Ukraine's tournament mascot had been dozing in his pen in Kyiv but stirred and got up when he heard the familiar sound of the gate opening for his afternoon meal.

Funtik is given two bowls daily to eat from, each marked with the national flag of two teams playing each other at the finals.

Those who have faith in his psychic powers say the bowl he eats from first will prove to be the winner on the night.

But even before a fan zone steward could bring in his food - a bowlful each for Portugal and the Czech Republic - an activist from feminist group Femen barged into the pen.

Olexandra Nemchinova, 31, threw off her blouse to reveal the words "F... Euro 2012" on her torso and began shouting slogans denouncing the tournament, being co-hosted by Ukraine and Poland.

Stewards led Ms Nemchinova out of the pen and handed her over to the local police.

The group carries out topless protests to highlight the growth of the sex industry in Ukraine and has targeted the championship - which it says feeds sex tourism - and UEFA president Michel Platini.

Femen later issued a statement saying the demonstration had been a birthday "gift" to Platini, who turned 57 on Thursday.

The statement said Kyiv's fan zone, where hundreds drink beer and watch Euro 2012 matches on big screens, were nothing more than "a cattle pen for deceived fans who are seduced by swill in the form of beer and mindless entertainment".

Funtik, the pig, seemed unperturbed by the uproar going on around him on Thursday.

He sniffed Ms Nemchinova's blouse and later dived into his bowls of food, demolishing both of them in short order.

Funtik has had something of a hit-and-miss record in choosing winners up to now.

But for the record, in this case he ate from the bowl marked Portugal first.

Reuters

Via: radioaustralia.net.au

Short link: Copy - http://whoel.se/~HNy4E$1DW