Evaluation highlights human rights action, transport links and hotels among concerns.
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Uefa, European soccer’s governing body, has admitted that it would be ‘a risk’ to award the Euro 2024 hosting rights to Turkey.
The concession comes in the evaluation report by Uefa into the two bids – German being the alternative – competing to host the tournament. The federation’s final decision on the destination of its quadrennial international tournament is due on Thursday.
The areas described as ‘matters of concern’ in the report concern both the limited hotel capacity in Turkey, as well as the nation’s lack of action on human rights.
In addition, the report highlights the fact that Turkey’s largest and most iconic venue, Istanbul’s Ataturk Olympic Stadium, will have to be rebuilt before the 24-team tournament. There are also concerns over plans to heavily renovate the infrastructure of the nation’s transport links and systems, the results of which would meet Uefa criteria for the competition.
The report states: ‘The scale of works to be undertaken in the given time frame constitutes a risk, especially in combination with the dependence on a few airports for international and domestic travel.’
The evaluation explains that Turkey’s bid is based on the promotion of multiculturalism, with the Turkish Football Federation (TFF) taking advantage of ‘its location between three continents.’
Germany’s proposal, meanwhile, focuses on ‘creating a bridge between elite and grassroots football.’ Germany is one of the 12 nations to host matches at Euro 2020, which is to be held throughout the continent.
Of the 10 stadia proposed by the German Football Federation (DFB) bid, none would require renovation or rebuilding.
In 2012, Uefa was forced to dismiss reports that then-Uefa president Michel Platini had provided guarantees to Turkey that the country would host Euro 2020.
Meanwhile, it was announced in August that should Germany secure the right to host the competition, former World Cup-winning captain Philipp Lahm would lead the Euro 2024 organising committee.
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