LVIV, Ukraine -- "Bandits and swindlers" are undermining Ukraine's Euro 2012 preparations by pushing accommodation prices up to exorbitant levels, UEFA president Michel Platini said on Thursday.
Hotels in Kiev, Donetsk, Kharkiv and Lviv, the four Ukrainian host cities, have hiked prices in some cases more than 10-fold.
Talking to reporters during a visit to Lviv, Platini said "bandits and swindlers who want to earn a lot of money" could keep fans away from Ukraine.
"You cannot raise prices from 40 euros ($53) to 100 euros ($132) to 500 euros ($657) from one day to the next," added the president of European soccer's ruling body. "That is just not done."
Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovich this month ordered his government to investigate price hikes and ensure hotel rates are at an "economically reasonable" level during the championship.
"We will be preparing to the last night and will welcome (guests and participants) the way it should be done," Yanukovich said in a statement on Thursday.
The cheapest Lviv hotel listed on UEFA's championship website as available for the Germany-Portugal match on June 9 charges 195 euros ($256) per night. For the Ukraine-Sweden match on June 11 in Kiev, offers start at 104 euros ($137).
A tent camp set up 35-km away from Kiev plans to charge 30 euros ($40) per night.
Ukraine, tournament co-hosts along with Poland, has invested billions of dollars in Euro preparations and hopes to gain a return in the form of increased tourist traffic.
Showing posts with label sport. Show all posts
Showing posts with label sport. Show all posts
Sunday, 15 April 2012
Saturday, 7 April 2012
Ukraine Full Of Confidence And Anticipation
ZURICH, Switzerland -- "The main aim of the team is to win the EURO 2012." This bold statement was made some ten months again by Ukraine coach Oleg Blokhin in an exclusive interview with FIFA.com.
And it does seem that the co-hosts are peaking at just the right time ahead of the tournament which gets under way on 8 June.
The team from the largest country solely in Europe is currently on a six-month unbeaten run, having defeated Bulgaria (3-0), Estonia (2-0) and Austria (2-1) in recent friendlies and earned an impressive 3-3 draw against three-time FIFA World Cup™ winners Germany.
Spearheaded by the country's most-capped player, Anatoliy Tymoschuk of Bayern Munich, Ukraine look as if they fully deserve their place at Europe's top table.
Ukraine's fans have been avidly following their country's improvement via the FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking.
The most recent table, published in March 2012, saw them jump no fewer than 10 places from 59th to 49th.
This, however, is a long way from Ukraine's best-ever ranking of 11th in February 2007, following on from their exploits at the 2006 FIFA World Cup.
Nevertheless, the current ranking is the source of no little pride for Blokhin and his squad.
"We're a strong team physically and we always show a lot of effort and commitment when we're out on the pitch," said Tymoschuk in an exclusive interview with FIFA.com back in autumn 2011.
"It's the first European Championships for all Ukraine players, meaning that we will have to call on the experience we obtained in the internationals we have played, while the younger players will have to get used to the level required when playing for your country. If we can do that, then we'll be able to show what we're really capable of."
Any euphoria however is being kept under wraps, due in no small part to Ukraine having the second-lowest ranking of the 16 teams at the EURO.
Poland, who are co-hosts of this hotly-anticipated final phase, are the only team lower – down at 75th in fact.
As such, Tymoschuk and his team-mates know they will have to be at their absolute best when they face France, England and Sweden in Group D.
Blokhin is taking this opportunity to qualify his previous lofty goals somewhat.
"Obviously our first objective must be to get out of the group stage," the coach said.
"We'll give it our best shot, but obviously if we don't achieve our first goal, then we won't be able to achieve our main aim either. So we need to take things one step at a time."
The former international star sees his greatest challenge as bringing some stability to the defense.
"I've got fewer worries about the midfield and attack – we've got some very promising players there," he said.
Plenty of pundits think Ukraine's fortunes will live and die with Andriy Shevchenko.
The legendary striker, now 35, has set himself the goal of returning to top form in time for the EURO on his home soil.
A heel injury has set him back in his preparations for the tournament, meaning that the 2004 European Footballer of the Year and former AC Milan and Chelsea star, who is finishing out his career with his home town club of Dynamo KiEv, is facing a race against time to be fully fit.
The real star of the Ukraine squad is the coach, however.
Shevchenko himself recently said that Blokhin's return to the helm of the national team in April 2011 has boosted the squad's confidence, and it is hoped that this will rub off throughout the 45 million inhabitants of the country.
This, after all, is the main way to ensure the beautiful game continues to make progress beyond UEFA EURO 2012.
"It's already become very clear that the European Championships could potentially give the development both of Ukrainian football and the country's infrastructure a real boost," Blokhin told FIFA.com.
"At the same time, hosting EURO 2012 is also a real challenge for the country, since it's the first time that we'll be organising such a major event. This European Championship will be something of a test run to see how capable we are of organising similar events in the future."
"It's no exaggeration to say that the people of Ukraine can't wait for the show to get under way and to have the opportunity to demonstrate some of our legendary hospitality."
And it does seem that the co-hosts are peaking at just the right time ahead of the tournament which gets under way on 8 June.
The team from the largest country solely in Europe is currently on a six-month unbeaten run, having defeated Bulgaria (3-0), Estonia (2-0) and Austria (2-1) in recent friendlies and earned an impressive 3-3 draw against three-time FIFA World Cup™ winners Germany.
Spearheaded by the country's most-capped player, Anatoliy Tymoschuk of Bayern Munich, Ukraine look as if they fully deserve their place at Europe's top table.
Ukraine's fans have been avidly following their country's improvement via the FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking.
The most recent table, published in March 2012, saw them jump no fewer than 10 places from 59th to 49th.
This, however, is a long way from Ukraine's best-ever ranking of 11th in February 2007, following on from their exploits at the 2006 FIFA World Cup.
Nevertheless, the current ranking is the source of no little pride for Blokhin and his squad.
"We're a strong team physically and we always show a lot of effort and commitment when we're out on the pitch," said Tymoschuk in an exclusive interview with FIFA.com back in autumn 2011.
"It's the first European Championships for all Ukraine players, meaning that we will have to call on the experience we obtained in the internationals we have played, while the younger players will have to get used to the level required when playing for your country. If we can do that, then we'll be able to show what we're really capable of."
Any euphoria however is being kept under wraps, due in no small part to Ukraine having the second-lowest ranking of the 16 teams at the EURO.
Poland, who are co-hosts of this hotly-anticipated final phase, are the only team lower – down at 75th in fact.
As such, Tymoschuk and his team-mates know they will have to be at their absolute best when they face France, England and Sweden in Group D.
Blokhin is taking this opportunity to qualify his previous lofty goals somewhat.
"Obviously our first objective must be to get out of the group stage," the coach said.
"We'll give it our best shot, but obviously if we don't achieve our first goal, then we won't be able to achieve our main aim either. So we need to take things one step at a time."
The former international star sees his greatest challenge as bringing some stability to the defense.
"I've got fewer worries about the midfield and attack – we've got some very promising players there," he said.
Plenty of pundits think Ukraine's fortunes will live and die with Andriy Shevchenko.
The legendary striker, now 35, has set himself the goal of returning to top form in time for the EURO on his home soil.
A heel injury has set him back in his preparations for the tournament, meaning that the 2004 European Footballer of the Year and former AC Milan and Chelsea star, who is finishing out his career with his home town club of Dynamo KiEv, is facing a race against time to be fully fit.
The real star of the Ukraine squad is the coach, however.
Shevchenko himself recently said that Blokhin's return to the helm of the national team in April 2011 has boosted the squad's confidence, and it is hoped that this will rub off throughout the 45 million inhabitants of the country.
This, after all, is the main way to ensure the beautiful game continues to make progress beyond UEFA EURO 2012.
"It's already become very clear that the European Championships could potentially give the development both of Ukrainian football and the country's infrastructure a real boost," Blokhin told FIFA.com.
"At the same time, hosting EURO 2012 is also a real challenge for the country, since it's the first time that we'll be organising such a major event. This European Championship will be something of a test run to see how capable we are of organising similar events in the future."
"It's no exaggeration to say that the people of Ukraine can't wait for the show to get under way and to have the opportunity to demonstrate some of our legendary hospitality."
Sunday, 11 March 2012
Euro 2012 - England Fans Could Snub 'Rip-Off Ukraine'
England could play their Euro 2012 matches in front of half-empty stadiums due to extortionate hotel prices in Ukraine.
England usually take one of the biggest away supports to major championships, and tickets are usually scarce - but the FA are struggling to sell their allocation for this summer's tournament that is being co-hosted with Poland.
The Three Lions open up their campaign against France in Donetsk before playing Sweden in Kiev.
Their final group game is back in Donetsk when they take on hosts Ukraine.
According to the Daily Telegraph, a one-star hotel in Donetsk, where England face France on June 11, is asking for £1,000 ($1,578) a night, while even guesthouses 35 miles away are looking for £240 ($379) per person per night.
Meanwhile, a room at the Ibis hotel in Kiev would normally cost £49 ($77), but is currently advertised for £550 ($868) when England are playing Sweden in the city on June 15.
“Getting there is OK, the cost of flights is OK, ticket prices are OK, it is the cost when you’re there that is a worry," admitted David Taylor, who is chief executive of UEFA Events.
"They (Ukraine) are playing with fire. It is inevitable to an extent. People want to see what they can get out of the situation, but some prices can be counterproductive and, to be honest, some of the prices are quite ridiculous."
“England have not sold out their allocation yet. For some reason there do not seem to be the same numbers as there normally are."
England have been allocated 7,500 tickets for the match against France and 9,000 for their clash with Sweden.
“The problem is there aren’t mid-price hotels. People in Ukraine need to realise we’re in austerity times,” Taylor said.
“In Lisbon, France against England in 2004 was the hottest ticket of the whole tournament. It’s the same wherever England played in the 2006 World Cup and now we’ve got them playing in Donetsk and neither France nor England have taken all their ticket allocation."
“It’s in a big stadium and, it’s incredible really, but this is one of the games we are worried about in terms of having rows of empty seats."
Taylor also said that UEFA are powerless to do anything about hotel prices.
“All we can do is try to advise and speak to the Ukrainian government and tell them this is happening," he added.
“We’ve asked them ‘do you realise what is going to happen?’ We’ve warned them the income in the country is going to be much, much less than we were forecasting."
“If you want the visitors, they have got to apply some local pressure to the hotels to make them be more realistic."
"They will have to be in the end because the rooms are empty, but it might be too late by then because people will have decided not to travel.”
England usually take one of the biggest away supports to major championships, and tickets are usually scarce - but the FA are struggling to sell their allocation for this summer's tournament that is being co-hosted with Poland.
The Three Lions open up their campaign against France in Donetsk before playing Sweden in Kiev.
Their final group game is back in Donetsk when they take on hosts Ukraine.
According to the Daily Telegraph, a one-star hotel in Donetsk, where England face France on June 11, is asking for £1,000 ($1,578) a night, while even guesthouses 35 miles away are looking for £240 ($379) per person per night.
Meanwhile, a room at the Ibis hotel in Kiev would normally cost £49 ($77), but is currently advertised for £550 ($868) when England are playing Sweden in the city on June 15.
“Getting there is OK, the cost of flights is OK, ticket prices are OK, it is the cost when you’re there that is a worry," admitted David Taylor, who is chief executive of UEFA Events.
