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By Andrew Warshaw in Paris
February 8 – In a dramatic move that took most of his supporters as well as his critics totally by surprise, UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin announced today that he would be stepping down in 2027, ending months of speculation about his intentions.
Ceferin chose a post-Congress press conference rather than his 55 member federations to disclose that he would not be seeking a fourth term despite the approval of a series of reforms that would technically enable him to extend his mandate.
“I decided around six months ago that I’m not planning to run in 2027 anymore,” Ceferin told reporters. “The reason is that after some time, every organisation needs fresh blood, but mainly because I was away from my family for seven years now.”
With even his own assembled communications team seemingly having no idea of what was about to unfold, Ceferin’s announcement came shortly after UEFA member nations voted overwhelmingly in favour of a series of the statute amendments, including the measure that would have allowed him to potentially stay in his role until 2031.
The 12-year term limit at UEFA was personally brought in by Ceferin as an anti-corruption move in the fallout from the FifaGate scandal. The new amendment would have meant that any appointment before 2017 would not be counted as part of the allowable three terms because Ceferin took charge during Michel Platini’s four-year term.
Critics cried foul, not least his former director of football Zvonimir Boban who suddenly quit last month interpreting Ceferin’s push to change the statutes as a power grab.
Boban had accused the Slovenian of pursuing his “personal aspirations” while a handful of others agreed, including the English FA which was the only member to vote against the statutes in Congress today – ultimately shooting themselves in the foot in a major own goal as Ceferin called all their various bluffs.
The FA had earlier tried to have a separate vote on…
Source link : https://www.insideworldfootball.com/2024/02/08/term-limits-clarified-ceferin-drops-bombshell-wont-run-2027/
Author : Paul Nicholson
Publish date : 2024-02-08 14:46:43
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