By Duncan Mackay
December 11 – UEFA President Michel Platini (pictured) today ratified the four Ukrainian cities chosen to host the 2012 European championships with the final to take place in Kiev.
The four cities – Kiev, Donetsk, Karkov and Lviv – will host games with the final taking place in the capital on July 1, 2012, it was announced after the meeting of UEFA’s Executive Committee in Funchal today.
Ukraine is co-hosting the competition with Poland where games will be held in four venues at Warsaw, Wroclaw, Poznan and Gdansk.
UEFA president Michel Platini, giving Ukraine the green light, said: “Around three years ago we entrusted the organisation of the Euro to Poland and Ukraine.
“This wasn’t merely a whim but a strategic plan to open up our flagship competition to Eastern Europe.
“We knew it was going to be a difficult undertaking, that there would have to be investment in infrastructure, in the stadiums, in transport and hotels.
“Poland and Ukraine have done all that despite the global economic crisis which has hit them hard.
“Today, thanks to their enormous efforts and sacrifices, we can give the green light to a symmetric tournament with four venues in Poland and four in Ukraine with the final in Kiev.”
Ukrainian FA president Grigoriy Surkis said: ”Mr. Platini, the great player and President, has given us a new opportunity, an opportunity to show what we are made of.
“We are going to make sure that Euro 2012 will be at least as successful as the previous two tournaments.
“Now isn’t a time to rest on our laurels.
“We’ve suffered a great deal in the run-up to this decision, a lot of difficulties have been experienced but…the red light has been averted because those warnings were heeded,” he added.
“We’re going to modernise our infrastructure, build what remains to be built, prepare for a wonderful spectacle.
“We’re going to leave no stone unturned to maintain the prestige of UEFA.
“It would have been so terrible to let this tremendous opportunity slip through our fingers.
“This enables us to ensure a promising future for our country.
“It’s not a Christmas present for me, it’s a Christmas present for all Ukrainians.”
Platini added that the UEFA report on the co-hosts’ planning for Euro 2012 had been “very reassuring”.
Today’s thumbs up for Ukraine came after doubts had been raised about their readiness to stage an event of this size and after what was perceived as an ultimatum by UEFA in May when only Kiev of the four Ukraine venues was approved.
Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko said: ”Today Ukraine won, the people of Ukraine won.”
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