EURO 2012 Goes to Poland and Ukraine Dinamo Moscow Win The
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6.07 Including EURO 2012 goes to Poland and Ukraine 03 Dinamo MoskvaMoscow win the UEFA Futsal Cup 06 ArsenalLFC Arsenal LFC win the UEFA Women’s Cup 07 Executive Committee meets in Cardiff 11 No 58 – Février 2007 62 June Message Photos: UEFA-pjwoods.ch of the president A vote of confidence The Executive Committee took a historic decision in Cardiff by electing Poland and Ukraine as co-hosts of EURO 2012. The decision caused some surprise and prompted many comments. I do not want to add to those comments here, but would just like to highlight the significance of this decision in UEFA’s development. During the 1990s, UEFA’s world was turned upside down following the break-up of the Soviet Union and the splitting up of Yugoslavia. UEFA’s membership underwent a rapid expansion, requiring the competition structures to be modified at a time when, moreover, football’s market value had reached an unprecedented high. The challenge faced by UEFA was to integrate the new associations – many of which lacked experience and resources – into an organisation that was already affected by growing inequality of means among its members and, from a legal point of view, by whether their countries were part of the European Union or not. Not only that, but it was also a question of integrating them by endeavouring to raise IN THIS ISSUE them as close as possible to the level of the better-off associations, as opposed to levelling everyone down. EURO 2012 goes to Poland and Ukraine 03 Today, the challenge has still not been fully met, but undeniable and European Under-21 considerable progress has been achieved. It is in this light that the decision to invite Championship final round Poland and Ukraine to co-host UEFA’s flagship competition reveals its full significance. in the Netherlands 04 It is, first of all, a sign of confidence not only in the ability of the hosts Dinamo Moskva win the UEFA Futsal Cup 06 to take on this awesome task, but, above all, in football’s extraordinary rallying and Arsenal LFC win the motivational powers. It will also make a major contribution to levelling out European UEFA Women’s Cup 07 football, by placing a powerful focus on the east of the continent and, at the same UEFA Grassroots Conference time, providing it with means of development beyond compare. in Helsinki 09 But, more than anything else, it is an opportunity to fulfil UEFA’s stated HatTrick knowledge mission to promote football throughout Europe. sharing project 10 News from member associations 15 COVER Michel Platini UEFA President Lianne Sanderson breaks free from Marta: the energy of Arsenal Ladies proved stronger than the experience of Umeå in the UEFA Women’s Cup final. Photo: Empics Sport/PA Photos 02 uefadirect 6.07 AwardedAwarded toto EUROPolandPoland andand 2012 UkraineUkraine Italy Poland and Ukraine UEFA-pjwoods.ch UEFA-pjwoods.ch UEFA-pjwoods.ch Croatia and Hungary Munns/AFP/Getty Images AT ITS MEETING IN CARDIFF ON 17 AND 18 APRIL, THE UEFA EXECUTIVE until it was announced by the UEFA president at Cardiff City Hall in front of COMMITTEE DECIDED WHO WOULD HOST EURO 2012, VOTING IN FAVOUR the delegations of the bidders and the OF THE FOOTBALL ASSOCIATIONS OF POLAND AND UKRAINE. media. It took just one ballot to secure a result, with Poland and Ukraine ob- The bidding procedure for the discussions, detailed examinations taining a comfortable majority of eight tournament began back in February 2005 of the bids and the signature of initial votes out of 12 (the Italian and Ukrain- and, for the first time, was split into agreements and guarantees. The ian members of the Executive Commit- two phases. To begin with, five bids were final decision should have been taken tee were not entitled to vote). confirmed to the UEFA administration: last December, but in the light of the “We must thank the five joint bids from Croatia and Hungary, and experience of the ongoing negotiations associations involved, as well as the from Poland and Ukraine, as well as indi- for EURO 2008, and in view of the political authorities and the fans for vidual bids from Greece, Italy and Turkey. expansion of a tournament of this kind their incredible backing of their respec- In November of the same outside the stadiums (in particular, tive bids,” the UEFA president said. year, the Executive Committee made an in the form of fan parks), it was post- The successful bid comprises initial selection, based on the evaluation poned until the Executive Committee’s the following eight host cities: Gdansk, reports it had received, shortlisting meeting in April, in order to study the Poznan, Warsaw and Wroclaw in the bids of Croatia/Hungary, Italy and bids in greater depth. Poland, and Dnipropetrovsk, Donetsk, Poland/Ukraine. As a result of the strict proce- Kiev and Lvov in Ukraine. Every This first decision was followed dure adopted by the Executive Commit- stadium has to be renovated or built by visits to the countries concerned, tee, the successful bid was not revealed from scratch. 