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Wan LixinOpinion deputy editor of Shanghai Daily
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Kiev given 2012 final warning
Source: Agencies |
May 14, 2009, Thursday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
KIEV could lose the right to stage the final of Euro 2012 while three other Ukrainian cities must prove their suitability to stage matches in the competition, UEFA president Michel Platini said yesterday.
Platini had hoped to announce the eight venue cities for the European soccer championship but, clearly disappointed, could only confirm four in Poland - Warsaw, Poznan, Wroclaw and Gdansk - along with the Ukrainian capital Kiev.
He said the Ukrainian cities of Lviv, Donetsk and Kharkiv would all have to prove their suitability by November 30, adding that Warsaw could yet stage the final instead of Kiev if all of UEFA's pre-conditions were still not met by then.
"There are still many problems to be resolved in Ukraine. There are huge infrastructure problems," he told a news conference after UEFA's Executive Committee met in Bucharest.
"The final match will be held in Kiev only if specific conditions with regard to the stadium, airport infrastructure regional transport and accommodation are met by November 30," Platini said.
"Kiev is OK according to UEFA's criteria for all matches leading up to the semifinal. But certain other criteria must be met to stage the final as well. If it's not Kiev it could be Warsaw."
The Ukrainian city of Dnipropetrovsk, which was expected to be named as one of the four cities to host games was also dropped as a venue in place of Kharkiv, which was on the reserve list originally.
In a further slight to Ukraine, which has suffered more than most European countries in the global financial crisis, Platini said UEFA could proceed with four Polish cities and only two from co-hosts Ukraine.
"If the Ukrainian cities cannot fulfil the criteria by November 30 then we will organize Euro 2012 with four cities in Poland and two in Ukraine, and we will pick the second Ukraine city after Kiev from the best of the other three," he said.
Platini said progress had been made but a huge amount of work remained to be done in both countries.
"There are a lot of infrastructure problems that need to be resolved, especially in Ukraine, to convince the Executive Committee that the host city candidates can be appointed as host cities," he said.
He ruled out the tournament being staged anywhere other than Poland and Ukraine.
Ukraine FA boss Grigory Surkis called for patience and understanding and insisted that he was sure Kiev would keep the final.
"UEFA have given us until November 30 to improve and I am sure we will," he said.
Platini had hoped to announce the eight venue cities for the European soccer championship but, clearly disappointed, could only confirm four in Poland - Warsaw, Poznan, Wroclaw and Gdansk - along with the Ukrainian capital Kiev.
He said the Ukrainian cities of Lviv, Donetsk and Kharkiv would all have to prove their suitability by November 30, adding that Warsaw could yet stage the final instead of Kiev if all of UEFA's pre-conditions were still not met by then.
"There are still many problems to be resolved in Ukraine. There are huge infrastructure problems," he told a news conference after UEFA's Executive Committee met in Bucharest.
"The final match will be held in Kiev only if specific conditions with regard to the stadium, airport infrastructure regional transport and accommodation are met by November 30," Platini said.
"Kiev is OK according to UEFA's criteria for all matches leading up to the semifinal. But certain other criteria must be met to stage the final as well. If it's not Kiev it could be Warsaw."
The Ukrainian city of Dnipropetrovsk, which was expected to be named as one of the four cities to host games was also dropped as a venue in place of Kharkiv, which was on the reserve list originally.
In a further slight to Ukraine, which has suffered more than most European countries in the global financial crisis, Platini said UEFA could proceed with four Polish cities and only two from co-hosts Ukraine.
"If the Ukrainian cities cannot fulfil the criteria by November 30 then we will organize Euro 2012 with four cities in Poland and two in Ukraine, and we will pick the second Ukraine city after Kiev from the best of the other three," he said.
Platini said progress had been made but a huge amount of work remained to be done in both countries.
"There are a lot of infrastructure problems that need to be resolved, especially in Ukraine, to convince the Executive Committee that the host city candidates can be appointed as host cities," he said.
He ruled out the tournament being staged anywhere other than Poland and Ukraine.
Ukraine FA boss Grigory Surkis called for patience and understanding and insisted that he was sure Kiev would keep the final.
"UEFA have given us until November 30 to improve and I am sure we will," he said.
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