Just hours after Azerbaijan's bid to host the Olympic Games in Baku in 2020 was rejected by the International Olympic Committee, the head of Azerbaijan's soccer federation said his country had submitted a bid to
co-host the European soccer championship with neighboring Georgia the same year.
After the 2000 tournament was co-hosted by Belgium and the Netherlands, splitting the championship and the requirements for new stadiums and infrastructure between two smaller (or poorer) countries has become typical, with Austria and Switzerland co-hosting in 2008 and Poland and Ukraine set to co-host this year's tournament.
The value of construction investments in "sports, hotel, and transport infrastructure (including roads, railways and airports) related to the organization of Euro 2012 in Poland and Ukraine" will approach $48 billion, according to
estimates.
But given the controversy surrounding the
murky tendering process and "
forcible evictions" in the building of the showpiece Crystal Hall in Baku to host the Eurovision Song Contest this week, is more extravagant infrastructure really in the
best interests of Azerbaijan?
A woman stands near a demolished house in Baku. Critics say the government has trampled on people's rights in razing homes for the Crystal Hall..