"They (Ukraine) are playing with fire. It is inevitable to an extent. People want to see what they can get out of the situation, but some prices can be counterproductive and, to be honest, some of the prices are quite ridiculous."
“England have not sold out their allocation yet. For some reason there do not seem to be the same numbers as there normally are."
England have been allocated 7,500 tickets for the match against France and 9,000 for their clash with Sweden.
“The problem is there aren’t mid-price hotels. People in Ukraine need to realise we’re in austerity times,” Taylor said.
“In Lisbon, France against England in 2004 was the hottest ticket of the whole tournament. It’s the same wherever England played in the 2006 World Cup and now we’ve got them playing in Donetsk and neither France nor England have taken all their ticket allocation."
“It’s in a big stadium and, it’s incredible really, but this is one of the games we are worried about in terms of having rows of empty seats."
Taylor also said that UEFA are powerless to do anything about hotel prices.
“All we can do is try to advise and speak to the Ukrainian government and tell them this is happening," he added.
“We’ve asked them ‘do you realise what is going to happen?’ We’ve warned them the income in the country is going to be much, much less than we were forecasting."
“If you want the visitors, they have got to apply some local pressure to the hotels to make them be more realistic."
"They will have to be in the end because the rooms are empty, but it might be too late by then because people will have decided not to travel.”
Saturday, 3 March 2012
Ukraine Vows To Cut Euro 2012 Hotel Costs
KIEV, Ukraine -- The 2012 European championships co-hosts Ukraine have promised to cut hotel costs during the event, amid concerns that prices are being cranked up to sky-high levels due to a lack of supply.
"The country's government will find ways to make the costs of staying in the country during the Euro-2012 more acceptable for our guests," Deputy Prime Minister Borys Kolesnikov said at a news conference.
"Poverty causes greed," he added.
"We forgave our hotels their debts 10 years ago to stimulate their development. We counted on their loyalty but they lifted the prices."
"However, our government has enough power to reduce their appetite," Kolesnikov promised.
Earlier this year Ukraine's media expressed deep concern over hotel capacity in some of the Euro-2012 host cities and the high cost of staying in Kiev for foreign visitors.
Estimates put the cost of rooms in Kiev at more than double that of staying in the Polish capital, Warsaw.
An overnight stay in Kiev during the tournament is expected to reach a staggering $332 (247 euros), compared with $149 in Warsaw.
Tent pitches in the Kiev suburbs will cost visiting fans about 40 euros ($54), the price of a daily stay in a hostel in Warsaw.
Kolesnikov insisted that Ukraine has enough space in inexpensive hotels in all of the host cities, although he admitted there is a lack of capacity in Donetsk.
Fans there will have the option of staying on local university campuses, he added.
Kolesnikov also said that Ukraine is set to open the country's skies for all of the world's airlines.
This initiative will allow fans who consider staying in Ukraine to be too expensive to come to Ukraine to watch the match and return home right after the showdown.
"The country's government will find ways to make the costs of staying in the country during the Euro-2012 more acceptable for our guests," Deputy Prime Minister Borys Kolesnikov said at a news conference.
"Poverty causes greed," he added.
"We forgave our hotels their debts 10 years ago to stimulate their development. We counted on their loyalty but they lifted the prices."
"However, our government has enough power to reduce their appetite," Kolesnikov promised.
Earlier this year Ukraine's media expressed deep concern over hotel capacity in some of the Euro-2012 host cities and the high cost of staying in Kiev for foreign visitors.
Estimates put the cost of rooms in Kiev at more than double that of staying in the Polish capital, Warsaw.
An overnight stay in Kiev during the tournament is expected to reach a staggering $332 (247 euros), compared with $149 in Warsaw.
Tent pitches in the Kiev suburbs will cost visiting fans about 40 euros ($54), the price of a daily stay in a hostel in Warsaw.
Kolesnikov insisted that Ukraine has enough space in inexpensive hotels in all of the host cities, although he admitted there is a lack of capacity in Donetsk.
Fans there will have the option of staying on local university campuses, he added.
Kolesnikov also said that Ukraine is set to open the country's skies for all of the world's airlines.
This initiative will allow fans who consider staying in Ukraine to be too expensive to come to Ukraine to watch the match and return home right after the showdown.
Carlsberg Ukraine To Start Bottling Alcohol-Free Beer For Euro 2012 Fans In May
KIEV, Ukraine -- Carlsberg Ukraine, the largest beer and beverage producer in Ukraine, in May will start bottling Carlsberg alcohol-free beer to sell it at stadiums during the hosting of the Euro 2012 European football championship, the company's press service has reported.
"Under the UEFA rules, alcoholic drink sales at stadiums during matches are banned, so we're launching production of Carlsberg alcohol-free beer," reads the release, citing Vice President for Marketing at Carlsberg Ukraine, Yaroslav Koval.
The press service said that expected sales of Carlsberg alcohol-free beer during the tournament will reach 15,000 decaliters.
The alcohol-free beer will be bottled at Kiev brewery.
The company said that Carlsberg alcohol-free beer would not be sold in retail chains.
The press service said that Carlsberg as an official sponsor of Euro 2012 is the only company, that has the right to sell beer and kvas at Ukrainian stadiums during matches.
As reported, Carlsberg Group, the largest beer producer in Northern and Eastern Europe and the fourth beer producer in the world, owns Carlsberg Ukraine.
Carlsberg in Ukraine unites the Slavutich brewery in Zaporizhia, Kiev Slavutich brewery and Lvivska Pyvovarnia (Lviv Brewery).
The company said that in 2011 Carlsberg Ukraine was second on the Ukrainian beer market.
According to ACNielsen, the company's market share in volumes came to 28.8%.
"Under the UEFA rules, alcoholic drink sales at stadiums during matches are banned, so we're launching production of Carlsberg alcohol-free beer," reads the release, citing Vice President for Marketing at Carlsberg Ukraine, Yaroslav Koval.
The press service said that expected sales of Carlsberg alcohol-free beer during the tournament will reach 15,000 decaliters.
The alcohol-free beer will be bottled at Kiev brewery.
The company said that Carlsberg alcohol-free beer would not be sold in retail chains.
The press service said that Carlsberg as an official sponsor of Euro 2012 is the only company, that has the right to sell beer and kvas at Ukrainian stadiums during matches.
As reported, Carlsberg Group, the largest beer producer in Northern and Eastern Europe and the fourth beer producer in the world, owns Carlsberg Ukraine.
Carlsberg in Ukraine unites the Slavutich brewery in Zaporizhia, Kiev Slavutich brewery and Lvivska Pyvovarnia (Lviv Brewery).
The company said that in 2011 Carlsberg Ukraine was second on the Ukrainian beer market.
According to ACNielsen, the company's market share in volumes came to 28.8%.
Sunday, 4 December 2011
Russia to face hosts Poland in Euro 2012
Russia will play co-hosts Poland, Greece and Czech Republic in Group A at Euro 2012. The draw has been kind to Russia as all the group opponents are lower-ranked, and it escaped the tournament’s stronger teams. The fans, however, will be upset that the games are not in Ukraine, where they need no visa and everyone speaks Russian.
Since 1992 Russia only lost two out of 14 games in total against Group A opponents Poland, Greece and Czech Republic, drawing five and winning seven, according to Opta stats. They scored an average of 1.6 goals per game, and failed to score only twice.
Russian midfielder Igor Semshov was pleased with the draw.
“We could only have dreamt about such a group,” he told Sovietsky Sport. “It was a lucky draw, the most optimal group. What happens in the games is a different issue, but the draw, you can say, favours Russia. Everything depends on us alone.”
“All four [coaches] are happy with the group, because everybody can beat each other. So, with that in mind, we're looking forward to the first game. It's the third consecutive time that Russia have been drawn with Greece in the group stage of the Euros, so we're familiar rivals.”
Group B has Germany and Netherlands, Portugal and Denmark. Group C has current European and World Champions Spain, Italy, Croatia and Republic of Ireland. Group D includes hosts Ukraine, England, Sweden and France.
Russia was hoping to play in Russian-speaking Ukraine where no visa is needed for the fans and any game would have practically turned into a home match. The team has also chosen a base in Kiev, but will now have to travel a thousand kilometers for games in Wroclaw in Western Poland and more than 700 kilometers to Warsaw.
Russia’s first game will be at the Municipal Stadium in Wroclaw against Czech Republic, while Poland will open the tournament with a match against Greece in Warsaw, on June, 8. Dick Advocaat’s men then travel to Warsaw where they will play Poland on June, 12 and Greece on June 16 at the National Stadium.
Top two teams in each group go through to the quarterfinals, and should Russia succeed, it will meet one of the survivors from the Group of Death - World Cup runners-up Netherlands, third-placed Germany, Portugal and Denmark.
Hosts Poland will play in front of the home crowd, and boast Arsenal goalkeeping duo Wojciech Szczesny and Łukasz Fabiański and Bundesliga champions with Borussia Dortmund Robert Lewandowski, Lukasz Piszczek and Jakub Błaszczykowski. Poland is ranked 66th in FIFA ratings, but such a low placing is deceptive, as they did not play any competitive matches in the last two years, having qualified for the tournament as hosts.
Greece, ranked 14th, were surprising Euro 2004 Champions, and last played Russia in a friendly 1:1 draw in November. Greece topped their qualification group and while it does not have household names in the line-up, its game is based on organized defense. Russia was the only side to beat Greece at Euro 2004, in the group stage.
Czech Republic, ranked 33rd, conceded on average one goal a game in the qualification campaign, and got to the finals by beating Montenegro in the play-offs, captained by Arsenal’s Tomas Rosicky.
The tournament will run for three weeks from June, 8 to July, 1. Eight cities will host games: Warsaw, Wroclaw, Gdansk and Poznan in Poland; Kiev, Donetsk, Kharkiv and Lviv in Ukraine.
The final will be played on July, 1 in Kiev at Olimpiisky Stadium.
Euro 2012: Are Poland And Ukraine Ready To Host Festival Of Football?
KIEV, Ukraine -- On Friday the countdown will officially begin to soccer's Euro 2012 finals -- arguably the climax to the second biggest festival of football on the planet behind the World Cup.
he draw for the co-hosted tournament will be held in the Ukrainian capital Kiev, and football fans across the continent will learn the fate of their beloved nations.
It will kick off a six-month countdown to the date of the first game on June 8, to be held in the Polish city of Warsaw. The final will be held in Kiev on July 1.
Amid the excitement, critics have questioned whether the stadiums and infrastructure will be delivered on time for the visit of thousands of fans to Eastern Europe.
Here, CNN examines the myriad of issues on the field, and off it.
What is the European Championship?
The competition was born in 1960 and is held every four years.
It sees Europe's top soccer nations battle it out to be crowned the continent's best team.
There is a two-year-long qualification period, at the end of which 16 teams make the finals.
They are then drawn into four groups of four, with the top two teams progressing from the group to the quarterfinal stage.
The last installment, hosted by Switzerland and Austria in 2008, saw Spain beat Germany 1-0 in the final.
Which venues will stage the games?
There are four stadiums in each country that will host games.
Poland's newly built National Stadium in Warsaw will stage the opening game, while the PGE Arena in Gdansk and the Municipal Stadium in Wroclaw have also been constructed specially for the tournament.
Poznan's Municipal Stadium will also host games.
In Ukraine, Kiev's Olympic Stadium has the honor of the final, while the Donbass Arena in Donetsk, the Metalist Stadium in Kharkiv and the brand new Lviv Arena will also stage games.
