By Andrew Warshaw
November 17 – UEFA have confirmed that next summer’s European Championship finals will take place in France as planned despite the deadly terrorists attacks in Paris on Friday.
Local organisers have already said the tournament will proceed and UEFA have now confirmed there will be no change of venue – and that next month’s draw will also go ahead as scheduled.
“The Euro final draw will go ahead as scheduled on 12 December at the Palais des Congres in Paris and the final tournament will be played in France from 10 June to 10 July 2016,” UEFA said in a statement on Monday.
Friday’s attacks that killed 129 people in the worst terrorist atrocity in France since World War II included suicide bombs outside the Stade de France where France were playing Germany and which were reportedly intended to take place inside the ground.
But UEFA are adamant next summer’s event, expanded for the first time from 16 to 24 teams, will not be switched.
“Following the dramatic events that occurred last Friday in Paris, UEFA and EURO 2016 SAS (the local organising committee) wish to reaffirm their commitment in placing safety and security at the centre of their organisational plans,” the statement read.
“While there is no reason to believe that the EURO might become the target of any attack, the potential terrorist threat has always been taken into account, since the beginning of the project.”
“Euro 2016 SAS and all stakeholders involved in the organisation of the tournament will continue their joint work and will regularly monitor the level of risk for the tournament and their respective organisational plans.”
“For over three years now, EURO 2016 SAS has been working closely with the relevant authorities to develop the most appropriate mechanisms in order to guarantee there is a safe and secure tournament and we are confident that the necessary measures will be taken to ensure that is the case for all involved.”
Despite UEFA’s stance, France’s 1958 World Cup striker Just Fontaine called for the country not to take the risk claiming it was “simply too dangerous”.
The 82-year-old, who holds the record for the most goals at a single World Cup finals after scoring 13 at the 1958 tournament in Sweden, was present at the Stade de France on Friday night.
“Any other country could stage the event, but we cannot,” he told the German newspaper Die Welt. “I am very afraid that this black Friday could be repeated. I think we cannot guarantee the safety that is required to host such a big event. It is simply too dangerous.”
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