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 Former prime minister of the Ukraine,  Yulia Tymoshenko, is under arrest facing charges of tax evasion. Prior to EURO 2012 there were reports that she had been beaten. The Ukraine has a bad record of human rights and animal welfare. It would appear to be a harsh society. 

Many EU leaders were outraged when Yulia was beaten and accordingly countries such as Germany and the UK insisted that they would boycott EURO 2012 as a protest. This became a protest as long as the national teams were not playing in the country of joint host nation Poland.   


English Ministers no doubt felt safe expressing they would follow such a ban, by assuming that England would be on their way home from the competition pretty quickly. As it was England survived to the quarter finals. Yesterday they lost on penalties to a superior football team, Italy and it was problem solved for English Ministers.

Last Friday an extremely pleased German leader, Angela Merkel, was seen cheering her national side on from the football ground where they were playing. It was in Poland. They beat Greece 4-2 stamping their authority on the game. The German squad are expected to go all the way in this competition  which could leave Merkel in a quandary. Sooner or later she will have to decide if the German boycott of EURO 2012 in the Ukraine will stand.

The Ukraine has put a smiling happy face on for football fans. Worries about fighting local fans and extremism appear to have been resolved. Of course they must simply have been swept under the carpet. These problems were far too big to be resolved easily.

Here at TEK and our sister site Where But The UK we have boycotted reporting on EURO 2012 football matches. Our stand has been made in protest of the mass killings of street dogs and cats. Many have been cruelly killed, some being burnt whilst still alive. Charitable intervention was trying to run a capture, neuter, free campaign in the Ukraine but this has been halted. This means that the killings have begun once more.

Look at the attached video regarding street children in the Ukraine and you can see that country has a lot of problems to solve.

Today June 25, 2012, the Ukraine has attempted to hide more of its dirty laundry. The trial of Yulia Tymeshenko has been postponed until mid July. The Ukrainian authorities are hoping this will limit the bad publicity they have been receiving. The trial will recommence conveniently on July 10, 2012. Yulia is to undergo a medical assessment to see if she is fit enough to stand trial.

OPINION: EU leaders were wrong to say that they would boycott EURO 2012 as a protest and then to water this down to just games played in Poland. Will EU ministers make a stand against the final matches played in the Ukraine? 

If they do not it should tell the world what there are priorities and how dishonourable they are too.

You can find related reading on the trial here

Tags: Yulia Tymeshenko trial adjourned, Orange revolution, Yulia Tymeshenko, EURO 2012 boycott, ministers boycott EURO 2012, Urainke killing dogs and cats, UNICEF, Poland matches, football

 
 
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EURO 2012 was always going to be controversial. Here at TEK we have opted to boycott the football matches as a stand against the joint host country, Ukraine, and their policy on animal welfare. Instead of following a neutering campaign it has opted to slaughter dogs and cats found on the streets, in an effort to hide the problem from visiting football fans and the media. In spite of best efforts the mainstream media has still opted to ignore this campaign of cruelty and suffering.
It is however reporting on the expected problems in the Ukraine of racism, and so are we.

The England squad has blatantly played to football thugs in the Ukraine by avoiding the selection of Rio Ferdinand, As one of England's top players the reason is plain for all to see. He is not white. At least one black English football player has said that if he is racially abused during a game he will make a stand and walk off the pitch. He has been warned against this and told that he will be yellow carded if he does so. Whilst in some ways his forewarning could in effect lead to racial abuse at least he is prepared to make a stand.

Sadly for some racism and football go together. Ukrainian fans who appear to salute their players fascist style obviously have other prejudices. They may claim that it is simply their way of spurring on their players but it is too reminiscent of a Nazi salute to be ignored.

EURO 2012 began Friday June 8, and already there have been problems. It seems that fans in the other host country, Poland, may be as bad. On Wednesday June 6, a Dutch training session was disrupted with racist chants. Monkey chants accompanied their training session and UEFA authorities are investigating. Initially the incident was "thought to be non racially motivated" but the chants were aimed at black Dutch players.

Today June 10, 2012 there are reports that UEFA authorities are to charge Russian fans. The fans have caused problems during and after matches on Friday and Saturday.  The incidents include racially abusing one black player and fighting with match stewards. UEFA monitors are now considering the images and a disciplinary panel will assess what evidence is available on Wednesday.

A statement from UEFA said,  "UEFA has opened disciplinary proceedings against the Football Union of Russia for the improper conduct of its supporters"

Footage being collated from the particular matches appears to show extreme right wing flag waving and more. .Racism in football is a fact. It should not be. Countries involved in the sport are trying to combat racism and stamp it out. That is why the allegations that some football players in the UK have behaved in a racist manner in the past are bad news. They set the example when all is said and done.

The rise of the extreme right in Europe however should perhaps be the greatest cause for concern right now.