WE CARE ABOUT FOOTBALL No. 153 | November 2015 In this issue

Official publication of the EURO 2016: rendez-vous Union of European Football Associations in on 12 December 4 With just four final places left to fill and the final Getty Images draw fast approaching, the teams in the starting blocks for / Chief editor: EURO 2016 are eager to know who they will be up against first Emmanuel Deconche when the ball starts rolling on 10 June. AFP Produced by: GraphicTouch CH-1110 Morges Printing: Artgraphic Cavin SA Solidarity payments for clubs 6 CH-1422 Grandson A portion of the revenue from the UEFA Champions League Editorial deadline: is earmarked for the clubs – all 183 of them this season – that 4 November 2015 competed in qualifying for either of UEFA’s two flagship club

competitions. Getty Images The views expressed in signed articles are not necessarily the official views of UEFA. The reproduction of articles published in UEFA·direct is authorised, provided the Unprecedented anti-doping source is indicated. programme for EURO 2016 9 The UEFA Anti-Doping Panel met at UEFA headquarters in September to give the green light to UEFA’s most comprehensive

anti-doping programme yet. UEFA

European football united against racism 10 The FARE network’s annual action weeks in October prompted a new wave of No to Racism activities and events all over Europe, with UEFA matches played during that period giving ever greater

Cover: prominence to the campaign. via Getty Images UEFA On matchday 3, Bayer 04 Leverkusen (Kevin Kampl in red and black) and AS Roma () equalled the highest scoring draw in UEFA Champions League history News from member associations with a 4-4 finish at BayArena 15

Photo: Getty Images

2 | UEFA •direct | 11.15 Editorial UEFA

Communication and cooperation key to anti-doping fight

The 2014/15 season featured not only the This proactive approach not only justifies UEFA’s most extensive anti-doping testing ever conducted wish to remain hands-on with teams, clubs and across UEFA competitions, but the most com­ players through both testing and education; it prehensive campaign to date. In terms of also allows UEFA to act as a crucial facilitator for numbers, 2,388 tests were conducted across all its member associations to themselves engage competitions, a significant commitment when with their respective national anti-doping organi­ compared with the 692 tests recorded a decade sations. The ambitious objective to sign cooperation ago. However, the emphasis is on quality as agreements with all national anti-doping organi­ much as quantity, thanks to the implementation sations of all 24 teams competing in UEFA EURO of a new intelligence-based testing programme. 2016 remains as much a priority for this season as conducting the most comprehensive pre- With the 2015/16 season bringing the intro­ tournament programme ever. duction of the steroidal module of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) athlete biological The UEFA EURO 2016 anti-doping programme passport, testing to identify potential steroid ensures that all players with the potential to be use is now being tracked across more European selected for the 24 participating teams will be competitions in a coordinated manner. Additionally, subjected to testing from 1 January 2016, while this season will see UEFA’s anti-doping pro­ the tournament itself will see advanced analytical gramme reinforced with the strengthening of testing implemented at each of the 51 matches. rules related to team and player whereabouts, the introduction of long-term sample storage to Across its competitions, UEFA is not only being permit the retrospective identification of prohi­ pro-active in the practical implementation of the bited substances, and the stepping up of in- and WADA athlete biological passport in a collaborative out-of-competition testing, especially in relation and effective manner, but is also acting as an to UEFA EURO 2016. important catalyst for a pan-European approach, to help protect football from the doping threat By implementing a more intelligence-based at all levels for future generations. testing programme, UEFA is increasing the deterrent to players, teams and clubs. Equally, UEFA recognises the need for better commu­ nication and cooperation with all stakeholders in the anti-doping process. It is with this intention that UEFA has established a formal working relationship with national anti-doping organisa- tions to tackle doping from all angles. To date, UEFA has signed 11 such cooperation agreements UEFA General Secretary with individual national anti-doping organisations. This will allow for more harmonised test planning, reduce unnecessary duplication of testing and facilitate the sharing of information relating to player biological profiles and intelligence data to identify potential doping.

