Ministers to boycott Euro 2012 games

UK MINISTERS are boycotting the initial stages of the Euro 2012 football championship over concerns about human rights in Ukraine.

The Foreign Office said the government “fully supported” the England team’s participation, but no ministers would be attending group stage matches in Ukraine, amid anger over the treatment of jailed opposition leader Yulia Tymoshenko.

Other countries, including Germany and France, have announced that senior politicians would boycott games in Ukraine – which is co-hosting the event with Poland – unless the human rights situation under president Viktor Yanukovych improved.

Ms Tymoshenko was jailed for seven years last year after what supporters claim was a show trial. The former prime minister staged a hunger strike in April after photos appeared showing bruises on her body.

Foreign Secretary William Hague has previously indicated that attendance by ministers was under review. A statement released by his department yesterday said: “No ministers will be attending group games at Euro 2012.”