What are the fears surrounding the tournament?
Euro 2012 was awarded to Poland and Ukraine by European football's governing body UEFA in 2007 -- the first time Eastern Europe has been called upon to host a major football tournament.
But their preparations have been criticized for the delayed building of stadiums and infrastructure projects necessary to support the thousands of fans that will descend on both countries come June.
As early as 2008, UEFA president Michel Platini was speaking of the need to resolve problems with the project, saying of Ukraine he had to "wake them up a little" and tell them to "get going."
Despite rumors that Scotland offered to step in should the tournament be taken away from Ukraine, Platini said it would remain with the its original hosts.
There are still issues to resolve around the stadium in Lviv, with Polish authorities facing similar concerns over their brand new Municipal Stadium in Wroclaw.
Ukrainian deputy prime minister Boris Kolesnikov told CNN World Sport's Pedro Pinto this week that at no stage did he think the tournament would be stripped from his country: "Neither the president nor the government feared they'd lose the right to host the championship.
Of course we were a little bit scared to physically not be on schedule.
Our sleepless nights, there have been too many to say, but construction has kept going 24/7 during the last 15 months."
But World Soccer's Gavin Hamilton told CNN that Ukraine's focus on getting the stadiums ready has come at the expense of the infrastructure needed to stage the event.
"The concern is that externally, outside of the stadiums, the transport infrastructure hasn't been brought up to speed, there aren't enough hotels.
"So there will be trouble for fans getting around the tournament. As far as UEFA are concerned, in terms of putting on a television spectacle for the world, Ukraine has done a very good job in getting the stadiums ready."
What has CNN discovered in Ukraine?
On a whistle-stop tour of the four cities and stadiums that will host matches in Ukraine, Pinto said he had been impressed with the football arenas but found that some building projects were still battling to be ready, such as the one at Lviv airport, where construction on a new terminal and a lengthened runway continues 24 hours a day.
He said: "Having spent the last week traveling across both countries I can tell you that if you are a football supporter, you needn't worry. The stadiums look great and although some of the roads and railways may not be completed by the start of the tournament, enough progress will have been made to make the fan experience a good one."
What are the costs involved?
According to UEFA figures, revenues taken during the 2008 tournament were $1.7 billion, with an estimated television audience of 4.8 billion for the 31 matches.
The final was broadcast to 231 countries around the world.
Speculation in Ukraine, from the Kyiv Post, claims the country's total cost of staging Euro 2012 is $14.5 billion, paid for by a combination of private and public money.
The paper claims Poland's estimated costs are in the region of $30 billion.
Mikolaj Piotrowski, communications director for PL.2012 -- the national coordinating company for Euro 2012 in Poland -- told CNN:
"The investment, thanks to Euro 2012, has accelerated infrastructure development in this country by three to five years. The overall cost has been $27 billion and has made Poland the largest construction site in Europe."
Yury Gromnitsky, head of the press office for the vice-prime minister of Ukraine, told CNN:
"Ukraine has invested $750 million in sport infrastructure to host Euro 2012, not including the cost of the airport and transportation infrastructure. But being host has really acted as a catalyst for this development to take place."
All four airports in Ukraine's host cities are being revamped, while a series of new hotel developments have also been built -- 67 in Donetsk alone.
A high-speed rail link will be in operation to ferry fans between host cities, and new road networks have also been built.
It will kick off a six-month countdown to the date of the first game on June 8, to be held in the Polish city of Warsaw. The final will be held in Kiev on July 1.
Amid the excitement, critics have questioned whether the stadiums and infrastructure will be delivered on time for the visit of thousands of fans to Eastern Europe.
Here, CNN examines the myriad of issues on the field, and off it.
What is the European Championship?
The competition was born in 1960 and is held every four years.
It sees Europe's top soccer nations battle it out to be crowned the continent's best team.
There is a two-year-long qualification period, at the end of which 16 teams make the finals.
They are then drawn into four groups of four, with the top two teams progressing from the group to the quarterfinal stage.
The last installment, hosted by Switzerland and Austria in 2008, saw Spain beat Germany 1-0 in the final.
Which venues will stage the games?
There are four stadiums in each country that will host games.
Poland's newly built National Stadium in Warsaw will stage the opening game, while the PGE Arena in Gdansk and the Municipal Stadium in Wroclaw have also been constructed specially for the tournament.
Poznan's Municipal Stadium will also host games.
In Ukraine, Kiev's Olympic Stadium has the honor of the final, while the Donbass Arena in Donetsk, the Metalist Stadium in Kharkiv and the brand new Lviv Arena will also stage games.
What are the fears surrounding the tournament?
Euro 2012 was awarded to Poland and Ukraine by European football's governing body UEFA in 2007 -- the first time Eastern Europe has been called upon to host a major football tournament.
But their preparations have been criticized for the delayed building of stadiums and infrastructure projects necessary to support the thousands of fans that will descend on both countries come June.
As early as 2008, UEFA president Michel Platini was speaking of the need to resolve problems with the project, saying of Ukraine he had to "wake them up a little" and tell them to "get going."
Despite rumors that Scotland offered to step in should the tournament be taken away from Ukraine, Platini said it would remain with the its original hosts.
There are still issues to resolve around the stadium in Lviv, with Polish authorities facing similar concerns over their brand new Municipal Stadium in Wroclaw.
Ukrainian deputy prime minister Boris Kolesnikov told CNN World Sport's Pedro Pinto this week that at no stage did he think the tournament would be stripped from his country: "Neither the president nor the government feared they'd lose the right to host the championship.
Of course we were a little bit scared to physically not be on schedule.
Our sleepless nights, there have been too many to say, but construction has kept going 24/7 during the last 15 months."
But World Soccer's Gavin Hamilton told CNN that Ukraine's focus on getting the stadiums ready has come at the expense of the infrastructure needed to stage the event.
"The concern is that externally, outside of the stadiums, the transport infrastructure hasn't been brought up to speed, there aren't enough hotels.
"So there will be trouble for fans getting around the tournament. As far as UEFA are concerned, in terms of putting on a television spectacle for the world, Ukraine has done a very good job in getting the stadiums ready."
What has CNN discovered in Ukraine?
On a whistle-stop tour of the four cities and stadiums that will host matches in Ukraine, Pinto said he had been impressed with the football arenas but found that some building projects were still battling to be ready, such as the one at Lviv airport, where construction on a new terminal and a lengthened runway continues 24 hours a day.
He said: "Having spent the last week traveling across both countries I can tell you that if you are a football supporter, you needn't worry. The stadiums look great and although some of the roads and railways may not be completed by the start of the tournament, enough progress will have been made to make the fan experience a good one."
What are the costs involved?
According to UEFA figures, revenues taken during the 2008 tournament were $1.7 billion, with an estimated television audience of 4.8 billion for the 31 matches.
The final was broadcast to 231 countries around the world.
Speculation in Ukraine, from the Kyiv Post, claims the country's total cost of staging Euro 2012 is $14.5 billion, paid for by a combination of private and public money.
The paper claims Poland's estimated costs are in the region of $30 billion.
Mikolaj Piotrowski, communications director for PL.2012 -- the national coordinating company for Euro 2012 in Poland -- told CNN:
"The investment, thanks to Euro 2012, has accelerated infrastructure development in this country by three to five years. The overall cost has been $27 billion and has made Poland the largest construction site in Europe."
Yury Gromnitsky, head of the press office for the vice-prime minister of Ukraine, told CNN:
"Ukraine has invested $750 million in sport infrastructure to host Euro 2012, not including the cost of the airport and transportation infrastructure. But being host has really acted as a catalyst for this development to take place."
All four airports in Ukraine's host cities are being revamped, while a series of new hotel developments have also been built -- 67 in Donetsk alone.
A high-speed rail link will be in operation to ferry fans between host cities, and new road networks have also been built.
Wednesday, 30 November 2011
Ukraine Hoping For Unforgettable Sheva Goodbye
KIEV, Ukraine -- Already drawn into Group D as top seed, Euro 2012 co-hosts Ukraine will take some comfort in knowing that they will at least avoid 2010 World Cup finalists Spain and the Netherlands in the draw Friday.
However, the cautiously optimistic nation could well face a fascinating tussle with old rivals Germany, Russia or Italy, who knocked them out in the quarter-finals of Germany 2006 in Ukraine's only other major tournament appearance.
It could be good news for the former Soviet Republic that there are many echoes of five years ago in the team.
The familiar blue and yellow side are again coached by icon Oleg Blokhin, a former European Player of the Year, and it is a team built around some of the same players from that success at Germany 2006.
National icon, captain and all-time leading scorer, Andriy Shevchenko is still hoping to lead the line up front despite a lingering back injury.
At 35 years old, 'Sheva' is at the tail end of a long career that included a European Player of the Year award of his own in 2004 and almost half a century of goals in 105 international appearances.
Being drawn against Italy might be a particularly sentimental outcome for player that peaked in his success at AC Milan.
Shevchenko's status within the Ukraine squad is almost matched by all-time cap leader Anatoliy Tymoshchuk, who has found a new lease on life at Bayern Munich and anchors the midfield, which also can call on familiar faces like Serhiy Nazarenko, Andriy Voronin and Oleg Husyev.
Blokhin and his team have made it clear that they intend to get out of the opening group in front of their home fans, so the 55th-ranked team in the world will be watching the draw closely and hoping to avoid as many giants as possible.
'We have bigger goals, but our first target must be to qualify for the knockout round,' said Blokhin, who returned to the post in April after a spell away from coaching.
'Our job is to win Euro 2012, but we must move one step at a time.'
After losing a national team record four matches on the trot, Blokhin's team have recovered their confidence in the last two months to beat Bulgaria, Estonia and Austria and draw with an in-form Germany 3-3.
It could be good news for the former Soviet Republic that there are many echoes of five years ago in the team.
The familiar blue and yellow side are again coached by icon Oleg Blokhin, a former European Player of the Year, and it is a team built around some of the same players from that success at Germany 2006.
National icon, captain and all-time leading scorer, Andriy Shevchenko is still hoping to lead the line up front despite a lingering back injury.
At 35 years old, 'Sheva' is at the tail end of a long career that included a European Player of the Year award of his own in 2004 and almost half a century of goals in 105 international appearances.
Being drawn against Italy might be a particularly sentimental outcome for player that peaked in his success at AC Milan.
Shevchenko's status within the Ukraine squad is almost matched by all-time cap leader Anatoliy Tymoshchuk, who has found a new lease on life at Bayern Munich and anchors the midfield, which also can call on familiar faces like Serhiy Nazarenko, Andriy Voronin and Oleg Husyev.
Blokhin and his team have made it clear that they intend to get out of the opening group in front of their home fans, so the 55th-ranked team in the world will be watching the draw closely and hoping to avoid as many giants as possible.
'We have bigger goals, but our first target must be to qualify for the knockout round,' said Blokhin, who returned to the post in April after a spell away from coaching.
'Our job is to win Euro 2012, but we must move one step at a time.'
After losing a national team record four matches on the trot, Blokhin's team have recovered their confidence in the last two months to beat Bulgaria, Estonia and Austria and draw with an in-form Germany 3-3.
Thursday, 17 November 2011
Ukraine To Stop Killing Stray Dogs Before Euro 2012 Football Championship
KIEV, Ukraine -- Ukraine has bowed to pressure from western animal protection groups and called for an end to the killing of stray dogs before the Euro 2012 football championship takes place in the country next summer.