UEFA •direct | 11.15 | 3 4 draw ismadeinParis stageofpreparations on12December,thefinal willbegininearnest. 10 Juneto 10July2016,theorganisationoftournament isnowinfullswing.Whenthefinal ofUEFA thansevenmonthsbeforethestart Less EURO 2016, whichwilltakeplaceinFrance from A TOURNAMET BEGINSTO TA KE SHAPE UEFA EURO 2016 |UEFA S THEDRAW APPROACHES • direct |11.15 golden goalthatgaveGermany Oliver Bierhoff, whoscored the have previously wonthetournament: by four ‘ambas­ are beingplayedbetween12and17No­ four teamswillbedecidedintheplay-offs, which qualified, alongsidehostsFrance.The remaining contested by24teams,19ofwhichhavealready For thefirsttimeever, willbe thetournament Saturday 12DecemberatthePalaisdesCongrès. 100 photographers,willtakeplaceat18.00on issued tomore andaround than700journalists be inposition1 and 3July, with thesemi- played between 30 June The quarter-finals willbe has featured ataEURO. – to a24-teamtournament round –aresult oftheshift be thefirsttimethatthis ween 25and27June.Thiswill 16, whichwilltakeplacebet­ teams will qualify for the round of group andthefourbestthird-place 22 June.Thetoptwoteamsineach will beplayedbetween10and Group A. will , ashosts, six groups offour. the 24teamsinto sador willbeconfirmedshortly. Greece in2004.Thefourthambas- head­ France; andAngelosCharisteas,whose goal in2000handedasecondtitleto Tre­ their third titlein1996;David for EURO2016 the officialmascot Super Victor, The finaldrawwillbeconducted The draw, forwhichaccreditations havebeen The group matches They willdivide zeguet, whosestunninggolden automatically er won the tournament for er wonthetournament sadors’, all of whom

UEFA vember. spectators. contested attheStadedeFranceinfront of80,000 will reach itsclimaxon10July, whenthefinalis finals takingplaceon6and7July. Thetournament established. back inJanuary2011,whenEURO2016SASwas beganway the organisationoftournament start ofthefinalpreparations forEURO2016, While the draw on 12 De­ host matches,onlytheStadedeLyon isstill memory. respects and promises to live long in the 24 teams,isbreaking newground inall this tournament, thefirsttofeaturethis tournament, under­ Stadiums Of the nineotherstadiumsthatwill stadium duetobehanded overin and itsheatpumpsfortheheating January. willboast Thetournament Saint-Étienne hadtheopportunity going construction work, with the and air-conditioning of lounges, to enjoy an open day at the With its2,600m With matches atEURO2016andhas be oneoftenvenueshosting In mid-October, thepeopleof ‘the Gui­ city’s renowned StadeGeoffroy reno­ recently undergone considerable not tomentiontherecovery of chard, other­ food wasteforcomposting and theproduction of Cauldron’. Thatstadiumwill diesel from used cookingoil, vations and modernisation. vations and modernisation. Stade Geoffroy Guichard is now apointofreference how itwasdescribedbya beaming SégolèneRoyal, neat playonwords –is when itcomestoenviron­ – a “Greener than green” – mentally friendlystadiums. minister fortheenvi­ ment, sustainabledevelop­ Yet more evidence that ment and energy, who was amongthevisitors. cember will mark the 2 wise knownas ofsolarpanels ron­ bio­ - - four brand-new stadiums – in , and (all of which have already been completed) and – while the stadiums in Lens, , Paris and have been renovated.

Hospitality More than 1,200 firms from 60 different countries used hospitality services at UEFA EURO 2012. The hospitality packages for EURO 2016, which have been on sale since June 2014, will hopefully be just as successful. Customers can purchase different types of pass, allowing them to tailor their packages to their individual needs. The tournament organisers have teamed up with three prestige partners to create the largest hospitality UEFA programme ever seen in France: Joël Robuchon, The future Stade the chef with the most Michelin stars in the world, Jacques Lambert. Once the draw has been made de Lyon who will be the tournament’s culinary director; on 12 December, a second round of ticket sales will Hédiard, the official caterer for the tournament, take place on the official EURO2016 website, which is a byword for French gourmet cuisine; and aimed at supporters of the participating teams. DO&CO, an internationally renowned high-end That sales phase will run until 29 January at the event management firm,which will be in charge latest and will involve tickets for individual matches of operations. The hospitality programme at EURO and, if the associations so desire, tickets allowing 2016 will offer a world-class service. supporters to follow their team’s progress through the tournament. A total of 800,000 tickets will be Sponsors sold in that sales period, 32% of all tickets. That A total of ten global partners will be associated will bring the number of tickets sold to 1.8 mil­lion, with EURO 2016, and they will also have sponsor­ with a total of 2.5 million ultimately being made ship rights for other UEFA competitions. Thus far, available to the general public. eight sponsors are on board: , Carlsberg, Coca-Cola, Continental, Hyundai/, McDonald’s, Music Orange and SOCAR. There will also be six national DJ and producer will be the partners, who will only have rights within France. tournament’s musical ambassador, providing the Four of those have already been unveiled: Crédit soundtrack to EURO 2016. He will write and Agricole, Française des Jeux (FDJ), Proman and SNCF. produce the tournament’s official anthem, which will be released in the months leading up to the Sustainable development event. He will also perform at the opening ceremony EURO 2016 SAS is committed to organising a at the prior to the opening match tournament that is aware of its economic, social on 10 June. David Guetta will give the tournament and environmental responsibilities and is aiming to its musical identity – from the music played in the obtain ISO 2012-1 certification. For example, all stadiums to the music accompanying television spectators will have access to an eco-calculator programmes, and he will also lead a digital campaign allowing them to gauge and offset the CO2 aimed at the general public. “This is very exciting – emissions resulting from their journeys to and from not only being part of an event of this magnitude in the stadium. In addition, all stadiums at EURO my home country, France, but also developing, in 2016 will be tobacco-free. “This is an educational partnership with UEFA, initiatives aimed at fans. measure ensuring that everyone, for those two or Music and football are on the same wavelength three hours, takes care of themselves­ and other when it comes to mass-participation events. I want people,” said Jacques Lambert, president of EURO to help make this the best EURO ever. We all want 2016 SAS. to put the fans right at the heart of the celebrations,” the musician said. Ticketing Launched exactly one year before the start Volunteers of the tournament, ticket sales have been a The volunteer programme, which was launched resounding success. There were more than 11 mil­- in May by the French Football Federation and lion applications for the one million tickets that UEFA, is aiming to recruit 6,500 men and women were put on sale between 10 June and 10 July to work at the various tournament venues. 2015. The lucky recipients of those precious tickets Volunteers will perform around 100 different roles were decided by a ballot and informed by email. in 17 different areas. In particular, large numbers “We are proud of the success of that first public of volunteers will be required in the areas of hospi­ sales phase. It vindicates our pricing policy, which tality, VIP services and spectator services. People will ensure that the tournament is accessible­ to interested in volunteering can apply via the official everyone, and it shows that UEFA EURO 2016 will website (www.volontaires.euro2016.fr/en), with be a real public festival of football,” explained applications open until 30 November. l

