Ukraine and Poland are suspected of bribing football officials to win the UEFA bid to host the 2012 European Football Championship, German newspaper Suddeutsche Zeitung reported on Sunday.
The joint bid by Poland and Ukraine was chosen by the UEFA's Executive Committee on April 18, 2007 in Cardiff, Wales, defeating the other shortlisted bids from Italy and Croatia/Hungary. The Poland/Ukraine bid received a total of eight votes and Italy received the remaining four while the Croatia/Hungary bid failed to win a single vote.
However, media reports said on Saturday that UEFA officials could have been bribed to vote in favor of Poland and Ukraine to host Euro-2012, the paper reported.
According to the paper, board member of the Football Association of Cyprus Spyros Marangos is going to release information that five members of the UEFA board received a total of 11 million euros in exchange for votes cast in favor of Poland and Ukraine to host the Football Championship.
Marangos has claimed that he has evidence to prove the fact of bribing. UEFA General Secretary Gianni Infantino, however, on Friday rejected this information. Meanwhile, Marangos' lawyer has said there are witnesses willing to testify under oath in a court of law, if necessary, the paper reported.
MOSCOW, October 24 (RIA Novosti)
