September 27, 2008	Saturday	Ramazan 26, 1429

BORDEAUX (France), Sept 26: UEFA ruled on Friday that Poland and Ukraine will keep the hosting rights to the 2012 European Championship, but warned they could still lose the tournament if preparations fall behind schedule.

UEFA also confirmed the 2016 championship will be expanded from 16 to 24 teams, approved a new name and format for the UEFA Cup and said it is looking into suspicious betting patterns from 25 lower-tier matches.

“The executive committee reconfirmed UEFA’s commitment to organize the 2012 European Championship in Poland and in the Ukraine,” UEFA president Michel Platini said. “At the same time, the executive committee stressed a number of conditions that must be met in order to bring forward the whole project.”

UEFA’s executive committee reviewed a report looking at whether both countries had made enough progress after concerns were raised over their preparations. Platini visited both countries in early July to inspect the state of readiness.

UEFA said progress has been achieved in the past six months, but that it was “neither uniform nor constant.”

“Both host countries must continue to make the necessary efforts as any slackening could put in doubt the organisation of this tournament in these countries,” UEFA said.

Platini elaborated on the concerns at a news conference. “We were promised new airports and we will not have new airports. We were promised new roads and we are still waiting,” he said. “Warsaw and Kiev are the key issues. We cannot organize a European competition without the capital city.”

Platini said the co-hosts “promised” that stadiums in Kiev and Warsaw will be ready in time. UEFA said it will decide how many and which stadiums and cities will be used as venues for the competition, with a minimum of six and maximum of eight. The number of venues will not necessarily be the same in each country.

“The governments of both countries must support their national associations and fulfill the commitments they gave to UEFA in the scope of the project, notably concerning accommodation and transport infrastructures,” UEFA said.

Meanwhile, the expanded 2016 championship format will consist of six groups of four teams. The top two from each group will advance, along with the four best third-ranked teams. The tournament will feature 51 matches, compared to 31 now, played over a period of 29 to 31 days depending on the match schedule.

“This historic decision gives middle-ranked countries a much greater chance to qualify for the final tournament, thereby expanding the fan basis directly reached, and increasing the number of matches played and boosting the overall stadium capacity,” UEFA said.

Platini dismissed claims that the expansion would tire out players even more after a long season.

“It’s just one more match, a last-16 game,” Platini stated. “I am sure it does not change the technical standard. It’s the same.”

UEFA also said it was beefing up its “early warning system” to protect against illegal betting and match-fixing. Two additional full-time staff and four additional disciplinary inspectors will be hired.

UEFA said it is looking into irregular betting patterns surrounding 25 UEFA Cup and Intertoto matches from last season and this current season. A special investigation unit will look into the matter, but no further details were given.

Also, the committee approved the renaming of the UEFA Cup to the UEFA Europa League from next season with a new format.

The move appears to create a lower-tier version of the Champions League, with teams playing each other on a home and away basis in group stages. Under the current format, clubs only play each other once in the group phase.

“These changes will improve this historic competition that is very important for UEFA and for European football, as it gives more fans, players and clubs the thrill of European club football,” Platini added. “I am convinced the new format will give the UEFA Europa League a successful new impetus.”

The UEFA Cup has struggled in the shadow of the lucrative Champions League, which gives teams global exposure and huge television revenues.—AP