The political stand-off is the latest embarrassment for a country whose co-hosting of Uefa’s premier tournament has been dogged with controversy.
Tymoshenko began a seven-year prison sentence last September in what many key European politicians have described as a politically motivated move driven by the president, Viktor Yanukovych.
A spokesman for the Department for Culture, Media and Sport said: “The Government is keeping the situation under review in consultation with European Union partners.”
If Robertson chooses not to head to Ukraine to watch England, whose three Group D matches are being held in Donetsk and Kiev, he will be joining the Dutch royal family, the European Commission president, Jose Manuel Barroso, and Austrian government officials in the stay-away protest.
Tymoshenko has allegedly been denied appropriate medical assistance for the back pain she is suffering, which may be related to a slipped disc. The developments came as Amnesty International last night warned of “widespread police criminality” in Ukraine.
Amnesty has highlighted what it described as “numerous cases in Euro 2012 host cities in which police have tortured people in an attempt to extort money, extract a confession, or simply because of the victims’ sexuality or ethnic origin”.
John Dalhuisen, Amnesty International’s director for Europe and Central Asia, delivered a stark warning for fans planning to travel to the tournament, saying: “The Ukrainian government must take action now to stop widespread police criminality. Failure to do so will encourage them to continue acting as a law unto themselves and put Euro 2012 fans in danger from a force that is out of control.”
Although the other co-host, Poland, has prepared a smooth delivery for the tournament, Ukraine has presented a rocky road for Uefa’s quadrennial showpiece.
After years of delayed preparations and failed infrastructure improvements, the spotlight again fell on Ukraine last week when bombs exploded in Tymoshenko’s home region, injuring dozens in what was an incident the UK embassy in Kiev declared as “unprecedented”.
The political row intensified on Wednesday when Germany’s foreign minister, Guido Westerwelle, scorned the Ukrainian president. He said: “I already wonder how Yanukovych can imagine celebrating carefree football matches in Kharkiv, while Yulia Tymoshenko, right next door, does not receive much-needed medical help. I can imagine vividly the reaction of viewers around the world.”
Uefa, however, distanced itself from the row. A spokesman said: “Uefa has no position and will not take any regarding the political situation in Ukraine, and will not interfere with internal government matters.”
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