UEFA have insisted there are "absolutely no plans" to drop any of
the Ukrainian cities set to host Euro 2012 despite mounting
concerns over preparations.
Ukrainian Family, Youth and Sports Minister Ravil Safiullin
fuelled fears over the weekend by admitting that stadium
construction work in Kiev, earmarked to stage the final of the
tournament, is five months behind schedule.
But a UEFA spokesperson told www.thesportbriefing.com that
Safiullin had been "really pessimistic" and organisers were still
working towards an even split of the eight designated competition
venues across co-hosts Ukraine and Poland.
However, he admitted hurdles need to be overcome in Wroclaw
and Lviv in Ukraine.
"There are absolutely no plans to drop any of the cities, but
it is true that we have some delays in Vrotslav (Wroclaw) and
Lviv," the spokesperson said.
"We are not really worried about Vrotslav.
"Things need to move a bit quicker in Lviv because they also
have had some trouble with the financing.
"There has also been a visit there from the new Vice-Prime
Minister of Ukraine just five days after he was appointed and I
think that they understand that they need to do it now.
"At the moment there are some issues, but we are not
considering the option of dropping any of the cities. There is no
timeframe for any such decision to be made because at the moment it
is four (in Poland) plus four (in Ukraine), with eight stadia."
The spokesperson also stressed there are no plans to move the
Euro 2012 final away from Kiev, although UEFA is sending
specialists to look at the progress being made in the city on
Wednesday.
