UEFA to scold Poland

UEFA, the governing body of European soccer, will rebuke Poland and its co-host of the Euro 2012 soccer tournament, Ukraine, due to their lack of progress in building the required infrastructure for the games. The right to host the games will not be withdrawn, however.

Both nations will be criticized in a report to be submitted to UEFA's executive committee this week. The report will not propose an alternative location for the games.

"The report has yet to be finalized, but from what I have seen so far, no, it will not recommend that Poland and Ukraine lose the tournament," one source familiar with the report said. "Basically, it will criticize heavily both countries for lack of progress, but also praise some of the efforts that have been made since UEFA president Michel Platini visited the two countries."

Platini has already visited Poland and Ukraine twice earlier this year, and cautioned the two countries' officials that they might lose the rights to host the games if work was not preparations did not move along faster.

There are labor shortages in the construction sector in Poland, while the Ukranian city of Kiev is having trouble with renovating an 84,000-seat Olympic stadium, where the final soccer game is due to be held.

Poland and Ukraine last year won the right to host the Euro 2012 games, beating out competition from Italy and a joint bid from Croatia and Hungary. (Reuters)