UEFA President concerned about safety if Ukraine or Israel takes part in Euro-2024

Aleksander Ceferin, President of the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA), has expressed his concern about safety during the Euro-2024 championship in the event that Ukrainian or Israeli teams participate.

Source: Aleksander Ceferin, in an interview for Telegraph Sport he gave in the UEFA headquarters in Nyon (Switzerland)

Details: Ceferin raised the worries ahead of the third biggest sports event in the world amid two bloodiest conflicts since WW2, which engulfed the two UEFA member states.

He agreed that if Ukraine or Israel qualify for Euro-2024 after the qualification playoffs in March, it may add extra dimension to the security threat traditionally posed to major tournaments by terrorists and activists.

Ceferin stressed that Germany is a "good organiser" but UEFA is still very concerned.

He revealed that he had met with the host country’s interior minister twice, including at last week’s funeral of football legend Franz Beckenbauer.

He also said they would meet again in light of what he branded a "completely aggressive situation" geopolitically – something that he said this summer’s Olympics should also be concerned about.

Quote: "In those crazy times where, geostrategically, the world is going crazy, the biggest concern is security.

My fear is not only the stadiums. Because, stadiums, I’m sure, will be protected properly. But fans will be all around cities and towns.

Let’s be optimistic. I still think everything will be fine with support from German authorities who are very determined to help us."

Details: UEFA’s ban on Russia over the country’s invasion of Ukraine should help prevent a repeat of the savage attacks by suspected Kremlin-supported hooligans on England fans at the last Euros staged in one country, in 2016.

Ceferin promised that this ban will remain valid at the highest level while the war is ongoing.

Meanwhile, he would like the event to be calm for youth teams in order to avoid Russian children being brainwashed into hating the West and being punished for something they were not to blame for. The plans to do it last year were thwarted due to negative reaction.

Note: The group stage of the 2024 European Football Cup starts in Germany on 14 June 2024.

Ukraine finished third in the qualification round of Euro-2024, competing in the same group with England, Italy, Northern Macedonia and Malta. Yet Ukrainians may still get into the final part of the European tournament through playoffs, where Ukraine will have to defeat two rivals on the Path B, which is part of the Euro qualification playoffs procedure.

Ukraine's first opponent in the Euro 2024  qualification playoffs will be Bosnia and Herzegovina, with the game scheduled for 21 March. Then, Israel or Iceland may become potential rivals of Ukraine.

The Path B winner will participate in the Euro-2024 in the Group E, which already has Belgium, Romania and Slovakia in it, following the results of the draw, as Suspilne.Sport writes.

Ukraine has participated in the European Cup three times: in 2012, 2016 and 2020.

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