What to do while in Ukraine

While the kick-off next June remains the focus for fans across Poland and Ukraine, there was also time last autumn to reflect on past achievements as some of the co-hosts greatest players were honoured for the mark they have made on the international stage. In August, EUFA launched a new award to pay tribute to players from UEFA's 53 member associations who have made 100 or more appearances for their national team and Michal Zewlakow and Grzegorz Lato (Poland), alongside Oleh Blokhin, Anatoliy Tymoshchuk and Andrei Shevchenko (Ukraine), were among the first centurions their commemorative cap and medal. Zewlakow only retired from international football after his record 102nd game for Poland in March and was thrilled to receive his award ahead of the national side's first match at the new Arena Gdansk- a 2-2 draw against Germany - on 6 September. "It is terrific to be honored by UEFA in such a special place before such a historic event," said the Legia Warsawa defende

While the greatest prize at stake at UEFA EURO 2012 is the Henri Delaunay Cup, the financial rewards on offer are also considerable. The total prize money up for grabs for the 16 finalists is 196m. euro, up from 184 m. euro at UEFA EURO 2008, with a potential 23.5 m. euros available for eventual champions, provided they win all three of their group matches. Each participating team will receive a minimum payment of 8 m. euro, on top of which there are performance bonuses in the group stage of 500,000 euro per draw and 1 m. euro for a win. There will also be 1 m. euro bonuses for the teams that finish third in their groups, which will give an incentive to those out of the running  for a quarter- final place on the final matchday. In the knockout stage, each quarter-finalist will earn 2 m. euro and each semi-finalist 3 m. euro. The runners-up in the final will collect an additional 4.5 m. euro and the UEFA EURO 2012 champions 7.5 m. euro. The tournament in Poland and Ukraine is expected

The 1992 finals in Sweden gave birth to one of the great myths of the European Championship. Legend has it that, when UEFA decided to replace war-torn Yugoslavia with the team that had finished behind them in the qualifying group, the Danes strolled into the dressing room, kicked off their flip-floops, threw down their beach towels and emptied bagfuls of suntan oil on the floor. As legendary goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel recalls:"We were between two training sessions having lunch when the message came through that we were officially in finals. So the idea that they had to phone us and get us back from our holidays on the beach is a myth." Popular perception, how ever, was determined not to let the truth get in the way of a good story - and it was a great story. The Danes tiptoed into the tournament and won it. Politics certainly had a influence. Apart from the Yugoslav situation, the Soviet fragmentation process meant that the former USSR competed under an unfamiliar CIS banne

AnimalWATCH reports the shocking facts concerning the UEFA Football Euro 2012 in the Ukraine:  In “preparation” of the Football Euro 2012 the host cities of Kiev, Donetsk, Kharkiv and Lviv  have brutally killed (shot, poisoned or burned while still alive!!) more than 100,000 dogs  over the past year. Animal protection groups believe the number is far higher! Earlier this month the Kiev government announced the killings were to stop. However, Judith Pein, of the German branch of PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) said it was still happening! “ It’s a slaughterhouse ,” said Asya Serpinska, head of the Ukrainian Association of Animal Protection Organizations. The Ukraine does not have any programs on reducing the numbers of stray animals.There are no programs to educate people about neutering their pets and there are no municipal shelter for stray animals! All this leads to thousands of animals appearing at the streets and the absence of home pets breeding control

Team base camps for UEFA EURO 2012 Team Hotel Training base (nearest host city) Croatia Hotel Sielanka, Warka Training Ground Sielanka, Warka (Warsaw) Czech Republic Hotel Monopol, Wroclaw Municipal Stadium Oporowska Wroclaw (Wroclaw) Denmark Hotel Marine, Kolobrzeg Municipal Stadium Kolobrzeg, Kolobrzeg (Gdansk) England Stary Hotel, Krakow Hutnik Stadium, Krakow (Wroclaw) Spain Hotel Mistral Sport, Gniewino Municipal Stadium Gniewino, Gniewino (Gdansk) France Kirsha Training Facility, Donetsk Kirsha Training Facility (Donetsk) Germany Hotel Dwor Oliwski, Gdansk Germany – Municipal Sport Centre Gdansk (Gdansk) Greece Hotel Warszawianka Wellness & Spa, Serock Municipal Stadium Legionowo, Legionowo (Warsaw) Republic of Ireland Sheraton Sopot Hotel, Sopot Municipal Stadium Gdynia, Gdynia (Gdansk) Italy Turowka Hotel & Spa, Wieliczka Municipal Stadium Cracovia, Krakow (Wroclaw) Netherlands Sheraton Krakow Hotel, Krakow Municipal Stadium Wisła Kraków, Krakow (Wroclaw)