AMG Proud to Support Launch of Tackling Matters

The event, hosted by humanitarian organisation Tackling Matters, will take place on Friday 18 April at the illustrious Royal Military Academy Sandhurst and will bring together amputee football teams from across Ukraine, England and Scotland for a festival of football.

The tournament will see teams competing throughout the day on a pitch and grandstands specially erected for the occasion in the shadow of the New College building. Following the tournament, the pitch will be dismantled and shipped to Ukraine, where it will be reassembled to provide communities afflicted by war with a space for recreation and respite.

Sports marketing agency AMG will support Tackling Matters in their inspiring work by amplifying the content produced, help with their sponsorship efforts & harness their considerable network to maximise fundraising efforts.

Tackling Matters was set up in January 2025, to support, rebuild and empower communities and individuals around the world affected by war or disaster, through the provision of sports pitches, equipment and rehabilitation units offering physical and psychological support. Those it supports include those who have been left injured, homeless, orphaned or internally displaced.

The charity launch is a progression of the humanitarian work undertaken by founder Liam Sullivan, who, has completed 12 trips to Ukraine since the start of the war and delivered more than 5,000 donations of football kit, sports equipment, vehicles and medical supplies sourced from within the UK. Over 500 sports facilities in Ukraine, including 77 football stadia, have been partially or completely destroyed due to the Russian invasion (National Olympic Committee). Liam has facilitated the construction of five small sided football pitches in different regions of the country, boosting morale and providing vital spaces for physical rehabilitation and recreation.

Working in partnership with Football for Life, the amputee football tournament will mark the official launch of Tackling Matters, and will host Ukrainian teams including Shakhtar, Lviv, FC UCSA, Unbroken (Ukraine’s National Rehabilitation Centre), plus UK-based teams including Arsenal, Brighton, Scotland and a team from BLESMA, the military charity for limbless veterans. More than 120 amputee footballers are expected to participate. Guinness World Records will be in attendance and a record attempt will take place.

The Ukrainian Health Ministry reports that, since the start of the war, at least 50,000 Ukrainians have lost limbs, including both soldiers and civilians. Many amputees will need prosthetics, others will use wheelchairs, but obtaining adequate prosthetic limbs and care is difficult inside Ukraine. Tackling Matters aims to provide not only practical and physical support through pitches and pop up rehabilitation units, but psychological support too.

On the tournament and the charity’s vision, Sullivan commented: “Tackling Matters is about rebuilding and empowering communities through sport so that victims of war or disaster can again enjoy the sense of purpose and camaraderie that only sport can bring.

“The tournament will be an occasion to foster friendship and unity between nations, while raising essential funds to return sports facilities to Ukraine.

“The pitches we provide to these regions are not just fields of play – they are arenas of healing, where these incredible warriors rediscover their courage and capacity to thrive. We would encourage people to come along and support these incredible players in action and enjoy a great day out.”

Andrii Kuzmenko, of Kyiv in Ukraine, lost his arm while serving as a soldier in the conflict. Having taken up amputee football, training on one of the pitches laid by Tackling Matters, he commented: “So much is being destroyed in my country, but sport has the ability to make something positive out of a life tragedy, and to bring people together regardless of the circumstances.”

Due to security at Sandhurst Royal Military Academy, attendance must be registered prior to the event. More information/ donations at https://tackling-matters-amputee-football-tournament.raiselysite.com/ or by scanning the QR code below.

Ends

Pictures show:

• Andrii Kuzmenjo, arm amputee and footballer who will travel to England to attend the tournament at Sandhurst.
• Amputee footballers from Scotland who will also attend the tournament at Sandhurst.

Notes to Editors:

• Media information: For photography/interview or to register your attendance on the day, please contact Ashley Pedersen at Tackling Matters on 07885 262341 / ashley@tacklingmatters.org
• As of October 2024, an estimated 3.6 million people remain internally displaced in Ukraine. This is while 4.3 million people who were previously displaced have returned home. (IOM GPS R18)
• Over 500 sports facilities in Ukraine, including 77 football stadia, have been partially or completely destroyed due to the Russian invasion. (National Olympic Committee)
• Russia’s war on Ukraine has caused £170bn in infrastructure damage to Ukraine including the destruction of sports facilities, hospitals and education institutions. (Kyiv School of Economics 2025)

DATE: 18 April 2025

TIME: First match KO 09:00 AM

LOCATION: Sandhurst Royal Military Academy (New College)