Ukraine

Ukrainian International Olympic Committee member Sergey Bubka has backed his homeland to bid for the World Athletics Championships “within the next few years”.

Ukraine’s showpiece venue for UEFA Euro 2012 re-opened its doors on Saturday as Kiev’s Olympic Stadium was unveiled following its troubled redevelopment.

Euroleague Basketball action will stay on NTV-Plus in Russia and Ukraine for the next three years, the sports organisation has announced.

Ukrsotsbank PJSC has been unveiled as the official bank of UEFA Euro 2012 in Ukraine.

Canon has been unveiled as the ninth global partner of UEFA Euro 2012, leaving European football’s governing body with just one spot to fill ahead of the tournament in Poland and Ukraine.

The volunteer program for UEFA Euro 2012 was launched on Tuesday with special events to mark the occasion in the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv and Warsaw in Poland.

UEFA general secretary Gianni Infantino has heaped praise on preparations for Euro 2012 and insisted that doubts about Poland and Ukraine’s ability to co-host the tournament have been “wiped out”.

Lviv will not be stripped of its hosting rights for UEFA Euro 2012 despite having been the setting of violent scenes during the recent Victory Day on May 9, according to Ukraine’s tournament director, Markiyan Lubkivsky.

Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych has admitted that the country’s hopes of bidding to host the 2022 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games rely on the successful delivery of UEFA Euro 2012.

UEFA has received more than 12 million ticket applications for Euro 2012, the governing body has announced.

UEFA Euro 2012 director Martin Kallen is confident the tournament will go ahead in Poland and Ukraine as planned despite admitting that a number of projects for the tournament may not be completed on time.

UEFA has continued its fight against corruption in football by approving the establishment of a network of integrity officers around Europe, while Ukraine’s preparations for Euro 2012 have again been called into question.

UEFA has insisted it has taken into account the spending ability of fans in Ukraine and Poland in confirming the prices of tickets for Euro 2012, which will take place in the two neighbouring countries.

Ukraine appears to be in the clear to co-host UEFA Euro 2012 after UEFA and FIFA stated on Wednesday that they are “convinced” they will not need to impose a suspension on the country’s football federation (FFU).

The Football Federation of Ukraine (FFU) confirmed to UEFA on Wednesday that it would drop calls for the departure of the national body’s president, Hrigory Surkis.

UEFA has warned Ukraine that it may yet be axed as a co-host of UEFA Euro 2012 if the country’s government interferes in the running of the national football association.

FIFA secretary general Jerome Valcke has warned UEFA Euro 2012 co-host Ukraine it risks suspension amid reports the country’s football federation is seeking to replace president Hrigory Surkis.

Orange has strengthened its presence in Eastern European football by securing the sponsorship rights in the telecommunications category for the UEFA Euro 2012 tournament in Poland and Ukraine.