IFMP’s Ukrainian member federation, the Ukrainian Sport Poker Federation, has successfully managed to have Match Poker officially recognised as a sport by the Ukrainian Ministry of Youth and Sports.

Match Poker has been recognised as a sport globally by the Global Association of International Sports Federations (GAISF) when IFMP was granted Observer Status in November 2017.

On 16th August 2018, Minister І. О. Zhdanov of the Ministry of Youth and Sports of Ukraine released the following order:

According to Article 39 of the Law of Ukraine “On Physical Culture and Sports”, clause 31 of the Regulation on the Ministry of Youth and Sports of Ukraine approved by the Resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine No. 220 dated July 2, 2014 (as amended), Order of the Ministry of Youth and Sports of Ukraine No. 149 “On Approval of the Procedure for Recognising Sports, Including them into the Registry of Recognised Sports in Ukraine” as of January 27, 2014 registered at the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine on February 28, 2014 under No. 281/25058 (as amended), the decision of the Commission on recognition of sports in Ukraine dated 03.08.2018 (record No. 1)
I ORDER:
1. “Sports poker” to be recognised as sports in Ukraine.
2. Section ІІ. of the Registry of the recognised sports in Ukraine approved by order of the Ministry of Youth and Sports No. 639 “On Approval of the Registry of the recognised sports in Ukraine” dated March 11, 2015 to be supplemented by such item:
“II. 119. Sports poker”

Sports poker here refers to Match Poker, a sport governed by the International Federation of Match Poker, to which the Ukrainian Sport Poker Federation is its official representative national federation in Ukraine.