Actually, no I don't. I'm in the USA. Puerto Rico & Mexico are the outer reaches of the world according to the media here.
Tymoshenko made millions of dollars off intermediaries in the oil deals. She is in jail because she secretly signed a deal with Russia which ensured that money paid from the Ukrainian government to Gazprom would be sent to her Swiss bank account. The only crime in this whole shabang is that Tymoshenko is being singled out for corruption because of the political connection. She is most undoubtable corrupt. It's just that usually that isn't punished.
I've been to dozens of UPL games over the years and never have I heard Monkey noises or even a degree of overt racism that isn't surpassed by fans in Spain or Italy. UEFA fined Manchester City more heavily for arriving on the pitch late than the racist chants from Porto fans.I honestly wonder just why you seem to think these issues are unique to Ukraine when flares, racism and the like are prominent across the Europe.
You must boycott lots of pleasant things in life for no good reason. Me personally, I have invested way too much time,energy,money into this trip. If you don't want me to go to Euro 2012, you would have to kill me, or else I am going.
I'm from London and going to Ukraine as part of my summer boycott of the Olympics because Cameron is a lying twat !!!
Great you can rent my house, wife kids and mother-in-law for $200 a day. How would you like to receive the money?
Well I was actually offering the money but never mnd lol !!! Anyway this thread needed a bit of bad comedy.
Just wondering since when did countries co-host Euro's? I remember Holland/Belgium but wasn't it usually one country?
Holland/Belgium and Switzerland/Austria. 2000 and 2008. You will likely see quite a few more of these co hostings. Only a handful of countries could reasonably host a Euro on their own. France Italy Spain Germany England Russia Portugal Turkey After that I'm not sure. I think either Ukraine or Poland could have hosted on their own, but I doubt that UEFA would let a country like Sweden host on their own again like they did in 1992. But the reason you'll see it more often with co hosts is that if you want to include smaller countries like Croatia, Denmark, Greece, Bulgaria, you will probably see it spread out a bit.
Many things are hilarious mixed up in this thread. A general boycott isn't seriously discussed in Germany. To clear things up: o Politicians boycott the Euro, which means that they won't smile into cameras next to Yanukovich and that's justified. To add something I'm against any politicians at a football match. o No one really claims to free Tymoschenko although there are many doubts that she was judged by a constitutional court. The valid protest is about her treatment in prison, which is clearly a mess. Send her to a hospital in Germany or Russia where she could be cured. That's a question of humanity and if Ukraine will be a eventually part of Europe than they should treat her just and reasonable.
Err, no. European leaders have criticised the blatantly politically-motivated prosecution of Tymoshenko from day one of the trial. And now her imprisonment involves clear human-rights violations. Lacking medical care... Beatings... Yet the Yanukovych government has chosen to ignore in Lukashenko-style those voiced concerns. So now it's time for us Europeans to shift gears and amp up the pressure. Forget about any privileged status vis-à-vis Europe. Forget about our leaders visiting the country and celebrating EURO 2012 with a thug like Yanukovych - if he and his henchmen keep behaving like thugs. EURO 2012 will go on. But don't expect our governments to pal around with Yanukovych & Co during the tournament. This is a clear signal. You cannot violate human rights and yet be embraced by the European family. 74% of Germans are in favour of this political boycott. Human-rights matter. To us. These are European values. If the Ukrainian government chooses to ignore them, it will pay a price. Simple. You should turn your ire against Yanukovych and his lot's sabotaging of Ukraine's once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to present itself to the world. It's his doing. As soon as his government respects human-rights, there will be no more talk of boycott. So look to him. He's messing it up for your country. Not us fellow-Europeans who've lost patience over Ukraine's slide towards authoritarianism. Do you really want to end up like Belarus?!? First of all: We expect her conditions in prison to meet international human-rights standards. Err... It's not like that happened on the French government's orders... Unlike what's happening to Tymoshenko. Utterly imbecile analogy you're making there...
Quite. The decision by the EU and several European member states not to grace the Ukraine with their leaders' presence whilst the country's government does not live up to European human-rights standards, is not the first European response to the Tymoshenko trial/imprisonment/mistreatment. It is simply that Ukraine has chosen to remain deaf to lower-profile pressure. Well. Ukraine has chosen to ignore Europe over this. Claims Europe has no business meddling in its affairs. Well. I have news for Yanukovych. You won't be a respected part of the European family if you flaunt human-rights. In Europe, we have clear human rights standards enshrined in the OSCE and Council of Europe protocols. Ukraine has signed on to them. This alone makes the situation different from that in China in 2008. Of course, EURO 2012 will go ahead. But under a cloud. And nobody other than Yanukovych & Co are to blame. We Germans and Europeans will not simply turn a blind eye to their machinations. And our politicians staying away from the Ukraine during this tournament is a clear signal. We have standards in Europe. Ignore 'em and you'll pay a price. Simple. That's why the great majority of Germans are in favour of our leaders not gracing the Yanukovych government with their presence. It's a clear signal directed at the Ukrainian government. We feel strongly about this. The political boycott is not directed at the people of Ukraine. It's targeted at the government in Kiev. That's why we're not withdrawing from the tournament. Just simply not rewarding the Yanukovych government with the political prestige they'd get from having Europe's leaders making the trek to the Ukraine.
