an Irish Red Cross appeal in support of Ukraine.