UEFA demands evidence to back Euro 2012 claim

European football’s governing body UEFA said on Monday that its lawyers had asked a Cypriot football official to provide evidence to back claims that bidding for Euro 2012 was tainted by corruption.

UEFA said it could only act on “tangible elements of proof.”

“To date these have never been provided to UEFA by this individual prior to any meeting and this in spite of repeated requests by Europe’s governing football body,” it added in a statement.

“UEFA has therefore today, via its legal counsel, again requested said individual to submit to UEFA any evidence that according to him should confirm his allegations, by Wednesday 27 October at the latest.”

The German daily Suedeutsche Zeitung reported on Saturday that Spyros Marangos, treasurer of the Cypriot Football Association, claimed the attribution of the event to Poland and Ukraine was tainted by vote buying involving UEFA officials.

Marangos reportedly said he had tried for two years to ensure that evidence would reach UEFA president Michel Platini.

UEFA said it was ready to open a disciplinary case if the “tangible elements” were delivered.

But it warned that it reserved the right to take legal action against “defamatory statements” if it did not receive evidence in time.

The Euro 2012 finals were attributed to the joint Poland-Ukraine bid in April 2007, ahead of Italy.

The latest report emerged as world football’s governing body FIFA was investigating allegations of vote selling and collusion in the race to host the World Cup in 2018 and 2022.