Tbilisi (Georgia), May 16 (IANS) Georgia has submitted its formal bid for the 2020 European Football Championship, the country's sports minister confirmed.
Lado Vardzelashvili said Georgia submitted its bid late Monday to meet the Tuesday deadline set by UEFA, the governing body of the sport of football in Europe.
Instead of joint hosting along with neighbouring Azerbaijan, Georgia submitted an individual bid, after Azerbaijan had made a bid for the 2020 Summer Olympic Games, reported Xinhua.
"Azerbaijan has made a bid to host the Olympics, so Georgia will continue bidding for the Euro 2020 independently," said the sports minister who added that construction of ultra-modern stadia would start this year, first in the Georgian Black Sea resort of Batumi.
Georgia has also planned to build new stadia in Gori, Ozurgeti and Zugdidi, according to the minister. Overhaul of existing stadia in the Georgian capital city of Tbilisi and the country's second largest city of Kutaisi have also been planned.
During a speech delivered at the Azerbaijani parliament March 7, visiting Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili announced that Georgia and Azerbaijan would jointly bid for the Euro 2020.
"We are ready to consider all requirements and recommendations of UEFA which are necessary for the organization of such a big event," read a part of the letter sent out by the Georgian Football Federation Monday to Gianni Infantino, UEFA secretary-general.
The host of Euro 2020 is expected to be announced late 2013 or early 2014.
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