Uefa has warned the organisers of Euro 2012 in Ukraine that they risk ruining the tournament by trying to rip off England fans.

England are usually among the best-supported countries at a major tournament, but the Football Association has not been able to sell the full allocation of tickets for any of their three group games, including the opener against France.

That has prompted a warning from Uefa officials that fans are being put off travelling to Ukraine by extortionate hotel prices and that England’s games could be played in front of half-empty stadiums.

A room at the Ibis hotel in Kiev would normally cost £49, but is ­currently advertised for £550 when England are playing Sweden in the city on June 15.

A one-star hotel in Donetsk, where England face France on June 11, is asking for £1,000 a night, while even guesthouses 35 miles away are looking for £240 per person per night.

“They are playing with fire,” said David Taylor, chief executive of Uefa Events and the former chief executive of the Scottish FA. “It is inevitable to an extent. People want to see what they can get out of the situation, but some prices can be counterproductive and, to be honest, some of the prices are quite ridiculous.

(source)