Waiting for the ball to drop
On April 18, the European football body UEFA will decide on the host for the Euro 2012 European football championships. Poland, running a joint bid with Ukraine, is among the three finalists, along with Italy and a joint bid from Croatia and Hungary.
Michał Nykowski, head of the Polish staff for the Euro 2012 Project, thinks Poland and Ukraine have a good chance of winning the race. "We are a tasty bite for UEFA's sponsors," he claims. As proof, he points out that the two countries represent a massive market of 85 million inhabitants, much larger than the Hungarian and Croatian markets and much more absorptive than the stable, saturated Italian market. Nykowski also said that promoting the development of the sport in these countries, with their huge fan bases, will also benefit UEFA.
The benefits of hosting an event of this caliber go beyond the fact that the Polish national team would be able to play in the championships without having to participate in the qualifying round. "Organizing this event provides an opportunity for economic growth and promotion of the country," said the Minister of Sport, Tomasz Lipiec.
According to the government, if Euro 2012 goes to Poland and Ukraine, a total of E37 (zł.141.8) billion from EU funds could be invested in improving road, rail and airport infrastructure and the construction of desperately- needed stadiums.
When asked about the lack of sporting infrastructure, Nykowski pointed out that Portugal had no new stadiums when it was chosen to host Euro 2004. He said that documents containing financial as well as legal guarantees were sent to UEFA. "There is a political will ... The decision-makers have understood that sport is the best and easiest way of promotion," Nykowski averred.
However, Nykowski acknowledges that the complicated political situation in Ukraine doesn't help the candidacy. "It is worrying," he said, adding, however, that the unrest in Ukraine is taking place against a democratic setting. Nykowski also pointed out that Hungary has had its own political problems.