UEFA •direct | 11.15 | 5 Solidarity payments

OVER €77M SHARED BY 183 CLUBS

UEFA’s solidarity payments mean that the number of clubs that benefit from UEFA Champions League revenue goes far beyond the 32 that make it to the competition’s group stage. In addition, enhanced solidarity payments, thanks to a new distribution system put in place for the 2015-18 cycle, mean clubs earn more than ever before from the money generated by the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League.

A total of 183 clubs therefore received solidarity payments payments received for the first, second and third qualifying amounting to nearly €77.4m – over €29m more than the rounds, as applicable. previous season. The beneficiaries are the clubs participating in the three qualifying rounds of the UEFA Champions League Significant payment increase and UEFA Europa League, and the clubs that are knocked out The substantial increase in solidarity payments to clubs of the UEFA Europa League in the play-offs. from this season especially benefits clubs that do not qualify for the group stage of either of the two UEFA club competitions. Clubs involved in the UEFA Champions League This is seen as an important example of the proper imple­ Clubs that participate in the qualifying rounds and do not mentation of the solidarity principle, which is central to UEFA’s qualify for the group stage receive the following amounts for key values. l each round played: • First qualifying round: €200,000 Association Clubs Champions Europa Total • Second qualifying round: €300,000 League League • Third qualifying round: €400,000 All figures in euros (only eliminated clubs) Domestic champions that fail to qualify for the group stage KF Skënderbeu 550,000 550,000 receive €250,000 in addition to the amounts awarded for FK Partizani 200,000 200,000 participating in each qualifying round. FK Kukësi 630,000 630,000 KF Laçi 200,000 200,000 No solidarity payments are made in relation to the play-offs, Total 1,580,000 because each of the clubs in question will have already received the following allocation: €2m for each winning club and ANDORRA €3m for the losers. Clubs eliminated at this stage retain the FC Santa Coloma 450,000 450,000 payments made for taking part in the first and second FC Lusitans 200,000 200,000 qualifying rounds, as applicable. UE Sant Julià 200,000 200,000 Total 850,000 Clubs involved in the UEFA Europa League All clubs participating in the qualifying rounds receive the FC Pyunik 750,000 750,000 following amounts per round played, even if they qualify for Ulisses FC 200,000 200,000 the group stage: Alashkert FC 410,000 410,000 • First qualifying round: €200,000 FC Shirak 410,000 410,000 • Second qualifying round: €210,000 Total 1,770,000 • Third qualifying round: €220,000 AUSTRIA In addition, each club eliminated in the UEFA Europa League FC Salzburg 650,000 230,000 880,000 play-offs receives €230,000. No solidarity payments are made Wolfsberger AC 430,000 430,000 to winners of the play-off matches. However, they retain the SK Sturm Graz 220,000 220,000 SCR Altach 450,000 450,000 Total 1,980,000 AZERBAIJAN Qarabağ FK 950,000 950,000 İnter Bakı PİK 630,000 630,000 Qäbälä FK 630,000 630,000 Neftçi PFK 200,000 200,000 Total 2,410,000 FC Shakhtyor Soligorsk 410,000 410,000 FC Torpedo-Belaz Zhodino 200,000 200,000 FC Dinamo Minsk 430,000 430,000 Total 1,040,000

