31St UEFA Congress in Düsseldorf Training Top of the Meridian Project
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1.0 7 Including 31st UEFA Congress in Düsseldorf 03 Training top of the Meridian project agenda 05 Security in the spotlight 08 Medical symposium in Istanbul 12 No 57 – January 2007 COVER IN THIS ISSUE New law in France protects referees 06 Newcastle United (Steven Taylor, Stadium and security seminar 08 No. 27, in front of Eintracht Seminar on EU matters 10 Frankfurt’s Ioannis Amanatidis) Elections at the Congress steamed ahead in Group H in in Düsseldorf 03 Medical symposium in Istanbul 12 the UEFA Cup and are through Meridian project focuses Last meeting of the year for the Executive Committee 13 to the round of 32. on youth training 05 News from member associations 16 PHOTO: GETTY IMAGES DynamicEditorial Congresses Since 2003, the UEFA Congress has taken place annually and now it has been moved to the start of the year from the spring, among other reasons, to synchronise it more closely with the football season as well as to respond to financial needs. But that is not all. The general meeting of member associations is much more than a body that is asked to approve the accounts. At the 2005 Congress in Tallinn, for example, it unanimously adopted the “Vision Europe” strategy and, in doing so, defined the future direction of European football. This year, the Congress will be characterised by elections, which are particularly important because they also concern the UEFA presidency. However, it will also continue with business that has been on previous agendas, such as amendments to the UEFA statutes, revisions which will allow the principles of “Vision Europe” to be applied. One of the main advantages of the congress is also that it brings together all the leaders of all the member associations and gives them an opportunity to forge closer links. Ultimately, though, it has to be more than that. Like all football activities, it has to keep up with our hectically moving times. Since the implementation of the conclusions of the FORCE project at the turn of the century, decision-making has already become faster and less rigid. In the current climate, with all the risks that continue to threaten our game, it is vital for the congress to be a vibrant forum where ideas are exchanged and give rise to new initiatives. A dynamic congress also does wonders for the image of an organisation like ours. I hope the congress in Düsseldorf will meet all of these expectations. Lars-Christer Olsson Chief Executive we care about football UEFA-pjwoods.ch 02 uefadirect 1.07 31st UEFA Congress in Düsseldorf ThirteenThirteen candidatescandidates forfor thethe ExecutiveExecutive CommitteeCommittee Düsseldorf, on the banks of the Rhine. KEYSTONE AFTER HOSTING LAST SUMMER’S WORLD CUP FINALS, GERMANY IS ALREADY ■ Senes Erzik (Turkey), member since PREPARING TO HOST ANOTHER IMPORTANT FOOTBALL EVENT. 1990 and vice-president since 1994; ■ Angel Maria Villar Llona (Spain), This time, however, the action The election of the next member since 1992 and vice-presi- will not be taking place on the field but UEFA president, for which there are dent since 2000; in a conference centre, at the Düssel- two candidates – Swede Lennart ■ Eggert Magnusson (Iceland), dorf congress centre to be precise, Johansson, who has occupied the elected in 2002; where delegates from UEFA’s member presidential seat since 1990, and ■ Joseph Mifsud (Malta), elected associations will be gathering on 25 Frenchman Michel Platini, a member in1994; and 26 January, along with guests from of the UEFA Executive Committee ■ Giangiorgio Spiess (Switzerland), FIFA and the other confederations, for since 2002 – will be the most antici- in office since 1996. the 31st UEFA Congress. pated moment of the congress. The committee’s two The German FA (DFB) is no As a result of elections co-opted members are also candi- stranger to hosting UEFA events, but being moved from even-numbered dates: this will be only the second time that it to odd-numbered years, other ballots ■ Gilberto Madail (Portugal), has hosted a UEFA congress, the first are also on the agenda, firstly for six being in Munich ahead of the final of seats of the UEFA Executive Commit- ■ Grigoriy Surkis (Ukraine). the European Championship in 1988. tee. Except for Michel Platini, all The other contenders are Prior to the reunification of Germany, those whose terms are coming to the following top national associa- East Germany also hosted a UEFA con- an end are standing for re-election. tion officials: gress in Dresden in 1982. They are: ■ Rakhat Aliyev (Kazakhstan), 03 Senes Erzik Angel Maria Eggert Magnusson Joseph Mifsud Giangiorgio Spiess (Turkey) Villar Llona (Iceland) (Malta) (Switzerland) (Spain) ■ Tomas Géa (Andorra), once the possibility of increasing the ■ Frantisek Laurinec (Slovakia), number of European Championship finalists from 16 to 24. ■ Vlatko Markovic (Croatia), At the 2002 Congress, ■ Mircea Sandu (Romania), Kazakhstan was admitted as UEFA’s ■ Liutauras Varanavicius 52nd member. That