The run-up to the Euro 2012 championship saw a slew of articles depicting Ukraine as a racist-filled death trap for those reckless enough to come. So far, none of the fears have proved true.

To the contrary, the games have taken place amid a festive atmosphere and pleasant weather.

The transport infrastructure, though strained, is holding up. Most importantly, foreign fans of various nationalities and skin colors have been welcomed without prejudice. Not a single racist incident has been reported in Ukraine, according to tournament organizer the Union of European Football Associations.

Even more uplifting are the scenes one can see in the host cities, where fans sing and cheer and drink beer until the kegs are empty. Walking late at night through Kyiv after the match with Sweden, one could see elation and disappointment, but not aggression. Aside from a scuffle between Ukrainian and Russian fans in Lviv, quickly broken up by the police, no incidents have been reported.

For events of this size – with tens of thousands of inebriated young men running through the streets – this is a tremendous success.

It also contrasts to the situation in co-host Poland, where hundreds of Polish and Russian fans clashed ahead of the two countries’ match on June 12. The Poles were provoked: Russians demanded to march through Warsaw in celebration of Russia’s national day holiday, despite UEFA policy against political manifestations. Many displayed Soviet symbols, which are illegal in Poland. Several days earlier, Russian hooligans attacked stewards at the game in Wroclaw in a brief but violent brawl.

Commendably, Poland’s authorities have vowed to crack down hard on any troublemakers and deal swiftly with those arrested. But while isolated cases of racist chanting in Poland and politicking in Ukraine cast a shadow over the games, the prevailing mood is of celebration.

From Gdansk to Donetsk, joyful photos and comments from fans have swamped the web. The only hope is that the tournament continues in that same spirit until the end – the championship game in Kyiv on July 1.

A successful Euro 2012 will not be enough to change the harsh coverage that Ukraine receives internationally. Some of this coverage is deserved, such as the criticism of President Viktor Yanukovych’s increasing authoritarianism. But much of this coverage is simply ignorant or recycles tired stereotypes.

However, a successful Euro 2012 will hopefully change minds and improve the nation’s image. It certainly has guaranteed that football lovers from Ukraine and abroad have a great time, and that the world sees Ukrainians as they truly are.