Aleksander Ceferin has been confirmed as the new president of UEFA after beating fellow candidate Michael van Praag in Wednesday’s election.
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Attica: UEFA on Wednesday elects a new president after the banning of Michel Platini with Slovenian football leader Aleksander Ceferin the favourite to take on the task of easing tensions with Europe’s leading clubs.
‘You are going to continue this handsome mission without me, for reasons that I do not wish to come back on today, ‘ he said. The Scottish Football Association said it would vote for the Slovenian.
Ceferin suggested this week that UEFA had cowed to pressure from Europe’s top sides, who he claims made an empty threat to form a breakaway Super League competition if they were not given favourable treatment in the latest reforms.
“The Fifa ethics committee has informed Uefa that Michel Platini will be allowed to address the 12th Extraordinary Uefa Congress in Athens”, Uefa said in a statement.
“I think it was in Italy that Aleksander took to the floor and said “we are not enemies”.
“You are going to continue this lovely mission without me, for reasons that I do not wish to come back on”.
Platini was banished along with Blatter over a payment of two million Swiss francs (NZ$2.8 million) made to the Frenchman by Federation Internationale de Football Association with Blatter’s approval in 2011 for work done a decade earlier.
“For millions of people around the world, football is. a flame”, Platini said.
“Thank you for your fantastic support”.
“It’s a great honour but at the same time a great responsibility”, Čeferin, President of the Football Association of Slovenia since 2011, told delegates after the election.
Although the English FA threw its voting hat behind Van Praag, Greg Clarke does not believe it will have an adverse effect on the relationship between the new head of European football and England’s governing body.
Ceferin, who is not a member of UEFA’s executive committee, was little known outside his own country until he announced his intention to run in June. He represents a younger generation, is full of energy and wholeheartedly supports the end of the domination of big football clubs and federations.
After the Scandinavian call, Ceferin could not turn back and says he has even paid for nearly one hundred flights to lobby for support with national associations.
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Van Praag admitted he was part of early negotiations but also insisted he was not involved in the final deal.
