Euro 2016: "A (pitch) diagnosis a few months ago that was not very reassuring" (Jacques Lambert)

"UEFA has very high quality requirements in this area. We did make a diagnosis a few months ago that was not very reassuring. So we will have to work a lot this season to assure that, by early June 2016, the pitches that are up to the requirements of UEFA," says Jacques Lambert, President of EURO 2016 SAS, the organising company of Euro 2016, to the national assembly of French football on 18/06/2015.

"We agreed with the cities and stadium operators to delay the the handing over of the stadiums to the Euros. This allows a number of stadiums to (continue to) host events at a later date," added Jacques Lambert, who indicated that UEFA regulations normally expect the stadiums of the Euro tournament to no longer host any events one month prior to the competition.

"We have attempted to be flexible and understanding" (Jacques Lambert on 18/06/2015)

• "UEFA requested that in the two months before the competition, only football be played in the stadiums and that in the month before, that nothing be…