Thousands of stray dogs have been killed in Ukraine over the past year – often poisoned or injected with illegal substances in an effort to clear the streets before the championship takes place in June – outraging local and international animal protection groups.
"Today I am publicly turning to all city mayors – let us stop the deaths of those poor stray animals for half a year and build shelters together," Mykola Zlochevsky, the environment minister, told a cabinet meeting on Wednesday.
The statement followed a meeting with representatives of Naturewatch, a British group campaigning against animal cruelty in Ukraine.
"This is a fantastic victory for Ukraine, its citizens and its animals," John Ruane, the head of Naturewatch, said.
It remained unclear how the ban would be enforced.
Ukraine has a large stray dog population, numbering tens of thousands in big cities, and building shelters to house the animals would take months.
Serhiy Syrovatka, a spokesman for the environment ministry, said the government would adopt legal and other changes to make the moratorium legally binding, adding that mayors who disobeyed would face punishment.
The ministry intended to help manage and finance construction of shelters, Syrovatka said, adding that dogs that could not be housed in shelters would be sterilised and released.
He said funding such measures would be hard when the Ukrainian economy is relying on international loans.
The minister's comments appeared to suggest that the six-month ban was a temporary measure aimed at quelling criticism before Euro 2012. It was unclear whether the ban would remain in force beyond the championship.
"Today I am publicly turning to all city mayors – let us stop the deaths of those poor stray animals for half a year and build shelters together," Mykola Zlochevsky, the environment minister, told a cabinet meeting on Wednesday.
The statement followed a meeting with representatives of Naturewatch, a British group campaigning against animal cruelty in Ukraine.
"This is a fantastic victory for Ukraine, its citizens and its animals," John Ruane, the head of Naturewatch, said.
It remained unclear how the ban would be enforced.
Ukraine has a large stray dog population, numbering tens of thousands in big cities, and building shelters to house the animals would take months.
Serhiy Syrovatka, a spokesman for the environment ministry, said the government would adopt legal and other changes to make the moratorium legally binding, adding that mayors who disobeyed would face punishment.
The ministry intended to help manage and finance construction of shelters, Syrovatka said, adding that dogs that could not be housed in shelters would be sterilised and released.
He said funding such measures would be hard when the Ukrainian economy is relying on international loans.
The minister's comments appeared to suggest that the six-month ban was a temporary measure aimed at quelling criticism before Euro 2012. It was unclear whether the ban would remain in force beyond the championship.
Saturday, 12 November 2011
Stars Struck By Spectacular Olympic Stadium
KIEV, Ukraine -- "The quality of football was on par with the brilliance of the new arena," said Ukraine midfielder Anatoliy Tymoshchuk, after Kiev's revamped Olympic Stadium opened on Friday.
The first game staged at the renovated Olympic Stadium in Kiev will live long in the memory of the 70,000 spectators who attended, as Ukraine and Germany shared an enthralling 3-3 draw at the UEFA EURO 2012 venue.
But the players were equally awestruck by the impressive venue for next summer's UEFA EURO 2012 final.
After the final whistle, Ukraine President Victor Yanukovych paid tribute to the splendid new arena, which took three years to construct.
"Today is a national holiday for Ukraine and the new stadium is a gift for everyone," he said of the venue that will host three group matches, a quarter-final and the UEFA EURO 2012 final itself.
"It is for the youngsters and the future champions growing up among them. The Olympic Stadium's successful renovation has proved an exemplary project for our country's image. I am sure Kiev and all Ukraine will provide the best possible welcome for the visitors from many countries who are eager to witness next summer's European championship finals."
The home supporters were not the only ones inspired on a night when the hosts came close to securing their fifth victory against one of the favourites for next summer's tournament, Germany.
But the players were equally awestruck by the impressive venue for next summer's UEFA EURO 2012 final.
After the final whistle, Ukraine President Victor Yanukovych paid tribute to the splendid new arena, which took three years to construct.
"Today is a national holiday for Ukraine and the new stadium is a gift for everyone," he said of the venue that will host three group matches, a quarter-final and the UEFA EURO 2012 final itself.
"It is for the youngsters and the future champions growing up among them. The Olympic Stadium's successful renovation has proved an exemplary project for our country's image. I am sure Kiev and all Ukraine will provide the best possible welcome for the visitors from many countries who are eager to witness next summer's European championship finals."
The home supporters were not the only ones inspired on a night when the hosts came close to securing their fifth victory against one of the favourites for next summer's tournament, Germany.
Ukraine were twice two goals in front thanks to strikes by Andriy Yarmolenko, Yevgen Konoplyanka and Sergiy Nazarenko before Simon Rolfes and Thomas Müller added to Toni Kroos's first-half effort to spare the visitors from defeat.
"I am delighted with the Olympic Stadium," said Andriy Shevchenko.
"It is very exciting to play here, the conditions are just fantastic. And the acoustics are absolutely incredible."
It is a view with which Ukraine midfielder Anatoliy Tymoshchuk concurred.
"The players of both teams put on a spectacular match and the quality of football was on par with the brilliance of the new arena."
"The stadium and the atmosphere here is a big plus," added Marko Dević, the Ukraine and FC Metalist Kharkiv forward.
"This stadium deserves the final. The pitch was also of very good quality." Olexandr Rybka the Kiev-born goalkeeper who moved away from the capital this summer after signing for FC Shakhtar Donetsk was also taken aback.
"It is a great stadium with a fantastic atmosphere created by the crowd. If every match gets crowds like that it will definitely give us an extra impetus to win."Joachim Löw was thinking along similar lines.
"We put on a very strong attacking display and went looking for the win," said the Germany coach.
"The reason we didn't was because the hosts played very well. But I am satisfied with this trip to Kiev. I have seen the beautiful venue for the European Championship final and, hopefully, this experience will come in handy for us."
"I am delighted with the Olympic Stadium," said Andriy Shevchenko.
"It is very exciting to play here, the conditions are just fantastic. And the acoustics are absolutely incredible."
It is a view with which Ukraine midfielder Anatoliy Tymoshchuk concurred.
"The players of both teams put on a spectacular match and the quality of football was on par with the brilliance of the new arena."
"The stadium and the atmosphere here is a big plus," added Marko Dević, the Ukraine and FC Metalist Kharkiv forward.
"This stadium deserves the final. The pitch was also of very good quality." Olexandr Rybka the Kiev-born goalkeeper who moved away from the capital this summer after signing for FC Shakhtar Donetsk was also taken aback.
"It is a great stadium with a fantastic atmosphere created by the crowd. If every match gets crowds like that it will definitely give us an extra impetus to win."Joachim Löw was thinking along similar lines.
"We put on a very strong attacking display and went looking for the win," said the Germany coach.
"The reason we didn't was because the hosts played very well. But I am satisfied with this trip to Kiev. I have seen the beautiful venue for the European Championship final and, hopefully, this experience will come in handy for us."
Located in the centre of Kiev, the arena has been completely reconstructed with only the name and location linking it to its former incarnation, which was first built in 1923.
Significant former events to be held at the venue include football matches from the 1980 Olympic Games.
Oleh Blokhin's side next inaugurate the newly-built Arena Lviv in another friendly match against Austria on 15 November.
Significant former events to be held at the venue include football matches from the 1980 Olympic Games.
Oleh Blokhin's side next inaugurate the newly-built Arena Lviv in another friendly match against Austria on 15 November.
Sunday, 23 October 2011
Real Stories: Vitali And Wladimir Klitschko
Hollywood, USA -- The Klitschko Brothers, Vitali and Wladimir, are the reigning heavyweight boxing champions of the world and arguably among the most dominant fighters in the history of the sport.
For years, they have been obliterating opponents, and the two of them now hold all four heavyweight title belts.
The Klitschkos grew up in Ukraine before the fall of the U.S.S.R., and now split their time between Germany, Los Angeles, and Kiev, where Vitali has become involved in politics as leader of an opposition party called The Punch.
Today, a documentary about the Klitschko brothers opens in New York City; a wider release will follow in subsequent weeks.
Klitschko follows the pair from their humble beginnings through their rise to stardom.
The film blends in-the-ring footage with an exploration of the larger forces at play in their lives — the dissolution of the Eastern Bloc, the aftermath of the nuclear meltdown at Chernobyl, the brothers' powerful bond, and notions of how fighters are born and learn to persevere.
Grantland's Davy Rothbart went a few rounds with the Klitschko Brothers (around a conference table in a West Hollywood office building) and spoke with them about their journey to becoming world champions.
In the documentary, there's a fascinating moment, Vitali, where you're 17 years old and you travel to the United States for the first time with a delegation of Ukrainian boxers. You talk about all the propaganda you experienced growing up in the Soviet Union. What were you expecting when you arrived on U.S. soil?
Vitali Klitschko: My whole life I was told that the U.S. was a horrible country. That everyone was aggressive and that crime was out of control and that everywhere you went people were shooting each other in the street.
I also was told that Americans wanted to go to war with the Russians and make us their slaves.
At some point, I always believed, I would have to defend my home country against crazy Americans who wanted to control the whole world.
Wladimir Klitschko: Just to give you the full contrast, these days we have an American training camp director from Pacific Palisades, California.
I explained to him that when I was 12, I was shooting AK-47s, handling hand grenades, running through underground tunnels, practicing drills, and studying how to get along with tank attacks.
He said, "What? When I was 12, I was driving to Disney World to visit Mickey Mouse. What the hell were you guys thinking?" Well, we were preparing. We'd basically been brainwashed.
So when you arrived in America, how did you reconcile what you'd heard with what you saw?
Vitali: I was in total shock. I couldn't understand why people were so friendly — more friendly than Russia!
Good food, beautiful beaches … I felt like a little kid, in awe of things.
I always thought there was only one type of cheese, you know, the thing we'd always called "cheese."
And in a grocery store, I saw a hundred kinds of cheese! It was amazing. My mouth was hanging open.
When I came home, everybody wanted to know what the U.S. was like.
At the time, it was easier for a Russian to travel to the moon than to the United States. When I explained what I'd seen, it made quite an impression on people.
Wladimir: He brought me back a special gift — a bottle of Coca-Cola. In the Soviet Union, everyone had heard of Coca-Cola, but nobody had tasted it! I was so happy.
And I understand you developed a taste for Western movies, too?
Wladimir: We had Chuck Norris posters on the wall of our room, and a lot of Arnold Schwarzenegger posters. I loved Conan the Barbarian and The Terminator. Red Heat was the best.
Are there fighters or athletes who have inspired you?
Wladimir: I would say that Roger Federer is pretty amazing. And Manny Pacquiao — he's such a tiny, little lightweight guy, but the way he fights makes people so excited.
And I went to a basketball game a couple of times here in L.A. to see the Lakers, and in Florida to see the Miami Heat.
I loved to see all those big, tall guys jumping around and making scores. I know he's retired, but I'm a big fan of Shaquille O'Neal, his game and his personality.
I have a pair of his shoes in my office. You see the size of his shoe and think, This is not real, this couldn't belong to a human being. But he is human!
You guys were 10 and 14 in 1986, at the time of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster. How did that affect you?
Wladimir: We lived just 60 miles from the accident site, near the Kiev airport, on a military base where our father worked.
I remember helicopters and airplanes taking off and landing constantly, leaving for Chernobyl to drop off lead to absorb the radiation.
Vitali: Our father was one of the first on the scene. He spent months there working on radiation containment and cleanup.
