--- title: "Ahmetov Receives Special UEFA Award: Ceferin Calls Him \"the Only Such President in Europe\"" description: "Shakhtar president Rinat Akhmetov received a commemorative UEFA award from Aleksander Ceferin at a meeting in Nyon on September 8. The award was presented to mark the 30th anniversary of Akhmetov's presidency and the 90th anniversary of the Donetsk club." date: 2026-09-09T11:00:22.000Z lang: en url: https://xab.info/en/posts/ahmetov-receives-special-uefa-award-from-ceferin tags: [shakhtar-donetsk, uefa, rinat-ahmetov, aleksander-ceferin, football, ukraine] publisher: "XAB.info" --- # Ahmetov Receives Special UEFA Award: Ceferin Calls Him "the Only Such President in Europe" ![Ahmetov receives a special UEFA award from Ceferin at a ceremony featuring the RESPECT logo](https://xab.info/media/2026/09/09/ahmetov-poluchil-osobuyu-nagradu-uefa-ot-cheferina/ahmetov-poluchil-osobuyu-nagradu-uefa-ot-cheferina-1.webp) ## 🎯 Key Points - Rinat Akhmetov received a commemorative UEFA award from the organization's president Aleksander Ceferin at a meeting in Nyon on September 8. - The award was presented to mark the 30th anniversary of Akhmetov's presidency and the 90th anniversary of Shakhtar. - Ceferin called Akhmetov an exceptionally club-loyal president and stated that without him the club would likely not exist. - Shakhtar's General Director Serhiy Palkin and sporting director Dario Srna also attended the meeting. Rinat Akhmetov, president of Donetsk's Shakhtar, has received a special distinction from the Union of European Football Associations. The commemorative award was presented to him by UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin during a personal meeting at the organization's headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland, which took place on September 8. This was reported by Sport RBC.UA, citing the press service of the Donetsk club and an official FC Shakhtar Donetsk post on social media. ### Meeting at UEFA Headquarters The talks took place in Nyon, home to the center of European football. In addition to Akhmetov and Ceferin, the meeting was attended by Shakhtar's General Director Serhiy Palkin and the club's sporting director Dario Srna. The format of the meeting was dedicated not only to current cooperation but also to a solemn recognition of the head of the Donetsk club's long-standing contribution to the development of European football. ### A Double Jubilee as the Occasion for the Award According to the club's press service, Ceferin congratulated Akhmetov on two important dates at once: the 30th anniversary of his presidency at Shakhtar and the 90th anniversary of the Donetsk club itself. It was in connection with this double jubilee that the head of Shakhtar was presented with a commemorative UEFA award, with which the organization marked his significant contribution to the development of football. In return, Akhmetov gave the UEFA president a commemorative souvenir. ### Ceferin's Assessment: Loyalty and the Club's Survival Speaking at the meeting, Ceferin particularly emphasized Akhmetov's loyalty to his club and his love for football. "I do not think there is another president in Europe who is so devoted to his club, who shows so much love for football and his club," the UEFA head stated. He also noted Shakhtar's ability to continue operating at a high level despite the extremely difficult circumstances in which the club found itself after the start of Russia's full-scale war against Ukraine, adding: "I do not think this club would still exist without Rinat Akhmetov." ### Akhmetov's Response and a Symbolic Gesture Rinat Akhmetov thanked Ceferin for the invitation and for the support of Ukraine, emphasizing that it is important for him to see the UEFA president "on the side of good and justice." At the same time, he pointed out that the distinction received is the result of the work of the entire Shakhtar football family — players of different generations, coaches, club staff and fans — and not the merit of a single person. ### Context: Shakhtar in the European Season The award ceremony coincided with an active stage of the Donetsk club's preparation for its European campaigns. It was previously reported that Shakhtar surprised with its Champions League squad registration, confirming the team's intention to continue competing on the international arena despite the difficult conditions under which it is playing. ## 🔍 Fact-Check Verification - [Akhmetov Receives Special UEFA Award: Ceferin Makes Statement About the President of Shakhtar (Video)](https://sport.rbc.ua/ukr/football/ahmetov-otrimav-osoblivu-nagorodu-uefa-cheferin-1788951450.html) - Встреча 8 сентября в Ньоне, вручение памятной награды УЕФА, двойной юбилей (30 лет президентства, 90 лет клуба), цитаты Чеферина и Ахметова, участие Палкина и Срна. Источник — пресс-служба клуба / FC Shakhtar Donetsk; независимого вторичного подтверждения нет. ## ❓ FAQ ### Q: Who presented the award to Rinat Akhmetov? **A:** The commemorative UEFA award was presented to the Shakhtar president by UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin during a meeting at the organization's headquarters in Nyon. ### Q: When did the meeting between Akhmetov and Ceferin take place? **A:** The meeting took place on September 8 at UEFA headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland. ### Q: On what occasion was the award presented? **A:** The award was presented to mark two dates: the 30th anniversary of Akhmetov's presidency at Shakhtar and the 90th anniversary of the Donetsk club. ### Q: Who else was present at the meeting? **A:** In addition to Akhmetov and Ceferin, the meeting was attended by Shakhtar's General Director Serhiy Palkin and the club's sporting director Dario Srna. ### Q: What did Ceferin say about Akhmetov? **A:** Ceferin highlighted Akhmetov's exceptional loyalty to the club and his love for football, stating that he does not believe there is another president in Europe so devoted, and that without Akhmetov the club would likely not exist.