Images BELGIUM R. Charleroi SC 430,000 430,000 Getty R. Standard de Liège 450,000 450,000 The Netherlands’ Vitesse (in yellow and black) and England’s Total 880,000 Southampton FC will both benefit from this season’s solidarity payments

6 | UEFA •direct | 11.15 BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA FK Sarajevo 550,000 550,000 FC Dila Gori 550,000 550,000 FK Željezničar 630,000 630,000 FC Tskhinvali 200,000 200,000 HŠK Zrinjski 200,000 200,000 FC Dinamo Batumi 200,000 200,000 FK Olimpic Sarajevo 200,000 200,000 FC Dinamo 200,000 200,000 Total 1,580,000 Total 1,150,000

BULGARIA PFC Ludogorets Razgrad 550,000 550,000 Borussia Dortmund 220,000 220,000 PFC Litex Lovech 200,000 200,000 Total 220,000 PFC Beroe Stara Zagora 410,000 410,000 PFC Cherno More Varna 210,000 210,000 Lincoln Red Imps FC 750,000 750,000 Total 1,370,000 Europa FC 200,000 200,000 Total 950,000 NK Lokomotiva Zagreb 410,000 410,000 GREECE HNK Hajduk Split 860,000 860,000 Panathinaikos FC 400,000 230,000 630,000 HNK Rijeka 210,000 210,000 PAOK FC 430,000 430,000 Total 1,480,000 Atromitos FC 450,000 450,000 Total 1,510,000 CYPRUS APOEL FC 550,000 550,000 Apollon Limassol FC 630,000 630,000 Videoton FC 950,000 230,000 1,180,000 AC Omonia 630,000 630,000 Ferencvárosi TC 410,000 410,000 AEK Larnaca FC 220,000 220,000 MTK Budapest 200,000 200,000 Debreceni VSC 630,000 630,000 Total 2,030,000 Total 2,420,000 FC Viktoria Plzeň 650,000 650,000 Stjarnan 550,000 550,000 AC Sparta Praha 400,000 400,000 KR Reykjavík 410,000 410,000 FK Mladá Boleslav 210,000 210,000 FH Hafnarfjördur 410,000 410,000 FC Slovan Liberec 220,000 220,000 Víkingur Reykjavík 200,000 200,000 FK Jablonec 450,000 450,000 Total 1,570,000 Total 1,930,000 DENMARK Beitar Jerusalem FC 410,000 410,000 FC Midtjylland 950,000 950,000 Hapoel Beer Sheva FC 210,000 210,000 Randers FC 410,000 410,000 Hapoel Kiryat Shmona FC 220,000 220,000 Brøndby IF 860,000 860,000 Total 840,000 FC København 430,000 430,000 Total 2,650,000 UC Sampdoria 220,000 220,000 ENGLAND Total 220,000 West Ham United FC 630,000 630,000 Southampton FC 450,000 450,000 FC Kairat 860,000 860,000 Total 1,080,000 FC 200,000 200,000 FC Ordabasy 200,000 200,000 Total 1,260,000 FC Levadia 450,000 450,000 Nõmme Kalju FC 410,000 410,000 JK Sillamäe Kalev 200,000 200,000 FK Ventspils 550,000 550,000 FC Flora Tallinn 200,000 200,000 FK Spartaks Jūrmala 410,000 410,000 Total 1,260,000 FK Jelgava 410,000 410,000 Skonto FC 410,000 410,000 FAROE ISLANDS Total 1,780,000 B36 Tórshavn 450,000 450,000 HB Tórshavn 200,000 200,000 Víkingur 200,000 200,000 FC 630,000 630,000 NSÍ Runavík 200,000 200,000 Total 630,000 Total 1,050,000 VMFD Žalgiris 550,000 550,000 FK Trakai 410,000 410,000 HJK 950,000 230,000 1,180,000 FK Atlantas 200,000 200,000 Seinäjoen Jalkapallokerho 200,000 200,000 FK Kruoja Pakruojis 200,000 200,000 FC Lahti 200,000 200,000 VPS Vaasa 200,000 200,000 Total 1,360,000 Total 1,780,000 CS Fola Esch 550,000 550,000 FRANCE F91 Dudelange 200,000 200,000 AS Saint-Étienne 220,000 220,000 FC Differdange 03 410,000 410,000 FC Girondins de Bordeaux 220,000 220,000 FC Progrès Niederkorn 200,000 200,000 Total 440,000 Total 1,360,000

