Some criticism, but hardly any real opposition to Ceferin

UEFA is meeting today at a congress in Paris. A possible statute change could keep President Aleksander Ceferin in office until 2031 instead of just 2027. Sports lawyers see UEFA turning away from what constitutes good association management – but the opposition to this is small.

There was unusual contradiction in UEFA last week. The planned changes to the statutes, which will be decided on Thursday (February 8, 2024) at the congress of the European association in Paris, could significantly expand the power of Ceferin and the executive committee – the planned measures led to the resignation of the previous “Head of Football Division” Zvonimir Boban was until then one of President Ceferin’s closest confidants.

Boban opposed the proposed statute change that would not count Ceferin’s term from 2016 to 2019 toward term limits. This would allow him to remain in office until 2031 instead of 2027, which would then be up to 15 years instead of the maximum twelve years actually planned. “He pursues his personal goals”said Boban, looking at Ceferin, and added: “I’m not alone with these thoughts.”

The UEFA president then responded in an interview with the English newspaper “The Guardian“: “He doesn’t deserve me to comment on him.” Ceferin has not yet publicly decided whether he might stand for election a fourth time in 2027 if the statute change is accepted.

According to information from Sportschau, the change in the statutes, which the German Football Association (DFB) publicly supports, is viewed critically by some national associations. The English representative spoke at a meeting of the UEFA Executive Committee in Hamburg in December 2023 David Gill against the actions of the UEFA leadership. And lawyers are also raising concerns.

UEFA argues that it needs to be adapted to Swiss law

UEFA and Ceferin argue that the change is necessary to bring the statutes into line with Swiss law, to which UEFA, based in Switzerland, is subject. You can also “do not apply retroactively”. The planned changes stipulate that in future all terms of office that began before July 1, 2017 will not be counted towards the term limit.

So far, this only applies to terms of office that were completed before July 1, 2017. Ceferin was elected to office at the Athens Congress in 2016. The wording of the term limit must be corrected because it is not effective in its current form, said Ceferin in the “Guardian“.

The lawyer Miguel Maduro From Portugal things look different. “The rules were clear from my point of view”says Maduro, who served at FIFA between 2016 and 2017 as chairman of the Governance-Committees monitored correct behavior and by President Gianni Infantino was promoted from office.

“For me, the change means another term for Ceferin. Until now, his first term should have been counted towards the limit because it did not end before July 1, 2017.”says Maduro.”With the change it would no longer count. That sends the wrong signal.”

Anti-corruption expert: “The presidents of the associations remind me of Putin”

“UEFA is moving away from what constitutes good association management”says Professor too Stephen Weatherill from the university Oxford in conversation with the sports show. Term limits and their enforcement are particularly important in sport. “They ensure that new people come in with fresh ideas. And they ensure that associations do not become more and more autocratic the longer the leadership is in office. But we see that many associations are moving in the other direction.”

This is also addressed by Swiss legal scholar and anti-corruption expert Professor Mark Pieth from the University of Basel. Pieth was chairman of a committee for association governance at FIFA from 2011 to 2013. When asked by Sportschau, he said about the situation at UEFA: “I have already said publicly that the efforts of presidents of international sports governing bodies to extend their terms of office reminds me strongly of (Russian President Vladimir) Putin. I also mean that in relation to UEFA.”

This refers to other greats in the world of sports officials. FIFA President Gianni Infantino insisted that his first term not count toward term limits because it only lasted three years instead of four. He had this view confirmed by the FIFA Council and can now remain in office until 2031.

IOC President Thomas Bach recently did not rule out staying in office longer than planned due to a possible change to the statutes. Ceferin, who came to office in 2016 with significant support from Russia, refuses to be compared to autocrats and dictators. “The changes don’t mean much, but they were made with one ‘Wow!‘ and I am now said to have become Kim Jong-un of North Korea.”

“Flexibility in the statutes? That’s dangerous”

In addition to term limits, UEFA is presenting further changes to delegates at the UEFA Congress. All 19 UEFA committees, for example those for club football, national team football and finance, but also for Beach soccer, referees or club licensing should be removed from the statutes. Instead, the Executive Committee should “as needed” decide which commissions are needed and which are not.

UEFA writes that the Executive Committee “more flexibility” should have. In the future, the chairmen and all members of the commissions will also be appointed by the Executive Committee “appointed” instead of as previously provided for in the statutes “chosen” become.

When asked by Sportschau, UEFA said that the change was only taking into account the fact that the commission members had been there for a long time “to be appointed and not elected”. Lawyer Weatherill says: “With the change, UEFA is making it clear that the elections previously provided for in the statutes have never taken place. Positions can therefore be hand-picked.” He also points out the term “flexibility”. “Flexibility is dangerous. It carries the risk that the processes become less comprehensible and even more opaque. And it increases the power of those in power.”

* President
** Vice President
*** is leaving and will be replaced at the congress by Miguel Angel Gil Marin (Atletico Madrid).
**** will also be joined by Pedro Proença (League President Portugal), who will succeed the resigned Javier Tebas (Spain’s La Liga) in the European leagues.

No opposition in sight

But even if some associations do not agree with the approach, there is no real opposition to Ceferin or even to the changes to the statutes. Some associations see England in a leadership role in a group of dissatisfied people. In the media, the Romanian Razvan Burleanu is said to have claims that he will one day compete against Ceferin. Ceferin himself spoke about this in an interview with the “Guardian”. “a clown”who acts against him in the background without mentioning a name.

But hardly any association really has the will to stop Ceferin’s plans and the changes to the statutes. The 44-page document containing the proposed changes will be submitted to Congress for a vote as a complete package. This approach would only be possible if a majority wanted to discuss and vote on each article individually. “That will not happen”says an association representative in an interview with Sportschau. “The changes are basically a done deal.” Romania’s Burleanu has also announced that he will agree.