[QODLink]
Sport
UEFA lose patience with Poland
European football's governing body warns of risk to Euro 2012.
Last Modified: 04 Oct 2008 12:29 GMT

William Gaillard has serious concerns about the Euro 2012 bid [GALLO/GETTY]
European football's governing body UEFA has warned Poland that it risks being stripped of the right to co-host Euro 2012 if it fails to reinstate its football association by Monday.

"Our patience has limits and we are very close to the limit," William Gaillard, special advisor to UEFA president Michel Platini, said.

"We are standing firm with FIFA.

"If the FA is not reinstated by Monday's deadline then we will have serious discussions about the future of Euro 2012 immediately.

Patience stretched

"We will not wait any longer," he continued.

"But the rules are clear, we offered Euro 2012 to the FA, not the government, so if the FA are not in place or suspended then they are not in a position to host the tournament," he added.

The Polish FA (PZPN) has been preparing to host UEFA's 2012 European Championship finals with neighbours Ukraine.

Last week, both nations were given a reprieve after a report criticised their lack of progress in preparing to hold the event.

UEFA frustrated

"Last Friday we gave Poland another chance and then there was this coup on Monday.

"It is very annoying," Gaillard said.

"We have done everything we can for Poland and Ukraine.

"We have bent over backwards to help them and this makes us very unhappy."

Fifa firm

Poland's arbitration tribunal suspended the PZPN board and named an administrator on Monday after Sports Minister Miroslaw Drzewiecki filed a motion saying it had violated the law in a number of cases.

World body FIFA, whose statutes forbid government intervention in football affairs, said on Wednesday that Poland must reinstate the PZNP by October 6 or risk being suspended from this month's two World Cup qualifying matches.

"We are standing firm with UEFA.

"Our warning and deadline still stands," a FIFA spokesman said.

Poland's Prime Minister Donald Tusk is backing the decision of his sports minister [GALLO/GETTY]
Unwelcome ultimatum

Poland will not return to the negotiating table until FIFA withdraws its "ultimatum", sports ministry official Adam Gieresz was quoted as saying after another round of talks with the FA broke down.

Poland are scheduled to play Czech Republic on October 11 and Slovakia four days later in European qualifying Group Three which the team lead with four points from two games.

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk backed his sports minister, saying the administrator should stay in place, while administrator Robert Zawlocki said he would not step down.

Government support

"I will support Minister Drzewiecki in this matter," Tusk said in his first public comment during the second day of emergency talks on the issue.

"Sometimes a tough stand is needed and this can be costly.

"I am sure Minister Drzewiecki will not dismiss the administrator," Tusk said.

"Polish soccer cannot be healed (with such a dismissal).

"And why do we need qualifiers that we will lose anyway if Polish football doesn't change?"

Corruption allegations

Corruption accusations have often been raised against the PZPN and its head, Michal Listkiewicz, but a succession of sports ministers, including Drzewiecki, have failed to oust him.

Local commentators say Listkiewicz, widely seen as a close friend of UEFA President Michel Platini, will probably resist any such attempts this time round as well.

Source:
Agencies
Topics in this article
People
Country
Organisation
Featured on Al Jazeera
An unflinching portrait of physical labour in the 21st century.
The stark choice between a fascist or an imperialist course in Syria should be discarded for a third and better course.
Israel's propaganda machine carefully chooses its words to assert illegal ownership over Jerusalem and Palestine.
As Western fears grow over Iran's continuing nuclear programme, we ask how a military strike could impact the region.
<  > 
join our mailing list

Enter Zip Code
Go