UEFA •direct | 11.15 | 7 Solidarity payments

FYR MACEDONIA FK Vardar 550,000 550,000 FC Rubin Kazan 220,000 220,000 FK Rabotnicki 860,000 860,000 FC Krasnodar 220,000 220,000 KF Shkëndija 200,000 200,000 Total 440,000 KF Renova 200,000 200,000 SAN MARINO Total 1,810,000 SS Folgore 450,000 450,000 MALTA AC Juvenes-Dogana 200,000 200,000 Hibernians FC 550,000 550,000 SP La Fiorita 200,000 200,000 Valletta FC 200,000 200,000 Total 850,000 Birkirkara FC 410,000 410,000 Balzan FC 200,000 200,000 SCOTLAND Total 1,360,000 Celtic FC 550,000 550,000 Aberdeen FC 630,000 630,000 MOLDOVA Saint Johnstone FC 200,000 200,000 FC Milsami Orhei 950,000 230,000 1,180,000 Inverness Caledonian Thistle FC 210,000 210,000 FC Dacia Chişinău 410,000 410,000 Total 1,590,000 FC Saxan 200,000 200,000 FC Sheriff 200,000 200,000 SERBIA Total 1,990,000 FK Partizan 550,000 550,000 FK Vojvodina 860,000 860,000 MONTENEGRO FK Čukarički 410,000 410,000 FK Rudar Pljevlja 550,000 550,000 FK Crvena zvezda 200,000 200,000 FK Mladost Podgorica 410,000 410,000 Total 2,020,000 FK Sutjeska 200,000 200,000 FK Budućnost Podgorica 200,000 200,000 Total 1,360,000 FK AS Trenčín 550,000 550,000 FC Spartak Trnava 630,000 630,000 NETHERLANDS MŠK Žilina 860,000 860,000 AFC Ajax 400,000 400,000 ŠK Slovan Bratislava 630,000 630,000 Go Ahead Eagles 200,000 200,000 Total 2,670,000 Vitesse 220,000 220,000 AZ Alkmaar 220,000 220,000 SLOVENIA Total 1,040,000 NK Maribor 550,000 550,000 FC Koper 410,000 410,000 NORTHERN NK Celje 200,000 200,000 Crusaders FC 750,000 750,000 NK Domžale 200,000 200,000 Glentoran FC 200,000 200,000 Total 1,360,000 Glenavon FC 200,000 200,000 SPAIN Linfield FC 410,000 410,000 Athletic Club 220,000 220,000 Total 1,560,000 Total 220,000 SWEDEN Molde FK 950,000 950,000 Rosenborg BK 630,000 630,000 AIK Solna 630,000 630,000 Odds Ballklubb 860,000 860,000 IF Elfsborg 630,000 630,000 Strømsgodset IF 630,000 630,000 IFK Göteborg 430,000 430,000 Total 3,070,000 Total 1,690,000 KKS Lech Poznań 950,000 950,000 FC 1893 250,000 250,000 Jagiellonia Białystok 410,000 410,000 BSC Young Boys 400,000 230,000 630,000 WKS Śląsk Wrocław 410,000 410,000 FC Thun 660,000 660,000 Legia Warszawa 430,000 430,000 FC Zürich 220,000 220,000 Total 2,200,000 Total 1,760,000 TURKEY Vitória SC 220,000 220,000 Fenerbahçe SK 400,000 400,000 CF Os Belenenses 220,000 220,000 Trabzonspor AŞ 430,000 430,000 Basaksehir 220,000 220,000 Total 440,000 Total 1,050,000 REPUBLIC OF IRELAND Dundalk FC 550,000 550,000 Saint Patrick’s Athletic FC 200,000 200,000 FC Zorya Luhansk 450,000 450,000 Shamrock Rovers FC 410,000 410,000 FC Vorskla Poltava 220,000 220,000 Cork City FC 200,000 200,000 Total 670,000 University College Dublin AFC 410,000 410,000 Total 1,770,000 The New Saints FC 750,000 750,000 ROMANIA Bala Town FC 200,000 200,000 Newtown AFC 410,000 410,000 FC Steaua Bucureşti 950,000 230,000 1,180,000 AUK Broughton FC 200,000 200,000 FC Botoşani 410,000 410,000 FC Astra Giurgiu 660,000 660,000 Total 1,560,000 ASA Târgu-Mureş 220,000 220,000 Total 2,470,000 TOTAL 25,300,000 52,080,000 77,380,000

8 | UEFA •direct | 11.15 Anti-doping

NEW ANTI-DOPING PANEL MEMBERS STRENGTHEN UEFA EXPERTISE

The UEFA Anti-Doping Panel met on 23 September to discuss numerous matters relating to UEFA’s anti-doping programme, and welcomed several new members with an extensive range of expertise from within the international anti-doping network.

