The Goodwill Games were an international sports competition created by Ted Turner in reaction to the political troubles surrounding the Olympic Games of the 1980s. In 1979, the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan caused the United States and other Western countries to boycott the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow, an act reciprocated when the Soviet Union and other Eastern Bloc countries boycotted the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.
Oleg Anatolyevich Salenko is a Russian-Ukrainian former footballer who played as a forward. He scored a record five goals in a group-stage match in the 1994 World Cup, helping him earn the Golden Boot as joint-top tournament goalscorer.
The Ukraine national football team represents Ukraine in men's international football, and is governed by the Ukrainian Association of Football, the governing body for football in Ukraine. Ukraine's home ground is the Olimpiyskiy Stadium in Kyiv. The team has been a full member of UEFA and FIFA since 1992.
The Football Federation of Belarus, also known as Belarusian Football Federation, is the governing body of football, beach soccer and futsal in Belarus. It organizes the Belarusian Premier League, Belarusian national football team and the Belarus women's national football team. It is based in Minsk.
The Queensland Sport and Athletics Centre is a multi-purpose sports facility in Nathan, Queensland, located 10 kilometres south-east of the Brisbane CBD. Its main stadium – formerly known as QEII Stadium, and later ANZ Stadium under a naming rights agreement with ANZ – accommodates 48,500 spectators, while its smaller State Athletics Facility accommodates 2,100 spectators. Both stadiums feature Rekortan running tracks and natural grass fields. The Queensland Academy of Sport, Queensland State Netball Centre, and a complex of beach volleyball courts are also housed at the facility. QSAC is owned by the Queensland Government, and its main stadium and State Athletics Facility are operated through its agency, Stadiums Queensland.
Anatoliy Vasilyovych Demyanenko, sometimes referred to as Anatoli Demianenko, is a Ukrainian football coach and former player. As a player, he was deployed at left-back and notably represented Dynamo Kyiv and the USSR national team.
Association football – commonly known as football – is a popular sport in the nation of Belarus. As constituent national republics of the former USSR, Belarusian football was governed by Football Federation of the Soviet Union until 1989 when the Football Federation of Belarus was founded. After the nation achieved political independence in 1991, the BFF joined FIFA in 1992 and gained UEFA membership in 1993.
Sport in Saint Petersburg has a long tradition, back to the founding days of Saint Petersburg in the early 18th century.
The 1998 Goodwill Games was the fourth edition of the international sports competition the Goodwill Games, which were created by Ted Turner in reaction to the political troubles surrounding the Olympic Games of the 1980s. The competition was held in and around New York City in the United States from July 19 to August 2, 1998. Approximately 1,500 athletes from more of 60 countries participated, competing in 15 sports.
Valeriy Ivanovych Yaremchenko is a Ukrainian former football manager and player.
The Slovakia national under-21 football team, controlled by the Slovak Football Association, is Slovakia's national under-21 football team and is considered to be a feeder team for the Slovakia national football team.
The Russia national beach soccer team represents Russia in international beach soccer competitions and is controlled by the Russian Football Union, the governing body for football in Russia. The team's highest achievements are three World Cup crowns conquered in 2011, 2013 and 2021.
Serhiy Serhiyovich Shmatovalenko is a retired Soviet and Ukrainian football player and a current coach.
The 1994 Goodwill Games was the third edition of the multi-sport event, created by Ted Turner, which was held in Saint Petersburg, Russia between July 23 and August 7, 1994. The event – designed to improve Soviet Union – United States relations over the Cold War period – was originally awarded to Leningrad, but the disintegration of the Soviet Union in 1991 saw the city return to its former name within a new Russia. In total, around 2000 athletes from 56 countries participated in the 16-day event. The Russian President Boris Yeltsin opened the games at Kirov Stadium on July 23.
At the 1994 Goodwill Games, the athletics events were held in July at the Petrovsky Stadium in Saint Petersburg, Russia. A total of 44 events were contested, of which 22 were by male and 22 by female athletes. The marathon event was dropped for the 1994 edition and racewalking events took place on the track, making the entire athletics programme a track-and-field-onlyaffair. The United States won the most gold medals (18) in the athletics competition, but Russia had the greatest total medal haul, winning 41 medals, 10 of which were gold. Cuba, Great Britain and Kenya were the next best achievers in the medal count.
Irina Slyusar is a Ukrainian former track and field sprinter. She represented the Soviet Union at the World Championships in Athletics in 1987 and 1991 – she was a relay bronze medallist on her debut, but was disqualified for doping on her second appearance. She was twice Soviet national champion in the 100 metres.
Yelena Andreyeva is a Russian former track and field sprinter who specialised in the 400 metres. Her personal best for the distance was 51.30 seconds, set in 1994. She was a one-time Russian champion and took relay silver medals with Russia at the 1995 World Championships in Athletics and 1994 European Athletics Championships.
The men's football competition at the 1994 Goodwill Games consisted of a single all-star match on 7 August 1994. It was played between Russia and a World XI at Kirov Stadium in Saint Petersburg, Russia. This was the first instance of football being played at the Goodwill Games.
The women's soccer tournament at the 1998 Goodwill Games was held from July 25 to 27, 1998. It was the first time women's football was played at the Goodwill Games, and the second time the sport was played overall. No men's tournament was held in 1998. It was also the last football tournament at the Goodwill Games, as the sport was dropped in 2001. All matches were played at the Mitchel Athletic Complex in Uniondale, New York, United States.
Football has been included at two editions of the Goodwill Games. It was first held as a men's competition in 1994, and later as a women's competition in 1998. The sport was dropped for the 2001 Goodwill Games.
