By Andrew Warshaw
September 27 – UEFA President Michel Platini claims he has been reassured by the progress made by Ukraine in preparation for next year’s European Championships, being organised jointly with Poland, and that only “some little problems” remain to be sorted out.
Ever since Ukraine was awarded joint status with Poland for the Euro 2012 finals, the 2007 decision to take the tournament to Eastern Europe for the first time has proved hugely problematic.
Ukraine has been beset by both financial and infrastructural delays – especially roads and rail links, hotels and stadiums, while Poland is still trying to get to grips with the spectre of hooliganism.
In March last year, UEFA’s general secretary Gianni Infantino conceded: “We are concerned, because the problems are serious.”
But Platini is doing his best to put on a brave face after what appears to have been an upturn in progress with the tournament less than a year away.
“We could see progress in Donetsk,” Platini told reporters at a press conference at the city’s Donbass Arena after touring the cities chosen as hosts in Ukraine.
“There is progress, and everything is good, there are minor problems related to the hotel complex.
“We have been completely reassured and we expect to see a very beautiful Euro here in Ukraine.
“Today I am a President rather satisfied, but of course there are still small things to do.”
Although the stadium in Donetsk, as well as the one in Kharkiv, have been completed on time, the roof on the Lviv stadium needs finishing, as do some of the roads in Kharkiv.
The lack of hotel capacity is the main concern remaining ahead of the tournament, and while this shouldn’t be an issue for group games, there is a shortage of rooms for both the quarter and semi-final games scheduled to be played in the city.
Platini also visited Lviv, where major work is being carried out with a new airport terminal being constructed and the runway lengthened to cope with larger aircraft, before moving on to Kharkiv and Kiev, as well as meeting President Viktor Yanukovych.
The Olympic Stadium is due to host the Euro 2012 final and Ukraine’s Vice-Prime Minister Borys Kolesnikov (pictured above right) said that it was 96 per cent ready.
At one point, there was speculation that Germany might step in to host some matches if Ukraine failed to meet its targets but this now appears to have been ruled out.
Ukraine’s Football Federation (FFU) chair Grigoriy Surkis insisted that “pessimism and scepticism” from UEFA had disappeared over their preparations for Euro 2012.
He has mooted the possibility of charter flights between Kiev and Donetsk as a potential solution to the lack of hotel rooms.
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