The new members of the panel include physicians, lawyers and scientists, which means that the panel is now represented by experts from a wide range of stakeholders such as national anti-doping agencies, natio- nal associations, clubs, leagues and players. The inclusion of such a range of experts serves to enhance the effectiveness of the panel and to further support UEFA’s anti- doping unit in its development of a progressive and cutting-edge anti-doping programme. Discussions centred on UEFA’s introduction of steroid profiling, long-term sample storage, agreements, coordination with national anti-doping agencies and whereabouts requirements for players. UEFA’s plans for the in- and out-of-competition EURO 2016 anti-doping programmes were supported by the panel and will commence on 1 January.

Largest ever EURO testing programme The chairman of the panel, Dr Mogens Kreutzfeldt, said: “The new panel members UEFA bring with them an incredible breadth of The Anti-Doping Panel meeting at the House of European Football on 23 September expertise to add to a group already boasting extensive legal, practical and scientific know­- ledge of anti-doping. We’re delighted to have them working with us on the development Leading role for UEFA of our programme. Through the work that the panel and the UEFA Medical Committee The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has published its anti-doping performs in an advisory capacity, UEFA can testing figures for 2014. The figures demonstrate the leading role that be confident that its activities in the field UEFA is playing in the fight against doping. are underpinned by real and relevant advice The main points in the 2014 testing statistics are as follows: and knowledge from all corners of the anti- • Worldwide, 283,304 tests were carried out in 2014, all sports combined. doping field. This season will see the most • There were more tests – 31,242 – in football than in any other sport. comprehensive anti-doping programme ever As a comparison, there were 25,830 tests in athletics, 22,471 in undertaken by UEFA culminating in the cycling, 12,120 in swimming, 6,961 in rugby and 3,841 in tennis. largest ever EURO testing programme in the • UEFA carried out 2,318 tests. This is more than any other regional summer of 2016. We are never complacent, sports organisation and of all the international sports federations we are always trying to advance and this only the International Cycling Union (9,483), the International panel goes a long way towards helping us Association of Athletics Federations (3,841) and the International achieve that goal.” Tennis Federation (2,955) did more. UEFA will conduct over 2,200 anti-doping • UEFA had two ‘adverse analytical findings’ from the 2,318 tests it tests over the coming season, including conducted (0.1%). After appropriate investigation, neither was blood and urine testing in- and out-of- considered as an anti-doping rule violation. competition as part of the standard WADA • UEFA conducted 7.4% of all the tests in football worldwide. testing menu, with additional testing where necessary. Players will be subject to steroid Of the 2,318 tests UEFA carried out, 2,024 were urine samples profiling and will face the added deterrent (1,515 in-competition and 509 out-of-competition) and 294 blood of the long-term retention of samples for (60 in-competition and 234 out-of-competition). l re-testing in the future as required. l

UEFA •direct | 11.15 | 9 10 Racism inEurope (FARE) network,to counter racism andallformsofdiscrimination. the Football People actionweeksorganisedbyUEFA’s theFootball long-standingpartner, Against For manyyears,UEFA to hasgivenitsfullsupport Europe’s largestanti-discriminationcampaign– United a No to Racism

Tottenham Hotspurline UEFA |UEFA up foramixedphoto ahead oftheirUEFA Europa Leaguetie Igor Akinfeevand Seydou Doumbia Anderlecht and • direct |11.15 gains CSKA MoskvaaheadagainstManchesterUnited on TV. witnessed bymillionsoffansinstadiumsand phobia were supported by players and clubs,as football free ofracism,intoleranceandxeno­ a seriesofactivitiespromoting aEuropean club competitions and at 54 European Qualifiers, appeared alongsidehisclubcolleagueandicon plays in model and emphasised the role that football earlier thatweekhehadalsoservedasarole was justdoingthetypicaljobofastriker. But A videoinMoscow When SeydouDoumbiascored toputPFC This year, at40matchesinUEFA’s prestigious effecting socialchangewhenhe t discrimnation the openinggoalpast Eremenko’s penaltytodrill worldwide. prominent onTVscreens week thathehadbeen not thefirsttimethat League inOctober, itwas FC intheUEFA Champions Khimki in Moscow, Doumbia David deGeaatArena In followingupRoman Igor Akinfeevinvideosextollingthevirtuesof Matchday 3 the colourofyourskin.” sionals andwerespecteachother, regardlessof importance ofdiversity],becausewe’reallprofes­ players andnobodyneedsanyconvincing[ofthe goalkeeperAkinfeev.international “We areall nationality aren’t important,” stressed Russia outlets inRussiaandaround theworld. material wasshownbybroadcasters andmedia diversity anddenouncingracisminfootball.The message. himself withthenetwork’s anti-discrimination wearing theFARE T-shirt inorder toclearlyalign appear onpostersforthe2015actionweeks, this year. Akinfeevwasoneofmanyplayersto People actionweeksranfrom 8to22October partner, theFARE network,whose Football ties inwithactivitiesbyUEFA’s long-standing and UEFA Europa Leaguegroup stages,whenit matchday 3oftheUEFA Champions League campaign isgivenevengreater prominence on the UEFA Congress inLondonMay2013.The moted atUEFA matchessinceitsadoptionby The NotoRacismcampaignhasbeenpro­ “We areallhuman andquestionsofraceor - -

