UEFA statement on Lithuania-Spain match

UEFA wishes to clarify the situation in response to press reports concerning Tuesday's UEFA EURO 2012 qualifying Group I match between Lithuania and Spain in Kaunas.

Article 10, paragraph 1 of the Regulations of the UEFA European Football Championship, 2010–12 competition, states that if the host association finds that a match cannot take place, for example because the field is not fit for play or because of the weather, it must notify the visiting association and the referee before their departure from home and the UEFA administration at the same time. In this case, the match must be played on another date as agreed by the host association and the visiting association, subject to the approval of the UEFA administration.

With regard to the cancellation of a match after the visiting team has departed from home, Article 10, paragraph 2 of the above regulations states as follows: "If any doubt arises as to the condition of the field of play after the visiting team's departure from home, the referee decides on the field of play itself whether or not it is fit for play."

In the specific case of Tuesday night's match, the referee decided after assessing the situation that the pitch was fit for the game to go ahead as scheduled.