Turkey has offered to host the 2012 European Football Championship if Ukraine and Poland, co-hosts of Europe’s biggest football organization, back out over the economic turmoil that badly affected Ukraine, the Turkish sports minister said on Wednesday.
Turkish State Minister for Sports Murat Basesgioglu told a parliamentary committee meeting that Turkey has hosted major international sporting events in the past and could competently host Euro 2012.
News reports earlier said that Ukraine’s severe financial crisis was threatening the country’s ability to host the 2012 European Championship as most construction projects have stalled due to a liquidity crunch.
Ukraine is co-hosting the championship with neighboring Poland, but both have been warned on multiple occasions by UEFA, European soccer’s governing body, to speed up preparations for the organization.
Poland’s soccer chief suggested late October that Germany could replace Ukraine as co-host of Euro 2012.