Swiss play down Euro 2008 fears

Debt-ridden Servette Geneva play at the Stade de Geneve

Plans for the 2008 European football championship are on track despite the threatened bankruptcy of one of the stadiums earmarked for the tournament.

Swiss side Servette Geneva, who are tenants at the Stade de Geneve ground, have debts of around £4.5m.

"We do not think there is any problem," said Switzerland's tournament director Christian Mutschler.

"A contract has been signed guaranteeing that the stadium will fulfil its requirements."

Uefa spokesman William Gaillard said European football'sgoverning body did not believe it would impact on Euro 2008.

"The stadium has already been built, so as long as it is maintained properly, it wouldn't be a problem if no games were being played there on a regular basis," said Gaillard.

"It's quite common to have stadiums that are not linked to a football club, such as Wembley or the Stade de France."

The Swiss have been racing to provide an adequate stadium in Zurich, though the local government said on Wednesday it would fund the upgrade of the city's Letzigrund athletics stadium.

Austria is facing a headache over the rebuilding of the Klagenfurt stadium, with the regional government threatening to withdraw funding following a dispute about building contracts.