On Wednesday, April 15, the House of Football hosted a briefing after a two-day visit to Ukraine of the UEFA delegation led by the president Michel Platini.

Visit to Olympiyskiy
The main aim of the visit, as Platini has revealed, was to hear the reports on the preparation undertaken by the cities competing to host the games of the UEFA EURO 2012. The event was preceded by a visit to the Olympiysky National Sports Complex. Ukrainian President Viktor Yuschenko, Football Federation of Ukraine President Grigoriy Surkis, Vice Premier Ivan Vasyunik, Youth and Sports Minister Yuriy Pavlenko familiarized Platini with the pace of construction work at the Olympiysky.

May 12-13, Bucharest
Afterwards the UEFA delegation participated in a working session where they heard the reports concerning the preparation of six Ukrainian cities which are in the race to host the UEFA EURO 2012 matches. “This information will be forwarded to the UEFA Executive Committee which will announce Ukrainian and Polish cities to co-host EURO 2012 on May 12-13”, Platini admitted.

Convincing guaranties, real work
Platini delicately fudged on the issues as to the names and number of these cities in both countries. “It’s an exclusive right of the Executive Committee to select the cities,” he stated. “But be sure that EURO 2012 will be staged at the places most comfortable for the competitors and fans”. The second conclusion UEFA boss has dropped is that Ukraine and Poland will not lose the championship. Despite global crisis, he has heard the essential guaranties from the top officials of the state and government; he has seen a real working process conducted at places.

“It will be hard, but we’ll win”
“Yes, the decision of giving EURO 2012 to Ukraine and Poland is a real challenge, − Platini mentioned. − And of course the process of preparing goes on with certain difficulties. Lots of work has already been done, but there is still even more work that must be done. It will be hard, but we’ll win! I see the desire of Ukraine, how devotedly and even bravely the whole country works for EURO 2012. I am sure that all the strictest demands of UEFA as to EURO Tournament hosting will be fulfilled, the competition will be hold at the highest level, and Ukrainians will be proud of it”.

Ukraine is reliable partner
Grygoriy Surkis and Ivan Vasyunyk also took part in the briefing. “I am sure that during two years we managed to prove oneself to be a reliable partner of UEFA, − FFU president mentioned. − We were stimulating an honest, opened contest between the cities-candidates and a wide, crystal discussion of this tender. Present visit will give the UEFA representatives an opportunity to get a real picture of the opportunities of each city-candidate”. Grigoriy Surkis also informed that the head of the Local EURO 2012 Organizing Committee in Ukraine had already been selected. So, the director of the Tournament is to be Markiyan Lubkivskiy, an experienced diplomat.

Goal after Platini pass
Ivan Vasyunyk thanked the UEFA president and his team. “You have been the partners and counselors of Ukraine when proving the football world that Ukraine together with Poland is able to host EURO 2012 worthily. UEFA makes an invaluable contribution to the development of Ukraine”, − the vice Prime Minister mentioned.