Ukraine

Sports agency Kentaro Group yesterday announced marketing deals with the Russian Football Union (RFU), the Albanian Football Association and the Football Federation of Ukraine.

European football's governing body UEFA has signed an agreement with Sharp that will see the Japanese electronics manufacturer become a sponsor of Euro 2012 and all other main UEFA national team competitions until 2013.

UEFA has appointed Austria-based company DO & CO as the exclusive hospitality and catering service provider for Euro 2012 in Poland and Ukraine.

Ukraine’s progress over the past two months has satisfied UEFA that the country is capable of staging Euro 2012 alongside Poland. In April, UEFA president Michel Platini said Ukraine had two months to show improvement in its preparations for its four venues or it would be stripped of its hosting rights.

UEFA president Michel Platini has said Germany or Hungary could be asked to provide venues for the Euro 2012 football championships if Ukraine fails to show progress on its preparations for the event by the end of this month.

UEFA boss Michel Platini is to request assurances on Euro 2012 preparations from new Ukrainian president Viktor Yanukovich when they meet today.

Ukraine president Viktor Yanukovych has said that the country’s preparations to host Euro 2012 require at least 30 billion Ukrainian hryvnias ($3.8 billion) this year.

The Ukrainian minister of family, youth and sports has revealed renovation works for the stadium that will host the Euro 2012 final in Kiev are five months behind schedule.

Swedish-based media rights agency IEC in Sports has signed separate agreements for the 2010 World Championships in Doha, from March 12-14, with ESPN UK and Setanta Ireland.

Oil and lubricant producer Castrol has joined apparel brand Adidas as a sponsor of Euro 2012 in Poland and Ukraine.

The award of Poland and Ukraine to co-host football’s Euro 2012 championship was a “risky” move as the two countries lack any experience in hosting big sports events, UEFA president Michel Platini was quoted as saying yesterday.

Uefa has confirmed that the cities of Kiev, Lviv, Donetsk and Kharkiv in the Ukraine will host Euro 2012 matches, a confirmation which had been delayed due to slow progress in infrastructure projects at some of the venues.

Poland may host the 2012 European Championship on its own if Ukraine does not complete its Kiev stadium on schedule, UEFA president Michel Platini was quoted as saying by Polish media.

Ukraine and Poland will tell UEFA this week that recent major organisational changes have started to solve their many problems in jointly hosting Euro 2012, Reuters reports.

Ukrainian broadcaster, Poverkhnost, acquired the media rights for the 2009-12 UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League from European football’s governing body, UEFA.

Ukraine's government is dissolving an agency overseeing preparations for Euro 2012 after UEFA, European football’s governing body, complained that it was inefficient, Reuters reports.