Poland will be ready to host Euro 2012

Warsaw: Polish officials guaranteed that the country will be ready to host the next European football championships after a visit by UEFA head Michel Platini amid concerns Poland and co-hosts Ukraine are behind schedule in their preparations.

"Mr. Platini and I listed all the warnings regarding the state of Poland's preparations for Euro 2012," said Prime Minister Donald Tusk said on Wednesday. "And I can happily highlight that the plan - which we accepted and the UEFA accepted - is being realised."

Tusk said he guarantees the plan would be carried out and that Platini recognised Poland as "reliable."

Sports Minister Miroslaw Drzewiecki said his meeting with Platini went "very well," and assured that all projects would be completed either before or on the deadline. He said that while Platini was well informed, "today he saw for himself that everything was coming along on schedule."

The report on the visit by the boss of the sport's governing body in Europe will be completed in September and the final decision will come in the autumn on Poland and Ukraine hosting the tournament.

The visit came amid rumours the two former Soviet-bloc nations could lose the championship to better prepared and willing hosts like Italy or France.

HYDRATION KNOWLEDGE GIVES THE SOCCEROOS THE EDGE IN CRUNCH GAMES

The Socceroos path to the 2010 World Cup is still in its early days but already it’s crunch time. With such a hotly contested battle to qualify for the world cup, the Qantas Socceroos are on the look out for any possible advantage over the rest of the pack. Powerade, along with sports dietitian Liz Broad, have taken a close look a hydration and its role in sport.

Many team sports, and in particular football codes, are traditionally considered to be winter sports with issues of hydration given a low priority. However, with the international football season stretching over many months, the Socceroos players are consistently experiencing extreme weather conditions. This extreme weather will play a major role in upcoming world cup qualifiers in Dubai and Doha where temperatures can reach up to 40 degrees Celsius on a regular basis.

In the past it was thought that getting through a game without drinking any fluids “toughened you up,” when in fact it was doing the exact opposite. We now know that active hydration doesn’t make you soft, it helps the Socceroos players perform at their peak for longer, particularly in the hydration sapping whether conditions of the Middle East.

WHY IS HYDRATING IMPORTANT?
Australia’s star football players can cover more than 10km a game, and in order to ensure they perform at their optimum skill and performance level, hydration must be maintained.

THE PRACTICALITIES OF HYDRATING

The amount of fluid loss by the Socceroos stars during exercise is very specific to the environmental, physical and clothing demands of sport, and there is also a large individual variation in sweat rates. Consider home games played at the same time of year in Sydney with away games played venues such as the UAE and Qatar: throughout the globe temperatures may differ by up to 15-25°C, and there may be significant variations in direct sunlight.

Staying on top of hydration isn’t just for the Australia’s elite football players, it’s important for players of any level. Maintaining hydration levels throughout a game helps players keep their eye on the ball, monitor opponents and react quickly to team mates for longer.

Powerade Performance System

The Powerade Performance System is a range of sports drinks, for pre-, during and post-activity, which deliver effective hydration with additional benefits to Australia’s footballers. The Powerade Performance System includes Powerade Energy Edge with caffeine, Powerade Isotonic and Powerade Recovery with protein.

Suitable for active people at all levels from the Socceroos elite players to future stars, the three Powerade Performance System products work together for maximum performance or can be used in isolation and tailored to specific sporting occasions including pre, during and post sport.

Powerade Energy Edge is scientifically formulated and proven to boost the Socceroos players to their peak faster, providing fast and effective hydration as well as an added pre-sport energy boost. Powerade Recovery is a unique formulation of carbohydrates, electrolytes and protein and can help speed up player recovery times, particularly after fast, tough game of football.

Australia to bid for Club World Cup

Melbourne, May 18: Australia will bid to host the Club World Cup in 2009 and 2010, Football Federation Australia (FFA) said. The tournament involves the champion clubs from world governing body FIFA's six confederations and another from the host country. Japan, which is bidding again, has hosted the last three tournaments and will host it later this year. The United Arab Emirates are also bidding, the FFA said in a statement. "We believe Australia has very strong credentials," FFA chief executive Ben Buckley said in the statement. "Australia has quality facilities, good systems and infrastructure and the capacity to develop more, stable governance and football fans and all-round sports fans who are knowledgeable and passionate." Buckley said the FFA was keen on hosting major soccer events. "We want to be a strong and positive contributor to the world of football in as many ways as possible," he added. "Next week's FIFA Congress is part of that strategy, as is the 2015 Asian Cup, bidding for the 2018 FIFA World Cup and also the 2009 and 2010 Club World Cup." FIFA's executive is to decide who will host the 2009 and 2010 tournament when it meets in Sydney next week, ahead of its annual congress.