Ukraine Welcomes Four Million Happy Fans and Counting

KYIV, June 19, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --

Around four million foreign guests crossed Ukrainian border since the beginning of EURO 2012, reported Ukraine's State Border Guard Service. As international supporters keep streaming in, UK human rights activist Clare Dimyon apologized to Ukraine on behalf of Great Britain for false accusations in racism and other types of intolerance.

Four million people and 860 thousand vehicles have crossed the state border since June 5. However, for the duration of the championship Ukrainian guests have witnessed nothing but hospitality and true unity of all nations, races, and liberties. British human rights activist Clare Dimyon expressed her bitterness at the BBC Stadiums of Hate material, depicting Ukraine as racists and intolerant country. Dimyon, Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (awarded for her human rights campaigns in Central and Eastern Europe) apologized on behalf of her home country.  

The activist is preparing the film, disproving the statements suggested in BBC's video piece. Dimyon said that she had seen many representatives of African and Asian descent in Ukraine, at the stadiums specifically, and she did not witness them being stressed or uncomfortable or treated intolerantly by the others.

"I am convinced that I haven't seen any racist moods here, in any case there were no more than in London. That's why I think BBC should tell the truth. I am grateful to Kharkiv and its people for the opportunity to defend Britain's good name and tell the truth to the world," she added.

As a protest against the negative publications in British press about Ukraine, on June 19 British football fans will carry a coffin during their march in Donetsk tonight. The coffin and "Campbell you're wrong!" signs are called to signify that British supporters disagree with the statement made by former England captain Sol Campbell, who warned British fans to stay away from Euro 2012. He recommended fellow countrymen to watch at home on TV, for otherwise they would "risk it coming home in a coffin".  "How could he say that? Ukraine is a great country and Donetsk is a wonderful city," - commented a fan from London in Donetsk: "And because of his [Campbell's] statement so many of our nationals didn't make it here."