Poland: UEFA decision ends speculation on hosting rights
Submitted by Anna Tomova on Fri, 09/26/2008 - 17:23.
UEFA's decision is final that Poland and Ukraine will host Euro 2012, the head of Poland's football association Michal Listkiewicz said on Friday after UEFA decided to keep the two nations as co-hosts of the football championship.
"This ends any speculation on the possibility of taking this tournament away from us," Listkiewicz told the Polish Press Agency. "I was rather prepared that UEFA would still leave itself a bit of time."
Listkiewicz said UEFA told Poland it had made a clear improvement in preparation efforts, but "risks" remained in getting airports and hotels ready.
Doubts also remained about the building on time of stadiums in Chorzow and Warsaw, he added, which were judged as "very" or "highly" risky projects.
Ukraine fared better with stadiums, but worse with remaining infrastructure, Listkiewicz said in Bordeaux, where he'd given a presentation to UEFA officials.
UEFA announced Friday it was to keep Poland and Ukraine as co- hosts of Euro 2012, but warned both countries that any "slackening" in efforts could still put the tournament in doubt.
In May 2009, the executive committee is due to decide whether the co-hosts have fulfilled criteria relating to venues in four Polish cities.
The two former Soviet-bloc states were unlikely UEFA picks to host the prestigious tournament and had both received prior warnings to step up their efforts.
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