Balance is "the watchword" for Slovenian FA President Aleksander Ceferin in the Slovene's program for the future of UEFA "should he defeat Ángel María Villar and Michael Van Praag in next month's election," according to Keir Radnedge of the AIPS.
Europe's football federation "stages an extraordinary congress in Athens" on Sept. 14, some 11 months after the initial suspension of Michel Platini. Villar represents the conservative "old guard" while Dutch Football Federation President Van Praag "presented himself as a stability candidate in testing times." Ceferin, "a comparatively new kid on the political block, appears to have secured powerful support from eastern Europe and the Nordic nations." A central fear in both regions "is that the big clubs of western Europe want to corral control of UEFA's competitions and their ever-increasing riches." In a manifesto entitled Creating the Perfect Balance, Ceferin "makes no secret that standing up for Europe's lower and middle classes is a key issue." It "can also be a vote-winner." He said he would "defend the European sports model and make sure that UEFA competitions never become closed leagues or tournaments: clubs and national teams from each and every member association should have the opportunity to play in UEFA competitions including the UEFA Champions League and the Euro" (AIPS, 8/6).
