Euro 2008 plans on track, say organisers

By Mark Ledsom

BERNE (Reuters) - Euro 2008 plans are well on track with "all milestones fulfilled", organisers said on Thursday as they marked the 100-day countdown to the event.

"I am sleeping very well because we are well on programme and have fulfilled all our milestones," tournament director Martin Kallen told a news conference.

"The last 100 days are going to be a real pleasure because after three years of preparations we can see now that the tournament is really coming."

Kallen said a "huge amount" of mainly logistical work still had to be done, including final adjustments to the stadiums and surrounding areas.

Grass pitches still have to be laid down at the stadiums in Berne and Salzburg in place of the current artificial turfs.

Recruitment drives are also underway for volunteers to assist at the tournament.

Kallen said tickets were being printed at an unnamed location and would only be sent out to fans at the beginning of May to try to reduce possible forgery and black-market sales.

More than 8.7 million requests were placed for the initial batch of 350,000 tickets released to the public in March 2007, before fans even knew which teams would qualify for the finals.