Ukraine should host Euro 2012, Tymoshenko daughter says

PanARMENIAN.Net - Eugenia Tymoshenko, daughter of jailed Ukrainian opposition leader Yulia Tymoshenko, has told the BBC the Euro 2012 football tournament should go ahead in the country as planned, the news agency reported.

The competition is due to start on 8 June and will be co-hosted by Poland. European leaders have said they will boycott matches played in Ukraine in protest at Ms Tymoshenko's treatment.

Her daughter said she "understood" the political boycott but added that "sports events should go on".

Ms Tymoshenko played a key role in the pro-Western Orange Revolution in 2004 and says her imprisonment is an act of political revenge by Ukraine's President Viktor Yanukovych. The authorities have rejected Ms Tymoshenko's allegations. She was jailed for seven years in October, for abuse of power during her time as prime minister.

"We understand the political boycott of European leaders who protect the rule of law, who respect human rights, who cannot go there and shake Yanukovych's hand," Ms Tymoshenko's daughter Eugenia said.

"But I think sports events should go on... My mother, when she was in government, fought for the right to host this championship in Ukraine."