Slovenia’s Aleksander Ceferin has been elected as the new head of European football at an extraordinary congress in Athens.
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Last week, acting UEFA President Angel Maria Villar withdrew from the contest to succeed Platini on a permanent basis, leaving Ceferin and Dutch Football Association president Van Praag in the race for the role.
Platini, who had also been a Federation Internationale de Football Association vice president in line to take over from Blatter, thanked all those who supported him during the scandal. It is an honor and responsibility.
“It means a lot to me, and to my family, who are very proud about it”.
“First of all, we will do everything [to ensure] that [a] Super League never happens”, Ceferin said. “My small and attractive Slovenia is also very proud about it. Thank you very much”, the Slovanian was quoted as saying by goal.com.
“It will be the first thing to deal with”, said Ceferin, who succeeds Michel Platini following his resignation after being banned from all football activity previous year.
Platini was banned from football in connection for what Swiss prosecutors described as a disloyal payment of some 2 million Swiss francs (2 million dollars) he received from then FIFA president Joseph Blatter in 2011 for work done as a FIFA presidential adviser a decade earlier.
“It’s not because you repeat again and again, loud and clear “I am a leader” that you are a leader”.
Former UEFA President Michel Platini was given a round of applause by delegates but not a standing ovation after his speech.
“He was keen to unite all 55 associations behind a common vision and we believe he was the best candidate to unite UEFA”.
“Some people may have said I’m not a leader”. About friendship. About football.
He also vowed to reopen negotiations over the allocation of four guaranteed group stage places in the Champions League to England, Germany, Italy and Spain from the 2018/19 season. I am certain that I committed not the slightest fault and that I will continue to fight this ban in the courts.
His replacement, Slovenia’s Aleksander Ceferin, was elected immediately afterwards, beating Dutchman Michael van Praag.
Platini, whose initial six-year suspension was reduced to four, was granted permission to address UEFA’s Congress in Athens on Wednesday in a farewell speech.
“We have to speak and have dialogue with the clubs and I think it can be solved”.
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“You are going to continue this wonderful mission without me for reasons I don’t want to go into today”.