Getty Images Getty Images positive socialmessages. in usingthesport’s powerandpopularitytosend other prominent membersofthefootballfamily Racism armbands. No toRacismT-shirts, andcaptainswore Noto accompanied onto the pitch by children wearing ‘No toRacism’infootball.Everyteamwasalso fans tojointheUEFA familyinitscalltosay were madeandprintadvertisementsencouraged broadcasters, specialstadiumannouncements the stadiumsandbyEuropean rights-holding clubs andtheirsupporters. disciplinary measures takenagainstoffending change intheregulations, strengthening the campaign, which has also brought about a shoulder tointheirsupportofthe each teamholdingthepennantsandstanding was taken before kick-off, with a member of period. Ateachvenue,a‘mixed’teamphoto pean Qualifiersmatchesplayedinthesame Europa Leaguematches,inadditionto54Euro ­ pennants at39otherChampionsLeagueand people as using footballasachanneltoreachmany diver­ Getting themessageacross Champions League their teamsontothepitchonmatchday3ofUEFA The captainsofAtléticodeMadridandAstanalead and ethnic origins,” he added. “UEFA will continue lities, religiousbackgrounds, sexualorientation opponents andfellowsupporters ofallnationa­ efforts tovaluerespectfor players,officials, players. the supportofnationalassociations,clubsand will conveyatstadiumsthroughoutEurope,with social responsibilitypartner, theFARE network, game. ThisisthemessagethatUEFA andits discrimi­ general secretary GianniInfantino.“Racismand “Inclusion, toleranceandacceptanceof Akinfeev and Doumbiawere joined by many TV spotswere shownonthegiantscreens in Outside Moscow, playerscarriedNotoRacism “We encouragefootballfanstojoinusinour sity arecorevaluesthatUEFA promotes, nation ofanykindhavenoplaceinthe possible aroundtheworld,”saidUEFA

UEFA via Getty Images his neighbourhood in Adjame, a northern district his neighbourhoodinAdjame,anorthern started playingasayoungsterwithfriendsfrom Akinfeev thedelightsoffootballforhim,having Moscow mission movement hasgrown.” yearshowshowstrongthe that takepartevery ourselves. Theincreasingnumberoforganisations we strivetohaveabetterunder­ same time,inaspiritofsolidarityandfriend­ we stand against discrimination, while at the action weeksare atimeforcelebration.“Toge­ther, director PiaraPowar, whoalsostressed thatthe are allfootballpeople’,”saidFARE executive groups andyouthorganisations. fans, clubs,nationalassociations,ethnicminority countries and involved 400 grassroots groups, They were spread across 50different European table discussionsandmini-footballtournaments. took placein2014,includingworkshops,round- inclusive future for football, over 2,000 activities that educationisthekeytoamore diverseand discriminatory behaviour. therecognition With monitors matches across Europe for incidents of that.” the NotoRacismcampaignisakeyelementin to standagainstallformsofdiscriminationand tolerant future. significant stepin creating abrighter, more weeks, theimpactoftheirunifiedmessageisa in European competitionduringtheaction football. Joinedbyeveryclubandnationalteam addressing aglobalaudiencethattranscends saying ‘NotoRacism’thecamera,directly 25 goalsin33matchesUEFA club competitions. echelons ofthesport,where hehasscored felt then has since followed him to the highest of AbidjaninIvoryCoast.Theinspirationhe Back in Moscow, Doumbia explained to “For us, the message is a very strongone:‘We“For us,themessageisavery Throughout theseason,FARE network The twoplayerssignedoff theirvideoby l standing of ship,

UEFA No toRacism also saidaresounding European Qualifiers competing inthe The nationalteams • direct |11.15

11 UEFA via Getty Images Competitions

Futsal EURO 2016

Azerbaijan, the Czech Republic, Hungary and round – Croatia, Portugal, Russia, Slovenia, Spain, Ukraine and Kazakhstan qualified for EURO 2016 during title holders Italy. the play-offs, which took place in September. They The teams will play for the European crown in Belgrade will join Serbia, who qualified automatically as hosts, between 2 and 13 February in four groups of three, which and the seven teams who qualified in the main were formed at a draw on 2 October, also in Belgrade. The draw was attended by Dejan Stanković, who was announced as the tournament ambassador. The group matches will take place between 2 and 7 February, the quarter-finals on 8 and 9 February and the semi- finals on 11 February. The third-place play-off and the final will be on Saturday 13 February.

