UEFA Play Down Kiev Stadium Concerns

UEFA has denied reports that it is concerned about the redevelopment of the Kiev stadium.

European soccer's governing body UEFA has denied reports that it is concerned about the redevelopment of the Kiev stadium chosen to host the 2012 European championship final.

In a statement released on Monday, UEFA said reports that the organisation had cast doubt on Ukraine's ability to co-host Euro 2012 alongside Poland because of delayed progress at the Olympic Stadium were "well wide of the mark".

The statement added that UEFA was "not unduly concerned over the detailed issues surrounding the stadiums for UEFA Euro 2012".

Ukraine's soccer federation last week posted a report on its Web site (www.ffu.org.ua) that it said came from a meeting at UEFA's Swiss headquarters in Nyon in which UEFA officials expressed concern over failure to start renovation at the stadium.

UEFA said on Monday that the purpose of the Nyon meeting had been "to have a global review of the situation in all crucial operational areas" and had not been focused on the stadium issues in particular.