Exclusive: “I Needed My Survival Skills More Than Football,” Ugandan Star Faruk Miya on His Spell in Ukraine

Home turned hell for Ugandan international Faruk Miya during his short lived spell in Ukraine, getting his fair share of the pieces of the country's war with Russia. At the time the latter invaded the Ukrainians in February 2022, Miya had spent a month at FC Lviv in the topflight.

Miya, who is the Uganda National team (the Cranes) second all-time goalscorer with 23 goals, had joined the club from Turkish side Konyaspor. He had been braced for a fresh challenge in Eastern Europe, when hell broke loose.

The attacking midfielder recalls the events of the unrest taking a toll on his well-being, as it had happened in a land he had only known for a short time. What had been set to be a three-year contract eventually came to an end, without stepping on the Lviv Arena grass.

THE OUTSET - AN OVERNIGHT OF A COMPLETE TURN FROM PEACE TO ANARCHY

Miya recalls the shock of how a peaceful land, one he had set to realize his dreams, suddenly turned into living hell. He underlines that he had never envisioned a time when he would be so caged in one place, with survival so hard to realize.

“It's sad how the world changes so fast from a peaceful one to a chaotic place. I arrived in Ukraine with no tension or even a single sign of a future distortion,” Miya recalls in an exclusive interview with SportsBoom.com.

“I settled in well at the club like it has always been everywhere I've played. Within a week, I had learned a thing or two about the club, its values, history and my teammates. I had been informed I would train a little longer before my debut, as I had been inactive for quite some time.

“That was never a problem, until two weeks later when everything suddenly took a whole new turn. I don't buy so much into politics, but at the time, it was inevitable to see or read. It was everywhere on the news about how an invasion was imminent, it was a sort of a terrible dream,” he adds.

REALITY COMES TO LIGHT - UKRAINIAN DREAM SHUTTERED 

While Ukraine and the entire world hoped it wouldn't escalate into a full scale war, it turned to the worst. Miya discloses that there was close to no hiding, as projectiles took center stage. At the time, the former Standard Liege midfielder cared more about survival than any of the dreams he had harbored.

“At that point, everything happened so fast, and before you knew it, there was a blast close by or in the far vicinity. Training was suspended for an initial period of a week with the hope that normalcy would return, but it only got worse by the minute,” the 27-year-old narrates.

“It was scary hours, and even more worrying for my family back home. The calls became endless and with all that was happening, I lost all hope of ever returning to my country. There was a blast almost everywhere, the roads where we were became impassable and that kind of thing, it was hard to believe.

“It was something I had never seen anywhere or ever imagined I would experience. The things I witnessed were horrific. Those who were privy to the nearby surroundings made their way, while I stayed stuck at my apartment. I stayed in touch with some of my teammates and officials, but they had nothing to do given what was happening in most parts of the country.”

HOPE STATIONED HUNDREDS OF MILES AWAY, YET IT SERVED THE PURPOSE 

“My people at home got in touch with the football federation in Uganda (FUFA), who raised an alarm with the embassy which is in Germany. There had been an arrangement to airlift stuck Ugandans back, and I was advised to join the group. It was many miles away, but it was a gamble worth it,” Miya remembers.

“To learn that there was concern was the kind of news I had prayed for. Even then, it was still far from roses, as I needed to get there. It was over 14 hours away on the road. It was literally the longest journey of my life, because of the hurdles along the way,” he adds.

“I hated it but it was my only way out. There were multiple checkpoints, and our bus was subjected to thorough ones at each of them. The gunshots and blasts could be heard at a distance, with prayers that it didn't reach where we were; It was war, and escape was now more urgent. I needed my survival skills more than my football know-how.

“When I got to Germany, ‘promised land’ was painted all over me. Weeks after the escape, I got back in touch with my team and we agreed to terminate the contract, without playing a single game. I didn't mind, what mattered was my safe haven which I had found with my family. The other guys also had their contracts terminated, subsequently.”

Months after leaving the war-torn country, Miya signed for Caykur Rizespor, which he played for till June 2024. His contract has since expired and not renewed. Meanwhile, FC Lviv has since been dissolved, owing to financial constraints induced by the war.