The party is starting, says Platini

The party is starting, says Platini




UEFA President Michel Platini joins millions of football fans in Europe and around the world in heralding the long-awaited arrival of UEFA EURO 2008™ tomorrow.
Very proud
"The party is going to start," said Mr Platini in Basel, venue for the opening match between co-hosts Switzerland and the Czech Republic tomorrow evening (18.00CET). "As President of UEFA I am very proud that this tournament is about to kick off.

Wonderful atmosphere
"UEFA and Euro 2008 SA under COO Martin Kallen have been working hard for very many years to ensure the best possible conditions for players, spectators and the media. Everything is being done to ensure that there will be a wonderful atmosphere for the fans coming to Austria and Switzerland from the whole of Europe.

Feelings and emotions
"What is really important are the feelings and emotions that will be felt by the spectators, thanks to the games that they will be watching," the UEFA President added. "There is going to be a lot of drama, there will be pain and joy, and the best team will be the winner. I also hope that football will be the winner. I'm expecting wonderful emotions and I'm passing the ball on to all the players, who are key to our success."

Respect
Mr Platini also spoke of the theme of respect which is being made a key element of the tournament – respect for, among other things, the referees, the teams and national anthems. UEFA EURO 2008™ is a sporting and media event with worldwide exposure and it is felt important by UEFA for it to transmit a strong social, civic and humanitarian message. The campaign will expand in the future to all UEFA competitions and events, and the word will also be spread by the football family at national and local levels – namely that there must be respect for the difference and diversity that enriches Europe.

Positive feelings
Martin Kallen expressed his positive feelings at the start of the tournament too. "We are ready, we kick off tomorrow, and let's hope that the weather will improve," he said. "The teams are very happy with their facilities, they have everything they need. Security and safety is guaranteed, there are no alerts whatsoever, we have everything under control."