Ukraine: Players must abide by contracts, says Rinat Akhmetov of Shakhtar Donetsk

"The players have contracts that they have to abide by," said Rinat Akhmetov, the president of Shakhtar Donetsk (Ukraine), on 21/07/2014; following the departure of six of the club's players after the Lyon - Shakhtar Donetsk friendly match (4-1) in Annecy (FRA) on 19/07/2014.

These six players are the Brazilians Alex Teixeira, Fred (who shares the same name as the international and former Olympique Lyonnais striker), Dentinho, Douglas Costa, and Ismaily, as well as the Argentine Facundo Ferreyra. "If they do not come, I think, they will be the first to suffer," said Akhmetov. "There will not be a clearance sale."

A Malaysia Airlines airplane crashed in the Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine causing 298 deaths on 17/07/2014. The region is the scene of a conflict between pro-Russian separatists and the Ukrainian army. "We will not take risks and in any case we won’t bring players to dangerous places," said Akhmetov.

• Sebastian Blanco (Argentina), who plays for Metalist Kharkov (Ukraine), refused to return to Ukraine on 20/07/2014.
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