Well, I once read that Platini actually isn't too fond of these co-hosted tournaments and hopes to move more towards single countries hosting the event. Clearly Poland-Ukraine has been an organisational nightmare for UEFA. Lots of major headaches. And now a bunch of new ones are being added to the mix. One can be sure that after this adventurous awarding of the EUROs to a country as ill-prepared as the Ukraine (not that Poland's organisation hasn't been bumpy, but it's much better than the mess in the Ukraine), UEFA will award the tournament to countries better prepared and better able to pull it off than the Ukraine. It pains me to say this. I was very happy for the Ukraine when it won the bid with Poland. It was a unique opportunity. One Europe felt a post-Kuchma Ukraine deserved. Kinda with Poland helping Ukraine along on her way to Europe. It hasn't worked out that way. The Ukraine has taken a step back in her way to democracy and better governance. The post-Orange Revolution era has turned out to be a huge disappointment. And the rift between Europe and the Ukraine we're now seeing is just another low-point on the sad course Ukraine has recently embarked on. I commend UEFA for its courage in awarding the EURO to the Ukraine. It's just sad it hasn't worked out. I now wish that the Yanukovych government will come to its senses and not completely spoil this unique chance for the country and remove the dark cloud that will hang over the tournament if he keeps going down this route.
Why sad? A major sports event is always about more than sport! And the EUROs are way too big for it to be any other way. Which is IMO a good thing! It's an opportunity to showcase your country to the world. As such it always has a political, social, economic and cultural dimension. It's - especially for small or mid-sized countries - a chance to put the country on the map. Which can work out wonderfully and yield big dividends for a country. Or it cannot. That's what makes hosting the World Cup, the Olympics, the EUROs (and perhaps a few other major tournaments) so special. That's why countries compete so intensely for the privilege of hosting such events! They full well now it's about far more than sports. Some countries then do a wonderful job and benefit from it for years to come. Far beyond the realm of sports. Others blow it (to some extent or other).
Very well said. Couldn't agree more. Except your point about being against any politicians at football matches. They're events of national importance. I think our elected leaders congratulating our players and signalling the nation's support is part of their job. I WANT to see them in the stands. It's a symbol of national unity. And these things matter, I'd argue. It's important to many people. If not for you. And then NOT choosing to attend, has of course huge symbolical value. It's a very effective way of exerting wholesome pressure. Clearly Yanukovych & Co are squirming under this pressure.
Don't get me wrong Yanukovich is driving the car of Ukraine down a drunken road to misery, but it's kind of funny to hear this talk of boycott and European "values" when Merkel invites Putin to Berlin and fawns over him because he keeps the lights on. It'll be funny to see Germany boycott Russia in 2018 or Beijing in 2008, oh wait they didn't. European values seem to be based on how valuable a country is to you.
Real Corona..... don't bother these fake EU-democrats... This people has no idea of what is actually going on. Their politicians are screwing them right in front of their eyes, and they fall for it. The whole Tymoshenko thing is just a possibility for EU-politicians to gain great PR.... "ohh we care about human rights blah blah blah".... In reality this has nothing to do with human rights.... Nobody boycotted China 2008, and no one will boycott Russia at Olympics or World Cup........ And these countries are really violating human rights...... What is happening in Ukraine right now is hardly some kind of human rights violation.... Sure, it's a corrupt government, but I will explain why you are being screwed.... The only thing you can read in media is how wonderful Tymoshenko is. A real Mandela!!! And how good Merkel & co. are for supporting human rights..... They didn't want to go to Ukraine regardless the Tymoshenko... now they only found a nice way to gain some PR and become in the front of human-right-fighters spotlight...... The reality is as follows.... 1) Tymoshenko signed an agreement with Russia making Ukraine pay about 60 % more than Germany pays for gas.... This is an extreme loss for Ukraine's finance..... Why did she sign that agreement? Because she got a great reward right in her pocket..... But the state, and people of Ukraine, are now suffering due to high prices....... This is just the first reason.... 2) The second reason goes longer back in the days... When Tymoshenko cooperated with Pavlo Lazarenko... The latter one was judged and convicted guilty by American court with 9 years imprisonment for corruption.... It's widely known that Tymoshenko helped him in his affairs....... So please, explain me... why, so suddenly, Tymoshenko is seen as a freedom fighter?.... More than 50 % of Ukrainian people concider her being a thief.... So who are you to make her a freedom fighter??? You don't live here.... You only read your stupid press that screws you over and over again.... And you believe that your dear leaders are so good and they support human rights blah blah..... I feel sorry for you...... 3) And a third thing I would like to say.... The case against Tymoshenko was initiated by the former president Yuschenko..... long before Yanukovich came to power.... explain me now... ARE THE NEWSPAPERS IN YOUR COUNTRY MENTIONING THESE 3 FACTS I MENTIONED ABOVE ?????????? Or are they only talking about how good Tymoshenko is and that EU supports human rights blah blah blah????? .......If you did not knew these 3 things I think you should ask yourself if your country is democratic enough? Since you are clearly being brainwashed and thinking your dear EU is a freedom-fighters for poor Tymoshenko.... when you actually don't know the real deal here.
BOYCOTT FRANCE 2016 !!!! "France's Sarkozy faces corruption probes after immunity ends next month" http://www.myfoxdfw.com/story/18306...ruption-probes-after-immunity-ends-next-month Politician is faced with charges for his past events! We have to boycott France, since they are clearly violating the human rights. In our European family we have clear human rights standards that has to be respected (c). We can not charge former politicians for their past decisions!!! ...The funny thing is that Sarkozy probably won't be charged. (justice?) And even if he would, his crime is kind of pitty... But Tymoshenkos crime is really hardcore, we are talking billion of dollars.... So can somebody explain me why Tymoshenko shouldn't be in jail?
The only injustice about the Tymosheno case is that she is being punished for doing something that the rest of the politicians are also doing. She is undoubtably corrupt and guilty of stealing billions, but of course so is the Party of Regions and their backers who stole the wealth of the country. The injustice isn't that Tymoshenko isn't guilty, she most certainly is. The injustice is that everyone else is guilty too.