Borys Kolesnikov, the vice prime minister in charge of Ukraine's hosting the European Football Championship Euro 2012, has said that statements made by Spyros Marangos, an official of the Cyprus Football Association, that Ukraine and Poland allegedly bribed UEFA to host finals of the European Football Championship Euro 2012, are untrue.
Marangos claimed he was ready to release information confirming that Ukraine and Poland won the right to host the European Football Championship 2012 by bribing five members of the UEFA executive committee, who allegedly accepted EUR 11 million, according to the Saturday issue of the German newspaper Suddeutsche Zeitung.
Kolesnikov told the Kommersant Ukraina on Monday that the statements by Marangos were merely the product of internal disputes within the Cyprus Football Association.
"This statement was made three years ago. If it had an element of truth we would not be hosting any championships," Kolesnikov said.
In addition, the Ukrainian Football Federation described the statements by the representative of the Cyprus Football Association nonsense, the Sport Express in Ukraine reported
"The Ukrainian Football Federation even does not intend to comment on these accusations, as it considers them complete nonsense," the press service of the Ukrainian Football Federation said.
Former head of the Polish Football Association Michal Listkiewicz also called the claims by Marangos "nonsense" and added that the Cyprus Football Association "was settling personal scores with UEFA officials."
