14 May 2009Platini's decision should help 'motivate' Ukraine

Football Technology and Stadia

Ukraine should be motivated at the decision to boost the quality of its football stadiums ahead of Euro 2012, it has been stated.

UEFA president Michel Platini recently indicated that Kiev is currently the only suitable city to host the event in the country, with Lviv, Donetsk and Kharkiv given until November 30th to ensure that they improve to meet UEFA standards.

Now, Illya Shevlyak, chief executive of the Euro 2012 Coordinating Bureau, has stated that this should only encourage the cities to step up their preparations ahead of the event.

He told Reuters: "It is important that Michel Platini recognised Ukraine's considerable progress in terms of its preparations for the European Championship in recent months.

"I think the UEFA decision is a positive signal that has to motivate Ukrainian cities to intensify their preparations."

Platini also revealed that the Polish cities of Warsaw, Gdansk, Poznan and Wroclaw did meet the required standards to host the event.

Furthermore, the Frenchman has remarked that Kiev could lose its position to Warsaw as the venue to host the final if the ongoing problems with the location's stadium and airport continue.

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