Wladimir: When cars and military vehicles came back from Chernobyl, they would wash them off at the base where we lived.
The water they used to rinse off the cars formed big puddles. Me and my brother and our friends would play in the puddles with little paper boats.
At the time, no one knew how serious the radiation problems were.
Eventually, all the kids from my school were evacuated and sent down to the Azov Sea in southern Ukraine. Much of the city was emptied. But Vitali stayed.
Vitali: The explosion affected the life of our family and also millions of people around the world. Our father, he died two months ago from cancer.
The doctors said it was a result of his contact with nuclear fallout. I have never cried so much.
Wladimir: A few weeks ago I went to visit Chernobyl for the first time. I had to see the place. You carry these radiation meters with you, and there are rules about where you can walk and where you can't.
Radiation is hard to comprehend — you can't smell it, you can't feel it, it's not warm, it's not cold, you can't see it in the air, but still it remains.
I went to a school where one of the classrooms had been left untouched, just like it was on April 26, 1986.
It was eerie, like a time machine — everything looked the way things had looked in Soviet times, with all of the same books we'd had in my classroom when I was a kid.
The attendance sheet on the teacher's desk was marked "April 25," which was a Friday. The explosion happened on Saturday.
What do you think are the lessons to be learned from Chernobyl?
Wladimir: That nuclear plants are not stable. Just one mistake through technology or human hand can cost lives for generations to come.
We're only seeing the beginning with what has happened in Fukushima, Japan.
Even the United States had a near meltdown on Three Mile Island. These tragedies aren't local. Radiation doesn't recognize borders.
A meltdown in Japan or India, say, is a danger to the whole world. Wind circulates the radiation everywhere. Water quality is affected. We all eat the same fish.
We use products from all over the world — if something is contaminated, it will cause harm.
After Chernobyl, thousands and thousands of people, if not millions, were given a death penalty and had to pay the price, our father among them.
Did you see any hopeful signs for the people living around Chernobyl?
Wladimir: I'd heard about how bad things are, and, yes, there are a lot of health issues for people, especially the kids. But I also see people rebuilding and carrying forward.
Me and my brother are financing some projects for kids in Zone 2 and Zone 3.
These are the communities closest to Chernobyl (Zone 1 is uninhabitable). I understand why people would choose to return — this is home to them — so we want to help make it the best place to live that we can.
Vitali, you've recently taken an interest in politics. You ran twice, unsuccessfully, to be the mayor of Kiev, and your Punch party has claimed a large number of seats in local legislatures. As someone who's used to winning, is it different being in the political ring than the boxing ring?
Vitali: There's a huge difference. Politics is a dirty game. We have our rules in boxing. In politics, no rules. Especially a young democracy like Ukraine. It's more like MMA.
Wladimir: Or backyard fighting.
Vitali: Ukraine has huge potential. It's a great country — the second-biggest in Europe, with almost 50 million people.
We just celebrated our 20-year anniversary of independence. But in 20 years, we have not seen big results.
It's very painful to read about Ukraine as the most corrupt country in the world.
We can change a lot of things and increase the standard of life for everyone in Ukraine to the level of the U.S. and countries in Western Europe.
But first we have to change the rules of the game inside Ukraine.
How do you believe that you, personally, can best effect change?
Vitali: From inside. Look, we can make demonstrations, but it doesn't work. We can knock on the door, and the doors will be closed.
But if we enter the realm of politics and work from inside, there is potential for change. Sports has given me the opportunity to travel around the world and see new countries and meet so many different people.
I've gained new perspectives. Now we have more than 10,000 people as members of our party. To all of them we stress the importance of two things: a moral approach to life, and professionalism.
We are preparing for the parliamentary elections next year.
It won't be easy, but if we can win even a fraction of the seats in the new parliament, we'll have a chance to make real, lasting change in the Ukraine.
It's an exciting time in the world — democracy, in all its different shapes, is rolling around to new countries all the time.
To have a chance to shape the democracy in my home country is an honor.
Vitali, you have two sons and a daughter. If one of them said they were interested in pursuing boxing, what advice would you have?
Vitali: Well, they have always preferred horse racing, tennis, chess, and the piano. But the oldest one, who's almost 12, just a couple of months ago he said, "I want to be a boxer." I was like, Okaaaaay.
Boxing is a good sport, but I told him, "Hey, it's not easy." I know it looks great and he sees his father on the red carpet, in the limelight, world-famous, but behind that is a lot of hard work. A lot.
There's a famous French film director, Claude Lelouch. He was a big boxing fan, and he once said, "Boxing is the cruelest sport, but the one that is most similar to life."
In boxing, you need to have a goal and fight for it. Sometimes you deliver punches, sometimes you find yourself on the floor, and that's when you need to find the power to stand up and fight again.
In the end, you will be the winner if you have enough heart and enough patience. Life has the same exact rules.
The Klitschkos grew up in Ukraine before the fall of the U.S.S.R., and now split their time between Germany, Los Angeles, and Kiev, where Vitali has become involved in politics as leader of an opposition party called The Punch.
Today, a documentary about the Klitschko brothers opens in New York City; a wider release will follow in subsequent weeks.
Klitschko follows the pair from their humble beginnings through their rise to stardom.
The film blends in-the-ring footage with an exploration of the larger forces at play in their lives — the dissolution of the Eastern Bloc, the aftermath of the nuclear meltdown at Chernobyl, the brothers' powerful bond, and notions of how fighters are born and learn to persevere.
Grantland's Davy Rothbart went a few rounds with the Klitschko Brothers (around a conference table in a West Hollywood office building) and spoke with them about their journey to becoming world champions.
In the documentary, there's a fascinating moment, Vitali, where you're 17 years old and you travel to the United States for the first time with a delegation of Ukrainian boxers. You talk about all the propaganda you experienced growing up in the Soviet Union. What were you expecting when you arrived on U.S. soil?
Vitali Klitschko: My whole life I was told that the U.S. was a horrible country. That everyone was aggressive and that crime was out of control and that everywhere you went people were shooting each other in the street.
I also was told that Americans wanted to go to war with the Russians and make us their slaves.
At some point, I always believed, I would have to defend my home country against crazy Americans who wanted to control the whole world.
Wladimir Klitschko: Just to give you the full contrast, these days we have an American training camp director from Pacific Palisades, California.
I explained to him that when I was 12, I was shooting AK-47s, handling hand grenades, running through underground tunnels, practicing drills, and studying how to get along with tank attacks.
He said, "What? When I was 12, I was driving to Disney World to visit Mickey Mouse. What the hell were you guys thinking?" Well, we were preparing. We'd basically been brainwashed.
So when you arrived in America, how did you reconcile what you'd heard with what you saw?
Vitali: I was in total shock. I couldn't understand why people were so friendly — more friendly than Russia!
Good food, beautiful beaches … I felt like a little kid, in awe of things.
I always thought there was only one type of cheese, you know, the thing we'd always called "cheese."
And in a grocery store, I saw a hundred kinds of cheese! It was amazing. My mouth was hanging open.
When I came home, everybody wanted to know what the U.S. was like.
At the time, it was easier for a Russian to travel to the moon than to the United States. When I explained what I'd seen, it made quite an impression on people.
Wladimir: He brought me back a special gift — a bottle of Coca-Cola. In the Soviet Union, everyone had heard of Coca-Cola, but nobody had tasted it! I was so happy.
And I understand you developed a taste for Western movies, too?
Wladimir: We had Chuck Norris posters on the wall of our room, and a lot of Arnold Schwarzenegger posters. I loved Conan the Barbarian and The Terminator. Red Heat was the best.
Are there fighters or athletes who have inspired you?
Wladimir: I would say that Roger Federer is pretty amazing. And Manny Pacquiao — he's such a tiny, little lightweight guy, but the way he fights makes people so excited.
And I went to a basketball game a couple of times here in L.A. to see the Lakers, and in Florida to see the Miami Heat.
I loved to see all those big, tall guys jumping around and making scores. I know he's retired, but I'm a big fan of Shaquille O'Neal, his game and his personality.
I have a pair of his shoes in my office. You see the size of his shoe and think, This is not real, this couldn't belong to a human being. But he is human!
You guys were 10 and 14 in 1986, at the time of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster. How did that affect you?
Wladimir: We lived just 60 miles from the accident site, near the Kiev airport, on a military base where our father worked.
I remember helicopters and airplanes taking off and landing constantly, leaving for Chernobyl to drop off lead to absorb the radiation.
Vitali: Our father was one of the first on the scene. He spent months there working on radiation containment and cleanup.
Wladimir: When cars and military vehicles came back from Chernobyl, they would wash them off at the base where we lived.
The water they used to rinse off the cars formed big puddles. Me and my brother and our friends would play in the puddles with little paper boats.
At the time, no one knew how serious the radiation problems were.
Eventually, all the kids from my school were evacuated and sent down to the Azov Sea in southern Ukraine. Much of the city was emptied. But Vitali stayed.
Vitali: The explosion affected the life of our family and also millions of people around the world. Our father, he died two months ago from cancer.
The doctors said it was a result of his contact with nuclear fallout. I have never cried so much.
Wladimir: A few weeks ago I went to visit Chernobyl for the first time. I had to see the place. You carry these radiation meters with you, and there are rules about where you can walk and where you can't.
Radiation is hard to comprehend — you can't smell it, you can't feel it, it's not warm, it's not cold, you can't see it in the air, but still it remains.
I went to a school where one of the classrooms had been left untouched, just like it was on April 26, 1986.
It was eerie, like a time machine — everything looked the way things had looked in Soviet times, with all of the same books we'd had in my classroom when I was a kid.
The attendance sheet on the teacher's desk was marked "April 25," which was a Friday. The explosion happened on Saturday.
What do you think are the lessons to be learned from Chernobyl?
Wladimir: That nuclear plants are not stable. Just one mistake through technology or human hand can cost lives for generations to come.
We're only seeing the beginning with what has happened in Fukushima, Japan.
Even the United States had a near meltdown on Three Mile Island. These tragedies aren't local. Radiation doesn't recognize borders.
A meltdown in Japan or India, say, is a danger to the whole world. Wind circulates the radiation everywhere. Water quality is affected. We all eat the same fish.
We use products from all over the world — if something is contaminated, it will cause harm.
After Chernobyl, thousands and thousands of people, if not millions, were given a death penalty and had to pay the price, our father among them.
Did you see any hopeful signs for the people living around Chernobyl?
Wladimir: I'd heard about how bad things are, and, yes, there are a lot of health issues for people, especially the kids. But I also see people rebuilding and carrying forward.
Me and my brother are financing some projects for kids in Zone 2 and Zone 3.
These are the communities closest to Chernobyl (Zone 1 is uninhabitable). I understand why people would choose to return — this is home to them — so we want to help make it the best place to live that we can.
Vitali, you've recently taken an interest in politics. You ran twice, unsuccessfully, to be the mayor of Kiev, and your Punch party has claimed a large number of seats in local legislatures. As someone who's used to winning, is it different being in the political ring than the boxing ring?
Vitali: There's a huge difference. Politics is a dirty game. We have our rules in boxing. In politics, no rules. Especially a young democracy like Ukraine. It's more like MMA.
Wladimir: Or backyard fighting.
Vitali: Ukraine has huge potential. It's a great country — the second-biggest in Europe, with almost 50 million people.
We just celebrated our 20-year anniversary of independence. But in 20 years, we have not seen big results.