03 The centre of Tournament Heerenveen director Harry was awash Been. with the colours of the participating teams. City of Heerenveen KNVB/Jan de Koning European Under- 21 Dutch readyChampionship for kick-off WHEN THE FINAL ROUND OF THE EUROPEAN UNDER-21 CHAMPIONSHIP KICKS OFF ON 10 JUNE IN HEERENVEEN, IT WILL BE THE START OF ANOTHER EXCITING FOOTBALL EVENT FOR DUTCH FOOTBALL FANS. They will be hoping for a trained over 600 volunteers, who will attention on the football event taking repetition of the successful and most operate as drivers, attendants and assis- place from 10 to 23 June. entertaining international tournaments tants in various fields. that the Dutch hosted in 2000 and Art4Football 2005. Seven years ago, the Netherlands Attendance Four hundred primary schools co-hosted EURO 2000 with southern With over 120,000 tickets sold by in the four venues received an invitation neighbours Belgium. Two years ago, 1 May, expected attendance has already to take part in the educational and cultural six host cities were alight with enthusi- exceeded the number of spectators in project Art4Football, for which children asm during the FIFA World Youth Cham- Germany for the under-21 final round in produce a work of art which pionship in 2005. 2004. The LOC sincerely hopes that ticket is exhibited in their local area In order to organise the under- sales will have passed the total for last first. The best efforts – 21 event successfully, the Royal Nether- year’s tournament in Portugal even before expressing Dutch hospitality lands Football Association (KNVB) the tournament kicks off on 10 June. and the international founded the legal entity Euro 2007 as Over the last few months, flavour of the tourna- the local organising committee (LOC), dozens of activities in and around ment – will be which can operate legally, commercially the host cities have alerted offered to the and financially independently of the potential fans to the Euro- competing football association itself. The president pean Under-21 Champi- teams upon of the foundation is KNVB president onship final round. their arrival Mathieu Sprengers, while KNVB’s gen- School competitions, in the eral secretary Harry Been was appointed club tournaments and Nether- as tournament director. Both men one-off events lands. Thus, held the same positions during the two have had their young and previous major international events effect on the old are mak- and have quite some experience under general mood of ing sure that no one their belts. the public and ticket sales in particular. is going to regret The official European under-21 trophy UEFA moving the Festive has been on tour in the four host cities final round of its The allocation of the four host since the launch of ticket sales on European Under- cities was a difficult choice out of many 19 January. The highlight of this tour was 21 Championship highly suitable candidates. In the end, a one-day trip in an eye-catching vehicle from even to odd- one decisive factor was the intention containing championship ambassador numbered years. of Arnhem, Groningen, Heerenveen Frank de Boer and tournament director Rob de Leede and Nijmegen to turn their venues into Harry Been on 21 May. Frank de Boer a festive football area for competitors has been instrumental in the promotional and fans alike. With their memories campaign for the event. He attended of 2005 still fresh in their minds, at least one major promotional event in Ismail Aissati, one of the the fans are likely to turn up in large each of the host cities. A promotional key members numbers, just as the volunteers team, the “UEFA Under-21 Hit Squad”, of the Dutch U21 team. have already done in order to fill the have visited well-attended events hundreds of vacancies that were avail- all around the country since KNVB/Jan de Koning able. An agency has selected and 20 April, focussing 04 uefadirect 6.07 The The team Euroborg of former stadium stars which in Groningen, faced where the FC Hercules final will in Utrecht. be played. Jan de Koning/KNVB UEFA Tournament ambas- sador Frank de Boer A team hands Formula 1 driver Christijan Albers the tournament trophy and to promote the an invitation for the opening match during a promotional event in Amsterdam. tournament UEFA FOR THE FIRST TIME, THE FINAL ROUND OF THE EUROPEAN UNDER-21 Job Cohen, and Dutch football CHAMPIONSHIP IS BEING STAGED IN AN ODD-NUMBERED YEAR. THE PURPOSE OF stars including Arsenal’s Robin van Persie and Dutch internation- THIS CHANGE, WHICH WAS ADOPTED BY THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE, IS TO RAISE als Ryan Babel and Romeo Caste- THE PROFILE OF THIS COMPETITION WHICH, UNTIL NOW, HAS ALWAYS BEEN len took part in the promotional HELD IN THE SHADOW OF THE EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP OR WORLD CUP FINALS.