The Sweeper - Euro 2012 draw special: 'Racism will not be an issue' claims Uefa chief

The European governing body's operations director Martin Kallen insists offensive chants and banners won't be an issue next summer, but travel for teams (and schoolkids) might be

3 Dec 2011 10:00:00

By Wayne Veysey in Kiev

More On :  Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, England, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Ireland, Russia, Spain, Sweden, Ukraine
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There are fears that Euro 2012 could be marred by racism as league matches in Poland, particularly, have been targets for offensive banners and chanting in the recent past.

Anti-racist organisation Never Again has recorded more than 200 cases of anti-semitic or racist propaganda in the last 18 months at matches in Poland and Ukraine.

However, Martin Kallen, Uefa’s operations director for Euro 2012, told The Sweeper he believes it is unlikely to be a problem next summer.

“I think it will not be an issue for Euro 2012,” he said. “We know how to police these events. The authorities are aware about it and they are doing certain programmes.

“We are working together on our corporate social programme to deal with this issue and will be very tough with anyone who spoils the tournament.”

A problem that has historically been closer to home is that of hooliganism but Kallen believes a new generation of England supporters are intent on having fun rather than causing trouble and does not expect a repeat of the horrific scenes in Charleroi during Euro 2000.

“Euro 2008 and Euro 2004 was always a party," he said. "I think people who are coming here from England are different supporters. They want to enjoy themselves and have good fun.

“The English FA is always doing a very good job with their clubs. Only people associated with clubs in the English FA can apply for tickets. On that side they are doing their utmost to give these tickets to supporters of the English FA.”

Nevertheless, a thriving black market is a regular feature of the major tournaments and Kallen admits it is impossible to completely eradicate the presence of ticket touts.

He explained: “We have done a lot and stopped a lot of touts already but it is not possible to stop it 100 per cent. We are doing our utmost to stop 50 odd per cent.

“A big portion of them are under control and we have good measures in giving the tickets out, looking at who has applied for the ticket and also in tracing all of this data.

“In the first phase we are checking the data and out of the data we take the special ones with questions marks out immediately.”

Kallen told The Sweeper that “thousands” of touts have already been caught after Uefa’s screening procedures highlighted ticket problems.

He added: “Until the end we will do check controls at the stadium so, if touts are selling tickets, we have the means through legislation to arrest them.”


POLAND THE FAVOURITE DESTINATION FOR COMPETING TEAMS

England are not the only participating nation who have given Ukraine a swerve and based their Euro 2012 training camp in Poland, considered to be the more developed and westernised of the co-hosts.

The Sweeper understands that Uefa expects up to 12 of the 16 competing nations to be based in Poland despite an equal split in the matches, with each country hosting 15 fixtures.

“The training camps in Ukraine are very good, even top, top class,” said a senior Uefa official. “Many of the teams are making their decision on other things. It is maybe easier to go to Poland but after the draw some of the teams will rethink their proposals.”

Not so. England and Holland will remain in the tourist hotspot of Krakow despite playing all their group games in Ukraine, while Germany will also stick with their Polish HQ.


DENMARK REFLECT ON 'DISASTER' DRAW

Spare a thought for Denmark. Not only have Morten Olsen’s team been placed in the ‘Group of Death’ but they will play their three first-round matches in the Ukraine satellite cities of Lviv and Kharkiv.

“It is a disaster – for the team, the fans, the sponsors, everyone,” chuntered a senior figure in the Danish Football Association on a coach back from the draw ceremony to their Kiev hotel, where the delegation was met with sympathy from Euro 2012 delegates.

The Danish FA have decided to base their training camp in the capital Kiev and fly in to Lviv and Kharkiv for their three group games.


GERMANY RAISE THE BAR

There was an air of quiet confidence in the Germany camp despite being pitted against Holland and Portugal (and the aforementioned Danes) in the group stages.

An eight-man delegation, including coach Joachim Low and general manager Oliver Bierhoff, spent the evening in the sumptuous top-floor bar of Kiev’s Hyatt Regency hotel drinking red wine until the early hours.

Not that the Euro 2012 favourites were downing their sorrows. They were spotted joyfully clinking glasses at various intervals.


SCHOOL'S OUT FOR SUMMER

For the less academically inclined youngsters in the four Ukraine host cities, there could be some good news.

The Ukraine government has plans to instruct schools to close a month earlier than the normal June 1 cut-off point next summer.

Officials are concerned about the traffic clogging up the roads, a particular problem during the school run in the capital Kiev, in the build-up to the tournament as the nation makes last-minute preparations for the three-week extravaganza.

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