It's very painful to read about Ukraine as the most corrupt country in the world.
We can change a lot of things and increase the standard of life for everyone in Ukraine to the level of the U.S. and countries in Western Europe.
But first we have to change the rules of the game inside Ukraine.
How do you believe that you, personally, can best effect change?
Vitali: From inside. Look, we can make demonstrations, but it doesn't work. We can knock on the door, and the doors will be closed.
But if we enter the realm of politics and work from inside, there is potential for change. Sports has given me the opportunity to travel around the world and see new countries and meet so many different people.
I've gained new perspectives. Now we have more than 10,000 people as members of our party. To all of them we stress the importance of two things: a moral approach to life, and professionalism.
We are preparing for the parliamentary elections next year.
It won't be easy, but if we can win even a fraction of the seats in the new parliament, we'll have a chance to make real, lasting change in the Ukraine.
It's an exciting time in the world — democracy, in all its different shapes, is rolling around to new countries all the time.
To have a chance to shape the democracy in my home country is an honor.
Vitali, you have two sons and a daughter. If one of them said they were interested in pursuing boxing, what advice would you have?
Vitali: Well, they have always preferred horse racing, tennis, chess, and the piano. But the oldest one, who's almost 12, just a couple of months ago he said, "I want to be a boxer." I was like, Okaaaaay.
Boxing is a good sport, but I told him, "Hey, it's not easy." I know it looks great and he sees his father on the red carpet, in the limelight, world-famous, but behind that is a lot of hard work. A lot.
There's a famous French film director, Claude Lelouch. He was a big boxing fan, and he once said, "Boxing is the cruelest sport, but the one that is most similar to life."
In boxing, you need to have a goal and fight for it. Sometimes you deliver punches, sometimes you find yourself on the floor, and that's when you need to find the power to stand up and fight again.
In the end, you will be the winner if you have enough heart and enough patience. Life has the same exact rules.
Saturday, 10 September 2011
Kolesnikov: Opening of Olympiysky stadium in Kyiv scheduled for October eighth
The opening of the Olympiysky National Sports Complex in Kyiv, the main arena of the Euro 2012 European Football Championship, is scheduled for October 8, 2011, Deputy Prime Minister and Infrastructure Minister Borys Kolesnikov has said.
He said the opening ceremony of the stadium in Lviv was scheduled for October 28.
"There are no critical factors that would prevent the opening of the arenas in October," Kolesnikov said, according to a statement posted on the Web site of the Ukraine 2012 Information Center.
He said that construction work at the stadiums in Kyiv and Lviv had entered the final stage. In particular, he said that some parts were 100% ready and that there were sections that were 70% complete.
The Olympiysky National Sports Complex will have the status of an elite stadium after the reconstruction work there is complete.
He said the opening ceremony of the stadium in Lviv was scheduled for October 28.
"There are no critical factors that would prevent the opening of the arenas in October," Kolesnikov said, according to a statement posted on the Web site of the Ukraine 2012 Information Center.
He said that construction work at the stadiums in Kyiv and Lviv had entered the final stage. In particular, he said that some parts were 100% ready and that there were sections that were 70% complete.
The Olympiysky National Sports Complex will have the status of an elite stadium after the reconstruction work there is complete.
Saturday, 13 August 2011
A World Champion Who Could Be a Contender In Ukraine
KIEV, Ukraine -- AS Vitali Klitschko strode down a street in Kiev this week, all heads swiveled to take in his enormous physique. Handsome, in a brutal fashion, with bulging veins in his neck, he reached out to greet well-wishers with hands the size of dinner plates, ones best known for knocking out 39 opponents in a professional boxing career.
But Mr. Klitschko, the reigning World Boxing Council world heavyweight champion, was not here in the capital for his next fight, and he was not greeting his fans.
In his booming voice, he was talking about Ukrainian politics, invoking an unending stream of boxing analogies that has proven alluring here.
His opposition party, The Punch, won seats in local legislatures in 15 of Ukraine’s 24 regions last fall.
Nationally, his aides say, polls show support for the party from about 4.5 percent of likely voters — not overwhelming, but enough to clear a 3 percent threshold to qualify for parliamentary elections scheduled for next year.
Mr. Klitschko, who fought his first bout for the world title against Lennox Lewis in Los Angeles in 2003, is now fighting to rally Ukraine’s fractured opposition.
He is pro-European integration and favors Ukrainian as a national language.
But his central appeal seems to be that he is strong and tall, and that he has never held public office in Ukraine before.
Political experts and diplomats say the perpetual infighting among the Ukrainian political class, on display last week when prosecutors arrested the leading opposition politician Yulia V. Tymoshenko — during a trial on what her supporters say are trumped-up charges — has so disillusioned the electorate here that people are eager for new faces in politics.
Mr. Klitschko, who halted his twice-daily routine of running, lifting and sparring last week to rush back to Kiev from his training site in Austria to speak out against Ms. Tymoshenko’s arrest, says he is in politics in hopes of reviving the jaded opposition here.
In his booming voice, he was talking about Ukrainian politics, invoking an unending stream of boxing analogies that has proven alluring here.
His opposition party, The Punch, won seats in local legislatures in 15 of Ukraine’s 24 regions last fall.
Nationally, his aides say, polls show support for the party from about 4.5 percent of likely voters — not overwhelming, but enough to clear a 3 percent threshold to qualify for parliamentary elections scheduled for next year.
Mr. Klitschko, who fought his first bout for the world title against Lennox Lewis in Los Angeles in 2003, is now fighting to rally Ukraine’s fractured opposition.
He is pro-European integration and favors Ukrainian as a national language.
But his central appeal seems to be that he is strong and tall, and that he has never held public office in Ukraine before.
Political experts and diplomats say the perpetual infighting among the Ukrainian political class, on display last week when prosecutors arrested the leading opposition politician Yulia V. Tymoshenko — during a trial on what her supporters say are trumped-up charges — has so disillusioned the electorate here that people are eager for new faces in politics.
Mr. Klitschko, who halted his twice-daily routine of running, lifting and sparring last week to rush back to Kiev from his training site in Austria to speak out against Ms. Tymoshenko’s arrest, says he is in politics in hopes of reviving the jaded opposition here.
“It’s just not normal when one after another opposition politician ends up in jail,” Mr. Klitschko said in a recent interview, alluding to what rights advocates say is a sweeping purge of opposition figures by the government of President Viktor F. Yanukovich.
He was quick to add, however, that he was supporting political freedoms, not Ms. Tymoshenko personally.
“Of course we understand that Tymoshenko is not holy,” he said. “There are negative aspects of her behavior. The current government and the opposition that has periodically traded places are worthy of each other.”
In one indication of the opportunity for new figures, polls here indicate that roughly 35 percent of likely voters are undecided.
Many are former supporters of the coalition that came to power after the street protests known as the Orange Revolution, Mikhail B. Pogrebinsky, director of the Center for Political and Conflict Studies, said in an interview.
“The popularity of the government is falling but people don’t want to vote for the Orange group,” Mr. Pogrebinsky said. “An opportunity is here for a new figure.”
In contrast with Ukraine’s neighbors Belarus and Russia, in the nearly 20 years since independence was declared in Ukraine on Aug. 24, 1991, numerous political parties have put down roots.
Some support local causes like western Ukrainian nationalism and closer ties with Russia on the Crimean Peninsula. Others are more national in scope, or pro-business, while many are splinter groups centered on personalities like Ms. Tymoshenko.
He was quick to add, however, that he was supporting political freedoms, not Ms. Tymoshenko personally.
“Of course we understand that Tymoshenko is not holy,” he said. “There are negative aspects of her behavior. The current government and the opposition that has periodically traded places are worthy of each other.”
In one indication of the opportunity for new figures, polls here indicate that roughly 35 percent of likely voters are undecided.
Many are former supporters of the coalition that came to power after the street protests known as the Orange Revolution, Mikhail B. Pogrebinsky, director of the Center for Political and Conflict Studies, said in an interview.
“The popularity of the government is falling but people don’t want to vote for the Orange group,” Mr. Pogrebinsky said. “An opportunity is here for a new figure.”
In contrast with Ukraine’s neighbors Belarus and Russia, in the nearly 20 years since independence was declared in Ukraine on Aug. 24, 1991, numerous political parties have put down roots.
Some support local causes like western Ukrainian nationalism and closer ties with Russia on the Crimean Peninsula. Others are more national in scope, or pro-business, while many are splinter groups centered on personalities like Ms. Tymoshenko.
Parliament is a kaleidoscope of six political parties and two dozen independent members.
Ukraine is also more diverse than Belarus, split between a pro-Russian east and pro-European west.
That means that even if Mr. Yanukovich is attempting a political consolidation here similar to what Vladimir V. Putin carried out in Russia, as his critics contend, it is likely to be a drawn-out struggle.
Mr. Yanukovich, for his part, says prosecutors are merely cracking down on corruption.
Paradoxically, the arrest of Ms. Tymoshenko seems to have breathed new life into the opposition, as a dozen parties formed a temporary alliance, the Dictatorship Resistance Committee, to protest the arrest.
Mr. Klitschko, the son of a Soviet air force general, is a bona fide boxing great.
He is one of only four fighters to win a version of the world title three different times — Muhammad Ali, Mr. Lewis and Evander Holyfield are the others.
He and his brother, Wladimir, also a boxer, are sports heroes in Ukraine.
In seeking to make a splash in politics, Mr. Klitschko is following a path blazed most recently by Manny Pacquiao, a world champion in several weight classes and a congressman in the Philippines, who is rumored to be considering a run for president there.
Mr. Klitschko, who is 40, speaks four languages and holds a Ph.D. in sports science — leading him to promote himself professionally as Dr. Ironfist on his Web site — has had a slow start in politics, losing twice in races for mayor of Kiev.
Ukraine is also more diverse than Belarus, split between a pro-Russian east and pro-European west.
That means that even if Mr. Yanukovich is attempting a political consolidation here similar to what Vladimir V. Putin carried out in Russia, as his critics contend, it is likely to be a drawn-out struggle.
Mr. Yanukovich, for his part, says prosecutors are merely cracking down on corruption.
Paradoxically, the arrest of Ms. Tymoshenko seems to have breathed new life into the opposition, as a dozen parties formed a temporary alliance, the Dictatorship Resistance Committee, to protest the arrest.
Mr. Klitschko, the son of a Soviet air force general, is a bona fide boxing great.
He is one of only four fighters to win a version of the world title three different times — Muhammad Ali, Mr. Lewis and Evander Holyfield are the others.
He and his brother, Wladimir, also a boxer, are sports heroes in Ukraine.
In seeking to make a splash in politics, Mr. Klitschko is following a path blazed most recently by Manny Pacquiao, a world champion in several weight classes and a congressman in the Philippines, who is rumored to be considering a run for president there.
Mr. Klitschko, who is 40, speaks four languages and holds a Ph.D. in sports science — leading him to promote himself professionally as Dr. Ironfist on his Web site — has had a slow start in politics, losing twice in races for mayor of Kiev.
“In boxing and politics you cannot predict results,” Mr. Klitschko said. “You should be ready to go 12 rounds. But if you win in the first round, you should be ready to be the winner quickly.”
Like many in Ukraine, his politics have traced the arc from enthusiasm to disillusionment with the Orange Revolution.
In headier times, he defended the world title against Danny Williams of Britain in December 2004, while wearing an orange cloth, and then dedicated the victory to Ukrainian democracy.
