UKRAINE: FOOTBALL/SOCCER - Swedish fans in Ukraine ahead of Euro 2012 matches say they are satisfied with their country campsite as workers rush to ready 'Camp Sweden'
Record ID:
346588
UKRAINE: FOOTBALL/SOCCER - Swedish fans in Ukraine ahead of Euro 2012 matches say they are satisfied with their country campsite as workers rush to ready 'Camp Sweden'
- Title: UKRAINE: FOOTBALL/SOCCER - Swedish fans in Ukraine ahead of Euro 2012 matches say they are satisfied with their country campsite as workers rush to ready 'Camp Sweden'
- Date: 9th June 2012
- Summary: KIEV, UKRAINE (JUNE 8, 2012) (REUTERS) DNIPRO RIVER IN CENTRE OF KIEV VARIOUS OF GUARDS AT ENTRANCE TO CAMP CLOSE OF 'CAMP SWEDEN' SIGN SWEDISH AMBASSADOR STEFAN GULLGREN AND UKRAINIAN OFFICIALS WALKING VARIOUS OF WORKER PINNING 'WC' SIGN TO TREE MEN LEAVING BATH FACILITIES SINK IN BATHROOM SIGN IN ENGLISH 'DRINKING WATER IS NOT RECOMMENDED' CAMP SWEDEN ORGANISER INGO SODERLUND TALKING TO SWEDISH AMBASSADOR TO UKRAINE STEFAN GULLGREN GULLGREN TALKING TO MEDIA SODERLUND LISTENING SWEDISH EMBLEM ON SHIRT (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) SWEDISH AMBASSADOR TO UKRAINE STEFAN GULLGREN, SAYING: "I am glad to see that a lot has been done compared to two days ago, when I was here for the first time, but we have to admit there are still things to be done. It has been promised that these tasks will be completed by the end of the day." POLICE ON HORSEBACK WOMAN RAKING GROUND FOR TENTS (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) KIEV CITY OFFICIAL DENIS RUDNYK, SAYING "We, in fact, completed this gigantic work during this month. This month we managed to do more than in the previous 15 years." CAMP SWEDEN STAFF MEMBERS (SOUNDBITE) (English) SWEDISH FAN FROM GOTHENBURG, NO NAME GIVEN, SAYING: "We didn't have the highest demands when we came here. We're just happy if it is a camping (place), some place where we can stay at with our tent. If there is water and electricity, it's ok." ROW OF DUMPSTERS (SOUNDBITE) (English) SWEDISH FAN FROM GOTHENBURG, NO NAME GIVEN, SAYING: "We expect it's going to be a great championship, especially for the Swedish team. We're gonna win a lot of matches, that's what we think. Hopefully we're gonna win the championships." VARIOUS CAMP SWEDEN TENT FIRST AID TENT AND ADMINISTRATION BUILDING FIRST AID SIGN BEACH ON RIVER GIRLS ON BEACH
- Embargoed: 24th June 2012 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Ukraine
- Country: Ukraine
- Topics: Sports
- Reuters ID: LVAE1K59LEFVI163W66CO2YM1T3Z
- Story Text: With hordes of Swedish fans due to arrive over the opening weekend of Euro 2012, the city of Kiev is working round the clock to complete a campsite promised to 5000 of them.
A local supplier acting on behalf of the city had promised to provide a suitable space for thousands of Swedish campers, as well as internet access and catering, shower and toilet facilities.
But when Camp Sweden organisers arrived on Wednesday (June 6), they were dismayed to find that the standards that fell far short of what they had been promised when they signed the deal in April.
A visit to the camp on Friday (June 8) by a Reuters television crew revealed stacks of unused building materials, as well as four-inch nails protruding through corrugated metal fences and newly-built shower blocks where the cement hadn't yet set.
There was no sign of the catering facilities or wireless Internet that Swedish fans said they had been promised.
Swedish ambassador Stefan Gullgren visited the Camp Sweden site on the island of Trukhanov in the Dnipro river, and said that he had received assurances that everything would be finished in time.
"I am glad to see that a lot has been done compared to two days ago, when I was here for the first time, but we have to admit there are still things to be done. It has been promised that these tasks will be completed by the end of the day," Gullgren told the journalists after visiting the site.
Kiev city official Denis Rudnyk played down the delays in completing the camp site, saying that all of the essential components would be finished in time for the opening game. He said by Friday afternoon, the first aid point will be working along with translators. Rudnyk was at the camp to check on progress on behalf of Kiev mayor Oleksander Popov.
"We, in fact, completed this gigantic work during this month. This month we managed to do more than in the previous 15 years," Rudnyk said.
The Swedish fans at the site said they didn't have unreasonable expectations, and that they were looking forward to enjoying the tournament.
"We didn't have the highest demands when we came here," one fan from Gothenburg told Reuters. We're just happy if it is a camping (place), some place where we can stay at with our tent. If there is water and electricity, it's ok," he said, adding, "we expect it's going to be a great championship, especially for the Swedish team. We're gonna win a lot of matches, that's what we think. Hopefully we're gonna win the championships."
As the work to finish the campsite continued around him, he said no-one would remember the camp site if Sweden won the final in Kiev on July 1. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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