number could (Lithuania). increase again, since, at its meeting Gilberto Madail (Portugal) The seats of UEFA represen- in Ljubljana in October, the Executive tatives on the FIFA Executive Commit- Committee accepted the FA of Mon- tee are also expiring. The first depends tenegro as a provisional member and directly on the UEFA presidential did likewise for the FA of Gibraltar Grigoriy Surkis elections, since, in accordance with the at its meeting in December, in accor- (Ukraine) UEFA statutes, the UEFA president is dance with a decision of the Court of an ex-officio FIFA vice-president. For Arbitration for Sport (CAS). In Düssel- the FIFA vice-president’s seat currently dorf, the UEFA Congress will have occupied by Angel Maria Villar Llona, to decide whether to admit these two president of the Spanish FA, the pres- associations as full members. ent incumbent is the only candidate. Rakhat Aliyev (Kazakhstan) The term of Gerhard Mayer-Vorfelder (Germany) as a member of the FIFA Election Executive Committee is also expiring, procedure and he is not standing for re-election. For the UEFA Executive Tomas Géa (Andorra) The two candidates for this seat are Committee, no distinction is Franz Beckenbauer (Germany) and made between vice-presidents Angel Maria Villar Llona. and members. The congress The term in office of David elects six members and it is then up to the Executive Committee Will (Scotland) is also coming to an to appoint its vice-presidents end. However, since this vice-presi- at its constituent meeting imme- dent’s seat constitutionally belongs to Frantisek Laurinec diately after the congress. (Slovakia) the four British associations, it is up The FIFA Executive Commit- to them to elect his successor. tee elections, on the other hand, are split into two parts: first, Applicant member associations the election of a vice-president, Vlatko Markovic then the election of a member – Apart from the elections (Croatia) unless, of course, no election and ordinary business such as various is required because there are the reports and financial accounts, the same number of candidates as congress will also be asked to approve there are seats to fill. amendments to the UEFA statutes. In all cases, including the These include a definition of fair play, presidential elections, an abso- lute majority is required (half Mircea Sandu a more detailed list of UEFA’s objec- (Romania) tives and of the means for achieving of the votes plus one, counting only valid ballot papers). If a them, a more precise description of second ballot is required, a sim- the rights and duties of member asso- ply majority suffices. A third ciations, as well as clauses regarding ballot takes place if necessary, Liutauras the UEFA club licensing system and then, in the event of a tie, the Varanavicius (Lithuania) the participation of clubs in the UEFA candidates are separated by the competitions. drawing of lots. Each national In addition, the Scottish FA association has one vote, except for provisional members, which is tabling a proposal asking the UEFA are not allowed to vote. Executive Committee to consider at 04 uefadirect 1.07 First course The course in Brazzaville, methodology in the Republic comprised of the Congo, practice and in October. observation. and CAF and reminded about the im- portance of their task. The second stage therefore Meridian consists of the implementation of the programme. It is being organised in the form of three-day regional courses for representatives of neigh- bouring national associations. The Project instructors who attended the courses Promoting youth in Europe are responsible for teach- ing candidates selected by their training in Africa national associations, under the super- vision of CAF and UEFA, on subjects IN THE RUN-UP TO ITS TENTH ANNIVERSARY, WHICH IT WILL CELEBRATE specific to African football. The IN JANUARY 2007, THE MERIDIAN PROJECT HAS SHIFTED ITS FOCUS ONTO THE courses involve theoretical and prac- TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT OF YOUNG FOOTBALLERS. tical work as well as group discus- sions. The first course was held in The strategy that UEFA and referees’ course in Nyon, annual elite Congo at the end of October; anoth- the African Football Confederation referees’ course in Barcelona, referee er took place in Tanzania in Decem- (CAF) have decided to adopt is not instructor courses in Vienna and ber and three more are planned for to send European coaches to Africa St Petersburg. A total of 14 African 2007. The subjects covered are the to work with young Africans, but to representatives attended these courses. same for each course and every one make extensive efforts to ensure that During the same period, of the 53 CAF member associations African football itself has instructors African coaches (six per event) were will attend a course. capable of passing on knowledge to invited to attend the symposium As links in a continuous chain the CAF member associations which for coaching directors in Dublin, the of learning and teaching, the partici- form the roots of African football.