After a news conference in Kiev on Tuesday, Mr. Klitschko folded his 6-foot-7 frame into a black Toyota Land Cruiser and sped across Kiev for meetings with foreign diplomats, driving past street demonstrations in support of Ms. Tymoshenko.
A too forceful stance might be a misstep, his political advisers said, fearing that too close an alliance with the Orange coalition could be a political liability.
He expressed a philosophy closer to that of another politically aware boxer, Mr. Ali: float like a butterfly, sting like a bee.
“The one who punches doesn’t win,” Mr. Klitschko said. “The one who dodges punches wins.”
For his round of meetings on Tuesday, he wore a pinstriped charcoal suit.
In the elevator of his office building, secretaries swooned in his presence.
His party, though, says he is more popular with men, particularly sports fans.
Before last week’s shift in the political landscape here, Mr. Klitschko had been in Austria training for a match against Tomasz Adamek of Poland, scheduled for Sept. 10.
Like many in Ukraine, his politics have traced the arc from enthusiasm to disillusionment with the Orange Revolution.
In headier times, he defended the world title against Danny Williams of Britain in December 2004, while wearing an orange cloth, and then dedicated the victory to Ukrainian democracy.
After a news conference in Kiev on Tuesday, Mr. Klitschko folded his 6-foot-7 frame into a black Toyota Land Cruiser and sped across Kiev for meetings with foreign diplomats, driving past street demonstrations in support of Ms. Tymoshenko.
A too forceful stance might be a misstep, his political advisers said, fearing that too close an alliance with the Orange coalition could be a political liability.
He expressed a philosophy closer to that of another politically aware boxer, Mr. Ali: float like a butterfly, sting like a bee.
“The one who punches doesn’t win,” Mr. Klitschko said. “The one who dodges punches wins.”
For his round of meetings on Tuesday, he wore a pinstriped charcoal suit.
In the elevator of his office building, secretaries swooned in his presence.
His party, though, says he is more popular with men, particularly sports fans.
Before last week’s shift in the political landscape here, Mr. Klitschko had been in Austria training for a match against Tomasz Adamek of Poland, scheduled for Sept. 10.
Because tickets have already been sold, he said, the fight will go ahead.
In response to Ms. Tymoshenko’s arrest, however, he will train part time in Kiev to remain close to the political turmoil here.
“Neither Tymoshenko nor Yanukovich are politicians of tomorrow,” Mr. Klitschko said.
Asked what a boxer had to offer his country, he offered what he said was a paraphrase of the French film director Claude Lelouch. “Boxing is the cruelest sport, but the one that is most like life.”
In response to Ms. Tymoshenko’s arrest, however, he will train part time in Kiev to remain close to the political turmoil here.
“Neither Tymoshenko nor Yanukovich are politicians of tomorrow,” Mr. Klitschko said.
Asked what a boxer had to offer his country, he offered what he said was a paraphrase of the French film director Claude Lelouch. “Boxing is the cruelest sport, but the one that is most like life.”
Friday, 12 August 2011
High-flying record
Russia skydivers broke the national record for the largest connected free-fall formation when 186 people joined in the air.
The team of a training centre in Kolomna, a town 100 kilometers south-east of Moscow, beat the previous record of 180.
“On August 11, the efforts of the parachutists bore fruit. An aerial video showed that they were successful in making the 186-man formation,” Aerograd Kolomna head Roman Lezhnev told reporters on Friday.
The team jumped out of 10 planes at a height of 6,500 meters.
Sunday, 3 July 2011
Sharapova sunk in Wimbledon final
Russia’s Maria Sharapova missed out on a second Wimbledon title after going down to Petra Kvitova in straight sets in Saturday’s final.
Despite being the hot favorite before the match, Sharapova made another sluggish start against her Czech opponent.
But unlike Thursday’s semi, where she recovered to reel off a blistering nine-game salvo against Sabine Lisicki, the sixth seed was unable to impose herself in the face of some inspired tennis from Kvitova.
And in the final game a flawless show of strength from the Czech’s left-handed serve was enough to secure a 6-3 6-4 win crowned with a blistering ace on match point.
The opening two games set the tone for the match - both players seeing their serves easily broken - and Sharapova once again struggled to find the mark.By the closing stages the statistics for her service game were dire: 57 per cent of first serve points won, and a miserly 15 per cent on her second serve.
The gremlins which had beset her in the semi against Lisicki were back once again, and unlike the German, Kvitova was better able to take advantage.
While the young Czech has a reputation for losing concentration at key moments - and a sequence of broken service games in the middle of the second set showed that it is no unearned - she came up with the big points when required.
Leading 4-3, but having seen the four previous games go against serve, Kvitova pulled off a vital hold to put her one game away from a maiden Grand Slam success.
Not even seeing Sharapova hold to love in a desperate effort to stay in the match could distract her at that stage as she completed a deserved win.
Friday, 17 June 2011
Cool sports for hot Moscow summers
When it’s hot in the city, not everybody wants to revel in the sunshine.
But help is at hand for those melting in the heat, with winter sports and watery activities available to help cool down in the sweltering summer.
And the chilled-out can brush up their sporting skills along the way, tackling anything from wind-surfing to curling at low temperatures.
The easiest way to shake off the sweats is probably to dive into one of the outdoor swimming areas authorized by City Hall.
But there are more adventurous ways of taking to the water.
Katerina Ryabova took up wind-surfing on a trip to Egypt, and was delighted to be able to continue her hobby at Strogino, to the north-west of the city.
The open water is popular with windsurfers and wakeboarders, even if a short season from June to September limits how much action can be enjoyed.
“I go to a small station, there is bigger one too – it has more equipment but the rent is more expensive there,” Katerina told the Moscow News.
And weather conditions are also not always favorable, she added, so surfers should better check the wind before sailing off.
“You can only go there if there’s enough wind (not less than 15 knots or 8 m/sec) becauseotherwise it’s useless,” she added.
But newcomers beware – windsurfing can be an addictive hobby. Having already checked out the Red Sea Katerina recently took a trip to Venezuela to explore new beaches.
Although the last bits of snow melted down in Moscow months ago, winter sports lovers don’t need to pack away their ski-wear.
“The feeling is cool by itself when it’s summer and you’re walking with all that winter gear and can’t really believe you’ll put it on in a minute,” Darya said about her visit to Snezh.com, an all year round centre for winter sports
“And when you get there – you just bundle up happily because it’s just so cold there!,” she told the Moscow News.
Darya is a keen snowboarder, but skiers will also be very welcome to the always wintery site.
However, experienced downhillers might find the experience a poor imitation of a real slope.
“You spend 15 minutes on a lift and going downhill takes just 1 minute,” Darya complained, though she added that a short slope was ideal for some
“I think beginners and free-stylers [snowboarders and skiers] should enjoy it,” she said.
Meanwhile, with the website contrasting a street temperature in the high 20s with an indoor -5C, it is at least reliably cold.
nezh.com also has facilities for ice-skaters and hockey players, although its not the only option for would-be Plushchenkos and Ovechkins.
There are central options in Gorky Park and on top of the Yevropeisky mall – where last year’s heat wave saw famed figure skater Ilya Averbukh putting his young hopefuls through their paces.
Meanwhile, if your shopaholic friends get you hot under the collar, the
MEGA malls at Belaya Dacha, Tyoply Stan and Khimki also have ice rinks operating even in the hottest weResembling housework on ice, and a quirky Winter Olympic hit, curling has a cult following in Moscow despite trailing behind hockey and figure skating in terms of coverage.
And since 2002, devotees of stone and broom have had their own venue in Moscow.
All equipment will be available at the location and instructors will be ready to give advice on the best way of sliding down the icy “sheet” to pushing the “stones” towards the “house” at the other end of the track.
And “sweepers” will be shown the proper way of using their “curling brooms” to get the highest scores for their team.
The temperature inside the “Planeta Lda” (Ice planet) club is kept between +5 - +7 degrees, according to the club’s website – making curling one of the coolest sports in town.ather.
Sunday, 3 April 2011
Record Demand For Euro 2012 Tickets: UEFA
WARSAW, Poland -- Demand for tickets at Euro 2012 has hit a record of more than 12 million, UEFA said Friday, after an application deadline to see the championships in Poland and Ukraine closed.
n a statement, European football's governing body said that a total of 12,149,425 ticket requests had been made by fans worldwide.
"This sets an all-time record for the UEFA European Football Championship," it added, noting that it represented a 17 percent increase on the 2008 edition in Switzerland and Austria.
Demand for tickets traditionally outstrips supply at the quadrennial, 16-nation footballing showcase.
More than 550,000 tickets are available for the general public at Euro 2012. In 2008, 10.4 million people applied for the 300,000 on sale.
To be in with a chance this time, would-be buyers had the whole of March to sign up at a ticket portal on UEFA's website, and were limited to applying for four each.
UEFA has repeatedly underlined that it is the only authorised channel, and that other purported ticket sources could be fronts for rip-off merchants.
From April 19-22, a UEFA lottery will determine the lucky ticket applicants.
UEFA has said Euro 2012 ticket sales are set to generate 100 million euros.
The vast majority -- almost 88 percent -- of ticket applicants were from Poland and Ukraine, it noted Friday.
UEFA underlines that it has taken Poles' and Ukrainians' lower spending power into account.
The average monthly gross salary in Poland is around 800 euros ($1,128), and in Ukraine, just over 200 euros ($282). That compares with the equivalent of 4,000 euros ($5,642) in Switzerland and 2,000 euros ($2,821) in Austria.
The cheapest 2008 ticket was 45 euros ($64). The bottom rung in 2012 is 30 euros ($42).
At 600 euros ($846), the cost of high-end tickets is unchanged.
n a statement, European football's governing body said that a total of 12,149,425 ticket requests had been made by fans worldwide.
"This sets an all-time record for the UEFA European Football Championship," it added, noting that it represented a 17 percent increase on the 2008 edition in Switzerland and Austria.
Demand for tickets traditionally outstrips supply at the quadrennial, 16-nation footballing showcase.
More than 550,000 tickets are available for the general public at Euro 2012. In 2008, 10.4 million people applied for the 300,000 on sale.
To be in with a chance this time, would-be buyers had the whole of March to sign up at a ticket portal on UEFA's website, and were limited to applying for four each.
UEFA has repeatedly underlined that it is the only authorised channel, and that other purported ticket sources could be fronts for rip-off merchants.
From April 19-22, a UEFA lottery will determine the lucky ticket applicants.
UEFA has said Euro 2012 ticket sales are set to generate 100 million euros.
The vast majority -- almost 88 percent -- of ticket applicants were from Poland and Ukraine, it noted Friday.
UEFA underlines that it has taken Poles' and Ukrainians' lower spending power into account.
The average monthly gross salary in Poland is around 800 euros ($1,128), and in Ukraine, just over 200 euros ($282). That compares with the equivalent of 4,000 euros ($5,642) in Switzerland and 2,000 euros ($2,821) in Austria.
The cheapest 2008 ticket was 45 euros ($64). The bottom rung in 2012 is 30 euros ($42).
At 600 euros ($846), the cost of high-end tickets is unchanged.
Saturday, 12 February 2011
Goodbye Lenin As Ukraine Statue In Vanishing Act
KIEV, Ukraine -- A statue of Lenin that still stands proudly in one of the host cities for the Euro 2012 football championships in Ukraine has mysteriously disappeared from the main promotional advertisement for the event.
