The Croatian leaves Nyon in disagreement with the change of statute wanted by Ceferin which would allow the president to run again beyond 2027. An “open letter” from Zvone to explain his reasons. The European Football Federation: “Exit by mutual agreement”
25 January 2024 (change at 09:48) – MILAN
Earthquake at UEFA. Zvone Boban is leaving. “I am very sorry but, reluctantly, I am leaving UEFA”: this is how the open letter written by the now former “Head of football” of Nyon, chosen by president Aleksander Ceferin as personal advisor in April 2021, ends. The conflict with Ceferin on some crucial issues was precisely the reason for the farewell. Boban, champion of Milan and Croatia, announced his irrevocable resignation yesterday, even asking not to receive any severance pay. A serious loss for Nyon which, in the near future, will have to face the consequences of the ruling of the EU Court: despite all the constraints of sporting merit provided for by the Treaty, the Luxembourg judges have also authorized private individuals to create a tournament (in this case, the famous Super League which would be in total conflict with the Champions League).
PRESIDENTIAL MANDATE
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At the heart of the issue is the decision to revise the Statutes on presidential terms. A change that Boban, and not only him, judges to be incompatible with the values that the new UEFA should be inspired by. After the election in September 2016, Ceferin introduced a limit of three presidential terms. Consequently in 2027 he would not have been able to reappear. The Paris Congress on 8 February will be called to vote on a change which, instead, would allow the Slovenian a new re-election (in theory not even the last) thanks to the new interpretation of an article: the twelve-year limit applies to those who candidate after the entry into force of the rule, but not for those who were elected before, like Ceferin.
TOTAL DISSENT
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Ceferin has never spoken out about a possible re-election. In the interview with the Telegraph the other day he said: “I’m not committing to anything, running, not running. Let’s wait”. For Boban, the extension of terms for members of the Executive who can be re-elected after turning 70 (like the FIGC president Gravina) is also problematic. The Croatian manager further wrote: “This is a proposal to modify the UEFA statute and allow the President himself to be able to run again after this mandate which was supposed to be his last. After expressing my greatest concern and my total disagreement, the President replied to me that for him there is no legal or even moral ethical problem – and that he would pursue his aspiration without any doubt”.
VOTING IN PARIS
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If Congress gives the OK to amend the Statute, there will formally be no legal problem. But from an ethical point of view it is different: Ceferin was supposed to represent the new UEFA, this decision is an unnecessary step backwards. “Paradoxically – continues Boban’s letter – in 2017 it was Ceferin himself who proposed and launched a package of reforms that clearly denied this possibility: rules that were supposed to protect UEFA and European football from the ‘bad governance’ that has been the ‘modus operandi’ of the whole old system. An extraordinary thing for football and also for Ceferin himself. This detachment from those values by canceling the most important reforms is surprising and incomprehensible, especially at this time.” The Congress will certainly vote in favor, but unanimity is to be ruled out: they should be against the four British ones, Ireland, the Scandinavians, Moldova and Razvan Burleanu’s Romania who is thinking of running for office in 2027 to gather the votes of the dissatisfied . From the number of “against” votes you will understand how much opposition Ceferin’s idea has received.
ANOTHER SEPARATION
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This is not Boban’s first “separation”. In June 2019 he left the role of deputy general secretary of FIFA and special advisor to president Infantino to pursue the dream of his Milan with Paolo Maldini. But he was fired in March 2020 for criticizing CEO Gazidis and the Elliott fund in an interview: then the court decided that these were legitimate opinions. Now farewell to UEFA: “I understand well that nothing is ideal, least of all me, and I know well that we must accept the logic of compromise, but faced with this fact, if I accepted it, I would be going against the common principles and values in which I strongly believe. And I’m not a phenomenon, because I’m certainly not the only one who thinks this way.”
the FEW lines of UEFA
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The coldness of the divorce is also demonstrated by the scant statement issued by UEFA a few minutes after Boban’s note. “UEFA is pleased to announce that Zvonimir Boban is leaving the organization by mutual consent. Boban joined UEFA in 2021 as Head of Football and initiated a number of significant technical development projects, including the UEFA Board and the Football Forum youth football. UEFA thanks Mr Boban for his commitment and wishes him the best of luck for the future of his career.”
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2024-01-25 09:22:30
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