UKRAINE/ POLAND: Poland and Ukraine hopeful of clinching the EURO 2012 bid

Ukraine and Poland are confident of winning a joint bid to stage the 2012 European football championships, despite Ukraine political crisis and Poland's F.A. being involved in a corruption scandal this January. Poland and Ukraine, once a long-shot entry, are confident their bid will be chosen to host the 2012 European soccer championship, boosting the sport in ex-communist eastern Europe with huge infrastructure dividends. The joint bid, one of eight hopefuls initially put forward, was a surprise inclusion in the shortlist announced in 2005. UEFA, European football's governing body, makes its choice for host nation in the Welsh city of Cardiff on April 18. Officials discount sports and political problems that have plagued both countries in the run-up to the decision and dismiss any notion that the bid is an outsider against Italy and a second joint submission from Croatia and Hungary. The Ukrainie's main stadium also came under a threat from FIFA to deny permission to hold matches there in connection with construction of a nearby shopping centre. Ukrainian officials downplay political issues, saying other bidders have had no fewer problems - violent protests in Hungary last year and match-fixing scandals and crowd violence in Italy. "The perspective is great for all our citizens, no matter whether they like soccer or not. If we get the tournament here and manage to build everything in time, which seems like a dream now, but it could become true. For that it is necessary to work hard, to live, to dream and at the same time to stay realistic. I am a realist, I am pragmatic. I think we are constantly moving to fulfil our dream. It is my main aim in life, to hold a tournament which will change both our country and its people," said Hryhor Surkis, head of Ukraine's soccer federation. Ukraine, scene of bloodless "Orange Revolution" protests that swept pro-Western President Viktor Yushchenko to power in 2004, has recently plunged into new political turmoil over a presidential decree dissolving parliament and ordering a new election. "The unpredictability of our political situation will not let the European soccer federation choose Ukraine," said Eugeny, Kiev resident. Poland, a two-time third place winner in the World Cup, and Ukraine, who advanced to the quarter-final in their first World Cup appearance in 2006, have yet to play in Euro championships. On Thursday (April 12) the Polish Bid committee gathered for a press conference in Poland's capital, Warsaw. In an interview for Reuters the head of Poland's bid, Adam Olkowicz said: "We have big faith in winning the bid which is followed by enormous social support. Over 80 percent of Poles and Ukrainians support the idea of hosting EURO 2012 in our countries. We are aware that we have to fight the corruption, and the Polish Football Association has undertaken serious actions. This shows that we are willing to get rid of corruption from Polish football. But I have to say none of the biding countries have been free from problems. For the majority of Europeans, the favourite is Italy, because they have great, great traditions and they are the current World Champions. But nowadays they lack stadiums modern enough to host such an event." In January this year Poland's chances seemed to take a knock as the exasperated Polish government removed the entire Polish F.A. board, (The PZPN) from power, due to a scandal involving corrupt referees that the board seemed to be doing little about. This Governmental intervention prompted FIFA (world footballs governing body) to take action. FIFA, who have a strict policy in keeping governments and their nation's football associations completely separate threatened to remove Polish football from all international competitions. However FIFA's President, Sepp Blatter was invited for talks by Polish President, Lech Kaczynski and the matter was resolved. "In this case we are very happy about the solution, and I can tell you that the federation of Poland has recovered the total rights and confidence of the FIFA family and I will be happy to report that to our executive committee and to say it to you," Blatter said. If the two Slav neighbours win, it will be the first time a sporting event of this magnitude has been staged in what is now ex-communist eastern Europe since the 1980 Olympics in Moscow. As well as top politicians, the two countries' delegations to Cardiff will include Poland's Dutch coach Leo Beenhakker, Ukraine coach Oleg Blokhin and Chelsea striker Andriy Shevchenko -- the latter pair having been European players of the year.

ITN Source | April 15, 2007

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