The turmoil within European football’s highest body, the UEFAboosted by pressure from its president, Alexander Ceferinto change laws that would allow him to stay in office longer, leading to the first departure of a senior manager on Thursday. Zvonimir Bobanformer Croatia and AC Milan star, expressed his “total disapproval” of Ceferin’s transfer of political power and decided to leave his job as UEFA Head of Football after three years.
“With sadness and deep regret, I have no choice but to leave UEFA,” Boban said in a statement. “I’m not trying to be some kind of hero, especially since I’m not the only one who thinks like that.” Boban’s departure is the most public display of growing discontent with Ceferin’s leadership since the Slovenian lawyer was re-elected unopposed in April to extend a presidency that began in 2016.
UEFA has backed Luis Rubiales after the incidents at the Women’s World Cup final in August. When Rubiales finally resigned, UEFA publicly thanked him in a statement. UEFA has tried to bring Russian youth teams back into European competitions despite its own ban imposed just days after the military invasion of Ukraine. That plan was abandoned two weeks after a group of member associations continued to insist they would not play matches against Russia.
Divisions grew in UEFA’s executive committee at a meeting on December 2 in Hamburg, on the sidelines of the draw for the 2024 Men’s European Championship. A proposal was made with Ceferin’s approval to amend UEFA’s laws, which currently limit presidents to 12 years in office: an approved anti-corruption reform after US and Swiss federal investigations into international corruption soccer announced in 2015.
That scandal led to the dismissal of Michel Platini as UEFA president and paved the way to power for Ceferin. The amendment would make it clear that his first three years in office (platini’s term completion until 2019) will not count towards his 12-year term limit. If approved by UEFA members at their February 8 meeting, Ceferin could be a candidate in 2027 and keep his seat as president at $3 million per year for 15 years instead of the mandatory 12.
In his resignation letter this Thursday, Boban explained that he was unable to change Ceferin’s mind. “Despite my expressing my deepest concern and total disapproval, the President of UEFA does not consider that there is any legal problem with the proposed changes, much less a moral or ethical one, and wishes to advance his personal aspirations no matter what.”.
He continued: “Their departure from values is beyond comprehension. However, being a part of it goes against all the principles and values that I wholeheartedly believe in and defend.” UEFA said in a statement that Boban left “by mutual agreement.”
Source: La Verdad
I’m Rose Herman and I work as an author for Today Times Live. My expertise lies in writing about sports, a passion of mine that has been with me since childhood. As part of my job, I provide comprehensive coverage on everything from football to tennis to golf.