The snazzy 90 second video -- entitled "Switch on Ukraine" -- shows cities and landscapes extolling the beauty of the ex-Soviet state, which is to host the football extravaganza along with Poland.
Among the sites shown in the video -- aired on a host of international channels -- is Liberty Square in the handsome northeastern Ukrainian city of Kharkiv which is to host matches along with three other cities.
But the video shows only an empty base where in reality a 8.5 metre high statue of Communist leader Lenin built in 1963 still proudly stands to this day in Liberty Square.
"Kharkiv is being shown to Europe without Lenin," said the newspaper Segodnia.
Ukraine's advisor for preparations for Euro 2012, Olexander Goncharenko, told AFP that the video had been "touched up" to "remove all images of a commercial and political nature".
"All the pictures shot in town have been touched up. I do not think that the monument to Lenin is a particularly important part of the Kharkiv landscape," he added.
Lenin's disappearance has already sparked a lively debate in Ukraine, divided between the nationalist west and the more Russia-leaning east which remembers the Communist past much more fondly.
Lenin statues are still common in the east but largely absent from the west of the country.
"We are ashamed to shown Lenin to Europe but we are not ashamed to show him to Ukrainians," said one blogger, marusia911.
Ukraine's promotion for Euro 2012 has already hit controversy when President Viktor Yanukovych suggested that foreigners should visit the country in spring to enjoy the sight of scantily-clad women.
The country faces an uphill struggle to be ready in time for the tournament amid controversy over political interference in football and delays in building infrastructure.
The snazzy 90 second video -- entitled "Switch on Ukraine" -- shows cities and landscapes extolling the beauty of the ex-Soviet state, which is to host the football extravaganza along with Poland.
Among the sites shown in the video -- aired on a host of international channels -- is Liberty Square in the handsome northeastern Ukrainian city of Kharkiv which is to host matches along with three other cities.
But the video shows only an empty base where in reality a 8.5 metre high statue of Communist leader Lenin built in 1963 still proudly stands to this day in Liberty Square.
"Kharkiv is being shown to Europe without Lenin," said the newspaper Segodnia.
Ukraine's advisor for preparations for Euro 2012, Olexander Goncharenko, told AFP that the video had been "touched up" to "remove all images of a commercial and political nature".
"All the pictures shot in town have been touched up. I do not think that the monument to Lenin is a particularly important part of the Kharkiv landscape," he added.
Lenin's disappearance has already sparked a lively debate in Ukraine, divided between the nationalist west and the more Russia-leaning east which remembers the Communist past much more fondly.
Lenin statues are still common in the east but largely absent from the west of the country.
"We are ashamed to shown Lenin to Europe but we are not ashamed to show him to Ukrainians," said one blogger, marusia911.
Ukraine's promotion for Euro 2012 has already hit controversy when President Viktor Yanukovych suggested that foreigners should visit the country in spring to enjoy the sight of scantily-clad women.
The country faces an uphill struggle to be ready in time for the tournament amid controversy over political interference in football and delays in building infrastructure.
Thursday, 3 February 2011
Ukraine's President Says Not Meddling In Soccer Body
KIEV, Ukraine -- Ukraine's president denied political interference in his country's soccer federation (FFU) in an interview published on Wednesday, brushing aside charges that threaten Kiev's right to co-host Euro 2012 with Poland.
Last week, European soccer's governing body UEFA said Ukraine could be suspended from international football and thus lose the right to stage the European championship if it does not act quickly to stop political interference.
"I assure you that the state authorities are not mounting political pressure on the FFU," President Viktor Yanukovich told Polish media in an interview ahead of his planned visit to Warsaw on Thursday.
"In the past year, we have caught up on delays in preparations for the championship and I do not want Ukraine to be deprived of the right to organise Euro 2012," Yanukovich said.
"We can resolve the conflict in the FFU by postponing discussions on its internal problems until next year," he added.
Last Friday, UEFA gave Ukraine a week to resolve the situation after receiving documents showing that some state and regional authorities were putting pressure on delegates.
The soccer scene in Ukraine reflects competing interests among major oligarchs and Ukrainian media said key figures in the political establishment, including Euro 2012 minister Borys Kolesnikov, wanted FFU head Hrigory Surkis out.
Surkis's opponents have said they will continue to seek his dismissal despite the warnings from UEFA and world soccer's governing body FIFA.
Last week, European soccer's governing body UEFA said Ukraine could be suspended from international football and thus lose the right to stage the European championship if it does not act quickly to stop political interference.
"I assure you that the state authorities are not mounting political pressure on the FFU," President Viktor Yanukovich told Polish media in an interview ahead of his planned visit to Warsaw on Thursday.
"In the past year, we have caught up on delays in preparations for the championship and I do not want Ukraine to be deprived of the right to organise Euro 2012," Yanukovich said.
"We can resolve the conflict in the FFU by postponing discussions on its internal problems until next year," he added.
Last Friday, UEFA gave Ukraine a week to resolve the situation after receiving documents showing that some state and regional authorities were putting pressure on delegates.
The soccer scene in Ukraine reflects competing interests among major oligarchs and Ukrainian media said key figures in the political establishment, including Euro 2012 minister Borys Kolesnikov, wanted FFU head Hrigory Surkis out.
Surkis's opponents have said they will continue to seek his dismissal despite the warnings from UEFA and world soccer's governing body FIFA.
Sunday, 23 January 2011
Poland, Ukraine Count Down To Euro 2012
WARSAW, Poland -- Locked deep in winter, Poland and Ukraine are fixing their focus squarely on the summer of 2012, when Europe’s top football showcase is staged behind the former Iron Curtain for the first time.
Euro 2012 kicks off in Warsaw on June 8 that year and ends with the final in Ukraine’s capital Kiev on July 1.
On paper, that leaves 500 days to get ready. But the hosts aim to have the pieces of the puzzle in place by the end of 2011.
Marcin Herra, at the helm of Poland’s preparations, said January to May 2012 will be devoted to ironing out problems.
From their glass-and-steel Warsaw office, Herra’s team have an impressive view of the city-centre construction site of Poland’s national stadium, 10 kilometres (six miles) down the River Vistula.
Their walls are plastered with complex charts plotting progress in dozens of projects, from venues and training grounds, to highways, airport terminals and hotels to cope with an expected 1.2 million fans.
“There’s a big difference when we compare the beginning of 2008, when only one or two investments were under construction,” former oil-industry executive Herra told AFP.
“We expect that 100 percent will be under construction in the first half of 2011. Poland’s the biggest construction site in Europe. There’s a huge amount of work, and it’s very, very visible,” he added.
In 2007, European football’s governing body UEFA caught pundits napping when it chose Poland and Ukraine over favourites Italy and joint bidders Hungary and Croatia to host the quadrennial, 16-team championship.
It marks UEFA’s first serious foray into the ex-communist bloc -- a step shadowed by FIFA in naming Russia to host the 2018 World Cup.
Euro 2008 took place in the comfort zone of Austria and Switzerland, while Euro 2016 will be held in France.
The communist era may lie two decades in the past, but Poland and, to a greater extent, Ukraine face challenges beyond anything in western European host nations.
They have understood that from the start.
“In 2007, we were fully aware that only the first half of the match, against the other bidders, was over,” said Adam Olkowicz, director of the Polish arm of the tournament and deputy president of Poland’s football association.
“In the second half, our only opponent is time,” he underlined.
Poland and Ukraine have been bedevilled by doubters from the outset.
“In 2008 there was a first report by UEFA, and it gave a yellow card. And because of that, the message which went out to the world was that this is high risk. So it’s always difficult to change this,” said Herra.
As recently as April 2010, UEFA chief Michel Platini warned the Ukrianians that if stadium plans in Kiev went awry they would lose their host status.
By August, however, he said the ultimatum had expired.
Ukrainian officials says Kiev’s stadium should open by August 24, in time for the 20th anniversary of independence from the crumbling Soviet Union.
“Today there is no risk, not for the tournament in Ukraine, nor for any serious component of it,” said Ukraine’s deputy prime minister Borys Kolesnikov, who holds the Euro 2012 portfolio.
Martin Kallen, UEFA’s Euro watchdog, said risks are part and parcel of any edition.
“Alarm bells never disappear 100 percent,” he said. “You always have to be very careful until the end. But everything looks promising,” he said. “But it’s also not the most important thing that everything in all areas is delivered as planned. If they bring 90 percent or so, we’ll be very happy,” he added.
Investments in Poland tally 80bn zloty (20.6bn euros, $27.6bn), largely in the transport sector.
Euro 2012 kicks off in Warsaw on June 8 that year and ends with the final in Ukraine’s capital Kiev on July 1.
On paper, that leaves 500 days to get ready. But the hosts aim to have the pieces of the puzzle in place by the end of 2011.
Marcin Herra, at the helm of Poland’s preparations, said January to May 2012 will be devoted to ironing out problems.
From their glass-and-steel Warsaw office, Herra’s team have an impressive view of the city-centre construction site of Poland’s national stadium, 10 kilometres (six miles) down the River Vistula.
Their walls are plastered with complex charts plotting progress in dozens of projects, from venues and training grounds, to highways, airport terminals and hotels to cope with an expected 1.2 million fans.
“There’s a big difference when we compare the beginning of 2008, when only one or two investments were under construction,” former oil-industry executive Herra told AFP.
“We expect that 100 percent will be under construction in the first half of 2011. Poland’s the biggest construction site in Europe. There’s a huge amount of work, and it’s very, very visible,” he added.
In 2007, European football’s governing body UEFA caught pundits napping when it chose Poland and Ukraine over favourites Italy and joint bidders Hungary and Croatia to host the quadrennial, 16-team championship.
It marks UEFA’s first serious foray into the ex-communist bloc -- a step shadowed by FIFA in naming Russia to host the 2018 World Cup.
Euro 2008 took place in the comfort zone of Austria and Switzerland, while Euro 2016 will be held in France.
The communist era may lie two decades in the past, but Poland and, to a greater extent, Ukraine face challenges beyond anything in western European host nations.
They have understood that from the start.
“In 2007, we were fully aware that only the first half of the match, against the other bidders, was over,” said Adam Olkowicz, director of the Polish arm of the tournament and deputy president of Poland’s football association.
“In the second half, our only opponent is time,” he underlined.
Poland and Ukraine have been bedevilled by doubters from the outset.
“In 2008 there was a first report by UEFA, and it gave a yellow card. And because of that, the message which went out to the world was that this is high risk. So it’s always difficult to change this,” said Herra.
As recently as April 2010, UEFA chief Michel Platini warned the Ukrianians that if stadium plans in Kiev went awry they would lose their host status.
By August, however, he said the ultimatum had expired.
Ukrainian officials says Kiev’s stadium should open by August 24, in time for the 20th anniversary of independence from the crumbling Soviet Union.
“Today there is no risk, not for the tournament in Ukraine, nor for any serious component of it,” said Ukraine’s deputy prime minister Borys Kolesnikov, who holds the Euro 2012 portfolio.
Martin Kallen, UEFA’s Euro watchdog, said risks are part and parcel of any edition.
“Alarm bells never disappear 100 percent,” he said. “You always have to be very careful until the end. But everything looks promising,” he said. “But it’s also not the most important thing that everything in all areas is delivered as planned. If they bring 90 percent or so, we’ll be very happy,” he added.
Investments in Poland tally 80bn zloty (20.6bn euros, $27.6bn), largely in the transport sector.
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