Please - Soccer Without the Politics!

In terms of tourist safety, Kyiv is not as "dangerous" a place as the world currently holds it to be. We have our hands on our passports at all time, and frankly, we feel like idiots. True, some Kyivans can be forward or even aggressive, but as far as we've seen, this never translates to a real confrontation, physical or verbal. Speaking with other ex-pats and longer term tourists, many can't see what the hubbub is about. Much of it is overblown in the Western media; videos of Ukrainian racism in sports abound on the internet, and warnings to various groups of tourists are ubiquitous. This isn't Afghanistan in the 1979, it's not Chechnya in 1994, it's not even Georgia in 2009. You'll be fine.

Apprehension about Ukraine has led to protests, and these protests have led to boycotts. We've always felt that boycotts of Ukraine in general are not the way to go for Western politicians, and engaging in this type of practice is especially unwarranted for Euro Cup. An international sports tournament is not a forum for polemics and politics. This tournament should unite the masses, not divide the continent. Let us humble plebs have our beloved sport without the platitudes, and without the grandstanding. There is no doubt that we need to act on the actions of the Yanukovych regime, and act quickly. But give us uninterrupted soccer bliss until July 1, and we'll lead the charge ourselves on July 2.