World football’s governing body Fifa has given the green light for disgraced former Uefa president Michel Platini to address today’s Uefa congress in Athens, triggering anger in Germany.
Advertisement
He secured an overwhelming victory over Dutch rival Michael van Praag by 42 votes to 13 in Wednesday’s vote to head the world’s most important regional football confederation.
Ceferin, who has been the Slovenian Football Association chief since 2011, has several times highlighted the “widening” wealth gap between Europe’s football powers and smaller nations.
“Some people may have said that I am not a leader, that I am too young and too inexperienced to become the next UEFA president”, said Ceferin.
“My small and attractive Slovenia is very proud about it and I hope that one day you will also be very proud about it”.
“If you want to ask me if he supported me, I hope so”, Čeferin said, “But I don’t know anything about it”.
Representatives of the European Football Professional Leagues’ board criticised UEFA’s decision to alter the competition regulations for the Champions League, which included guaranteeing four group-stage places to the top-ranked leagues – now the Bundesliga, LaLiga, the Premier League and Serie A.
“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 a year ago.
Platini earlier said his “conscience is clear” as he spoke to European football’s governing body for what is likely to be the last time. “I am certain not to have made any mistakes and I will continue to fight this [ban] in the courts”.
“And the most important thing for me is the president we’ve got achieved something important: a clear, strong majority”. I think we did a great job …
He said: “He’ll bring football together, take tough decisions and drive European football forward”.
He added that the “wind of change” was blowing through European football.
“I’d like to thank you for these nine years”.
“Dear friends, thank for your fantastic support”.
Advertisement
UEFA has been turmoil over the past few months, the absence of Platini since October after he was suspended following a 2 billion euro payment from Federation Internationale de Football Association, while UEFA have also faced disquiet over changes to the Champions League.
