Investigation opened after Ukrainian footballer bizarrely ‘celebrates’ when his team concedes goal (VIDEO)

A player in Ukraine’s second-tier league has received a call from the country’s football authorities after being seen appearing to celebrate when his team conceded a goal in a 2-0 defeat earlier this month.

Kremin Kremenchuk star Vitaliy Boyko was seen raising his hands in the air when rivals Uzhgorod took the lead in the 64th minute of their meeting in the Ukrainian Persha Liga (First League).

Footage showed Uzhgorod’s Mykola Gayduchyk turning the ball home for the hosts, prompting Kremin number 18 Boyko to make the gesture which baffled some onlookers.

Uzhgorod took the lead thanks to a well-worked move. © YouTube Persha Liga

Boyko reacted by raising his arms in the air and shaking them. © YouTube Persha Liga

According to local outlet Tribuna, the Ukrainian Association of Football’s (UAF) Ethics and Fair Play Committee reviewed the episode amid concerns over potential match-fixing, although no abnormalities were found.  

Boyko himself confirmed he had received a call, but said odd reaction was not a 'celebration' but was rather born of frustration and tiredness.    

“It’s you who decided that I’m happy about this goal,” the midfielder told Tribuna.  

“If you watch the full match, you can see that I put my hands up and then get angry…

“I wasn’t happy about the goal, no. I wasn’t in any way happy that Uzhgorod scored. 

"How can a person who has traveled 20 hours on a bus rejoice at a goal from the other team?

“I watched the replay of the game. Everyone makes mistakes. Perhaps fatigue was showing somewhere. 

“We went to Uzhgorod for a victory, we had to take three points there. But football is like that – we play one match well, the second we can fail. I don’t even know what the reason is.”

Boyko said no one among this team had asked him about the reaction, and that the case was closed following his call from the UAF.

“If you watch the full match, you can see from the other camera that I raise my hands up, and then start to drive my head to the sides – lamenting how we could have conceded this goal,” he added.  

“And that’s all, nothing more was said.”

Suspicions were perhaps piqued by reports that Kremin were previously involved in match-fixing investigations from the 2019-20 season.

Boyko was previously on loan at Ukrainian team Mynai and featured in a game against Shakhtar Donetsk last season which allegedly featured suspect betting patterns.

Again, there was no suggestion that Boyko himself was involved in any wrongdoing.