ВВС, June 14, 2012
Liam, England: “People are just great here. I am glad I came! I am sorry that many people did not make it to Ukraine because of negative media reports about it. They missed a lot”.
Janet, England: “We’ve been looking around since this morning, and Ukraine impressed me. Everything is well organized and provisions have been made for all the tourists to be here”.
Barry, England: “Prior to the tournament there had been a lot of negative things about Ukraine … however, it might be one of the best tournaments I ever attended”.
Emily, England: “I think, they did a good job. Fans enjoy it here. Ukrainians are very open-minded. Everything is well organized”.
Steve, England:“Absolutely no problems. I’ve been to Ukraine 3 or 4 times on business. Last time I was here 4 years ago and I see the differences. Ukraine made a lot of efforts to impress. There is a feeling that Ukraine wants more and more to be part of Europe and I think it is a right way”.
Johann, Sweden: “I am sure, the tournament is a success, nothing to complain about so far. We were a bit concerned before the tournament since we were leaving Europe. But it’s been very good so far. I am very impressed”.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/ukrainian/multimedia/2012/06/120614_voxes_foreigners_fans_euro_dp_ak.shtml
UEFA President Michel Platini, Polish Information Agency (PAP), June 19, 2012
“I am very pleased with the way Ukraine and Poland prepared [for EURO-2012]. These countries have already won. Congratulations! The atmosphere is 99% fantastic”.
http://ukraine2012.gov.ua/news/182/54535/?print=Y
Ukrainska Pravda, German Ambassador to Ukraine Has-Jurgen Heimsoeth’s blog, June 19, 2012
“L’viv’s residents heartily welcomed guests of the city and explicitly demonstrated it during the soccer matches”.
http://blogs.pravda.com.ua/authors/heimsoeth/4fe01b4a03788/
England coach Roy Hodgson: Ukraine ‘Horror Stories’ Deterred Fans, June 20, 2012, RIA Novosti
“… we’ve lost a lot of fans who didn’t come because of a lot of horror stories about how life would be in the Ukraine and Poland,” he said.
Hodgson added that he had nothing but positive impressions of Poland, where England are based, and Ukraine, where they played all their group stage games.
http://en.ria.ru/sports/20120620/174133954.html
Blog of Brendan O'Neill,The Telegraph, June 20th, 2012
England’s football fans have proven that they are far more racially enlightened than the BBC
Yesterday, in Donetsk in eastern Ukraine, the fans paraded through the streets with a coffin that they bought from the local funeral parlour and which they emblazoned with the words “You’re wrong Campbell” and “We’ll do what we want”. They did this, they said, to show that for all the anti-Ukrainian fearmongering in the British media over the past two months, “at no point have we felt afraid or threatened out here”.
36 Hours in Kyiv, Ukraine
FINN OLAF-JONES, June 21, 2012, New York Times
«With a thriving contemporary art scene, a new generation of chefs taking innovative approaches to Ukrainian cuisine, and a delirious dance-til-dawn night life, Kyiv — currently a co-host of the 2012 European Soccer Championship — is a weekend magnet for European and Russian fashionistas».
http://travel.nytimes.com/2012/06/24/travel/36-hours-in-kiev-ukraine.html?pagewanted=all
INTERFAX-UKRAINE, June 21, 2012
“I am impressed with Ukraine’s hospitality. We’ve seen really great soccer, great country, it enables us to work well, we’ve got nothing to complain about”.
Polish criminal police officer, Tomash Orlovski
“I have to admit, good efforts have been taken and Ukraine succeeded in having foreign fans”.
Portuguese police officer, Rodrigo Cavaleyro
http://www.interfax.com.ua/rus/main/108692/
Kyiv Post CEO Michael Willard, June 21, 2012, Kyiv Post
I would like to hear a big apology from those who, on the eve of the 2012 European football championship, wrote in overblown language and broadcast with selective video that Ukraine has a toxic and dangerous element of racism, discouraging some visitors from travelling to the host cities.
Let’s hear it: A giant mea culpa.
The reality is that there is racism most everywhere in some form or another. I have seen fewer examples in Ukraine than I have seen in other parts of the world where I have live or visited.
The Daily Mirror, columnist Oliver Holt, June 26, 2012
«Absence of Ukrainian racism proves we should sort out our own problems before preaching to others».
http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/oliver-holt-column-on-euro-2012-941435
Michel Platini, UEFA.com, World football insider, July 2, 2012
«Poland and Ukraine showed the whole world that they can organize this type of event and that they needn't have any concerns. They can be proud of the work they've done, their enthusiasm and the final results. I'm proud of them».
«The Polish and Ukrainian people have showed their enthusiasm, and they have set a very high bar for the future which will be difficult to match».
http://www.worldfootballinsider.com/Story.aspx?id=35215
UEFA President Michel Platini expresses gratitude to Viktor Yanukovych for efforts put into EURO-2012 success, July 18, 2012
“On behalf of the UEFA Executive Committee and myself, I would like to express my sincere gratitude for the great efforts that the Ukrainian authorities applied for perfect hosting of EURO-2012,” Platini said in his letter.
“The tournament was a great success at all levels”.
“I also hope that the development of infrastructure necessary for the tournament will fit into the strategy of sustainable development”.
http://www.president.gov.ua/en/news/24843.html
Kyiv City Council newspaper Khreschatyk, August 7, 2012
Michel Platini thanked Oleksandr Popov, Head of the Kyiv City State Administration for an excellent organization of Euro-2012
“As Head of Kyiv, you played a significant role in having a proper organized tournament. Thus, on behalf of the UEFA Executive Committee and myself let me thank you for hosting Euro-2012 matches in Kyiv”.