|
Ukraine and Poland to keep 2012 European Championship
BORDEAUX, France: UEFA ruled Friday that Poland and Ukraine will keep
the hosting rights to the 2012 European Championship, but warned they
could still lose the tournament if preparations fall behind schedule.
UEFA also confirmed the 2016 championship will be expanded from 16 to
24 teams, approved a new name and format for the UEFA Cup and said it
is looking into suspicious betting patterns from 25 lower-tier matches.
"The executive committee reconfirmed UEFA's commitment to organize
the 2012 European Championship in Poland and in the Ukraine," UEFA
president Michel Platini said. "At the same time, the executive committee
stressed a number of conditions that must be met in order to bring forward
the whole project."
UEFA's executive committee reviewed a report looking at whether both countries
had made enough progress after concerns were raised over their preparations.
Platini visited both countries in early July to inspect the state of readiness.
UEFA said progress has been achieved in the past six months, but that
it was "neither uniform nor constant."
"Both host countries must continue to make the necessary efforts
as any slackening could put in doubt the organization of this tournament
in these countries," UEFA said.
Platini elaborated on the concerns at a news conference.
"We were promised new airports and we will not have new airports.
We were promised new roads and we are still waiting," he said. "Warsaw
and Kiev are the key issues. We cannot organize a European competition
without the capital city."
Platini said the co-hosts "promised" that stadiums in Kiev and
Warsaw will be ready in time.
"If we don't have the stadium in Kiev, that's a problem. Ukraine
can't afford to send everyone to a country where there is no capital city
(ready)," Platini said. "They are working very hard and we have
confidence in them. The president and the prime minister tell me it will
be ready. What am I supposed to say? That I don't believe them?"
However, Platini warned that the host countries could expect problems
if they failed to meet the new expectations.
"If neither stadium is ready in Kiev or Warsaw, we would certainly
do something different," Platini said.
UEFA general secretary David Taylor said the two host countries will face
"continuous monitoring."
"The only circumstances under which we would review (the hosting
rights) is the essential condition that both capital cities are involved
as host cities: Kiev and Warsaw," he said.
UEFA said it will decide how many and which stadiums and cities will be
used as venues for the competition, with a minimum of six and maximum
of eight. The number of venues will not necessarily be the same in each
country.
Meanwhile, the expanded 2016 championship format will consist of six groups
of four teams. The top two from each group will advance, along with the
four best third-ranked teams. The tournament will feature 51 matches,
compared to 31 now, played over a period of 29 to 31 days depending on
the match schedule.
"This historic decision gives middle-ranked countries a much greater
chance to qualify for the final tournament, thereby expanding the fan
basis directly reached, and increasing the number of matches played and
boosting the overall stadium capacity," UEFA said.
Platini dismissed claims that the expansion would tire out players even
more after a long season.
"It's just one more match, a last-16 game," Platini said. "I
am sure it does not change the technical standard. It's the same."
UEFA also said it was beefing up its "early warning system"
to protect against illegal betting and matchfixing. Two additional full-time
staff and four additional disciplinary inspectors will be hired.
UEFA said it is looking into irregular betting patterns surrounding 25
UEFA Cup and Intertoto matches from last season and this current season.
A special investigation unit will look into the matter, but no further
details were given.
Also, the committee approved the renaming of the UEFA Cup to the UEFA
Europa League from next season with a new format.
The move appears to create a lower-tier version of the Champions League,
with teams playing each other on a home and away basis in group stages.
Under the current format, clubs only play each other once in the group
phase.
"These changes will improve this historic competition that is very
important for UEFA and for European football, as it gives more fans, players
and clubs the thrill of European club football," Platini said. "I
am convinced the new format will give the UEFA Europa League a successful
new impetus."
The UEFA Cup has struggled in the shadow of the lucrative Champions League,
which gives teams global exposure and huge television revenues.
iht.com,
September 26, 2008
|
|
