Ukraine’s 2012 clock is ticking
Posted on | July 29, 2009 | 1 Comment
As Europe’s leading leagues concentrate on new kits, fixture lists and pie supplies for the new season, all is not well in the Ukraine – home to a multitude of talented footballers, but increasingly also home to some worried official brows.
Earlier this year UEFA set a deadline of November for the country to get infrastructure up to scratch as it prepares to host Euro 2012 jointly with Poland. While Ukraine’s neighbour and hosting partner is well on track, the suits in Kiev have problems on their hands.
The would-be host cities of Lviv, Kharkiv and Donetsk have until November 30 to prove they will be able to meet the requirements of an international football tournament second only to the World Cup, otherwise matches could simply be handed over to Poland.
UEFA president Michel Platini was not shy in revealing his organisation’s thoughts on the problem – “There are huge infrastructure problems to be resolved in Ukraine,” he said.
The biggest headache relates to the new Olympic Stadium in Kiev, still under construction and meant to host the final. Unless a number of requirements related to the stadium, airport and infrastructure are met, the trophy could be handed over somewhere else in July 2010.
If recent photos of the new venue in Kiev are anything to go by, there’s a fair way to go yet. A pitch would be a good thing to have in by November, if only for the PR.
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July 30th, 2009 @ 11:39 am
No way are they gonna make it, why the hell woudl u want to travel there anyway Poland venues will be much better. A UEFA tournament does not a revolution make,