Ukraine to decide on football star Shevchenko's political future
KIEV. August 3. KAZINFORM The Ukrainian Central Election Commission will determine if football striker, Andriy Shevchenko, is eligible to pursue a seat in the parliament, the Supreme Rada, the Election Commission's deputy head Andriy Magera told the TVi channel on Friday.
Shevchenko said in late July that he had retired from football to pursue a career in politics, but his plans to take part in the Ukrainian parliamentary elections could be stalled as the electoral regulations do not allow people who have not lived in Ukraine for the last five years to run for a seat in the parliament.
The football star, who has played for AC Milan and Chelsea, has lived in Britain and Italy until the middle of 2009.
In an interview with the TVi Magera said that the Central Election Commission thoroughly checked the information about the candidates' places of residence in order to "qualify whether the person has lived in Ukraine or not."
"As soon as the documents [on Shevchenko's electoral bid] are in the Central Election Commission, we will check these issues," Magera said.
Last week Shevchenko said he had joined the Go,Ukraine! party and going to take part in the parliamentary elections scheduled for October 28, RIA Novosti said.