Group A: Serbia, Portugal and Slovenia Group B: Spain, Ukraine and Hungary Group C: Russia, Croatia and Kazakhstan Group D: Italy, Czech Republic and Azerbaijan l

Kazakhstan (in yellow) are through to Futsal EURO 2016 at the expense F. Krvavac F. of Bosnia and Herzegovina

Groups formed for UEFA Futsal Cup elite round the Futsal World The second stage of qualifying for the finals of the Futsal Cup, the main round, was completed in October. The top two teams in each main Cup main qualifying round group qualified for the elite round, which is taking place in mid- November. They will be joined by Inter FS, KMF Ekonomac Kragujevac, round Tulpar Karagandy and defending champions Kairat Almaty, all of whom The European qualifying competition for the were given byes to the elite round. Futsal World Cup began in October, with 23 teams The 16 teams were drawn into the following groups in Nyon on playing in the preliminary round. The six group 14 October (mini-tournament hosts in bold): winners (England, Finland, France, Latvia, Moldova Group A: Inter FS (Spain), Lidselmash Lida (Belarus), Kremlin Bicêtre and Sweden) qualified for the main round, which United (France) and KMN Dobovec (Slovenia) will be held from 10 to 13 December. They will join Group B: Tulpar Karagandy (Kazakhstan), Pescara (Italy), Halle-Gooik the 22 teams who qualified directly to form the (Belgium) and KMF Zelezarec Skopje (FYR Macedonia) following groups (mini-tournament hosts in bold): Group C: Kairat Almaty (Kazakhstan), Ugra Yugorsk (Russia), FK EP Group 1: Ukraine, Hungary, Belgium and England Chrudim (Czech Republic) and Győri ETO FC (Hungary) Group 2: Croatia, Azerbaijan, Belarus and Group D: KMF Ekonomac Kragujevac (Serbia), Slov-Matic Bratislava Sweden (Slovakia), SL Benfica (Portugal) and Lokomotiv Kharkiv Group 3: Russia, Serbia, Turkey and Finland (Ukraine). Group 4: Spain, Netherlands, Bosnia and The results of all matches will be published on UEFA.com. l Herzegovina and Latvia Group 5: Czech Republic, Slovenia, Kazakhstan and France Group 6: Portugal, Romania, Poland and Norway Group 7: Italy, Slovakia, FYR Macedonia and Moldova Under-17 and Under-19 draws The group winners and runners-up will contest The teams involved in UEFA’s men’s youth competitions have the play-offs (who will play whom will be an appointment at the House of European Football in Nyon on determined by a draw on 12 February) to decide 3 December for their annual draws: for this season’s elite rounds and the seven European teams who will take part in the next season’s qualifying rounds of both the Under-17 and the Under-19 final tournament, which will take place in Colombia competitions. l from 14 September to 2 October 2016. l

12 | UEFA •direct | 11.15 Competitions and news

Women’s Under-19 Club World Cup elite round The 2015/16 European Women’s Under-19 Championship qualifying round mini- have delivered the names of the 22 teams, the top two in each group, who will join automatic qualifiers England and Spain in the elite round. The 24 teams who have qualified are: Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, England, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, the Nether­ lands, Northern Ireland, Norway, Poland, Portugal, the Republic of Ireland, Russia, Scotland, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland. The teams were drawn into six groups of four, which can be found on UEFA.com. The mini-tournaments will be held from 5 to 10 April 2016. The group winners and the best runner-up will compete for the European crown alongside final tour­ nament hosts Slovakia between 19 and 31 July. l UEFA via Getty Images UEFA

2015 UEFA Champions League winners FC Barcelona will be going for gold again when they represent Europe in the Club World Cup

After two years in Morocco, the Club World Cup returns to Japan, where it was held from 2005 to 2008 and again in 2011 and 2012. Matches will be played in Osaka and Yokohama from 10 to 20 December. Europe’s representatives have lifted the trophy in seven of the last ten editions (AC Milan in 2007, Manchester United FC in 2008, FC Barcelona in 2009 and 2011, FC Internazionale Milano in 2010, FC Bayern München in 2013 and Real Madrid CF in 2014) and were runners-up the other three times (Liverpool FC in 2005, FC Barcelona in 2006 and Chelsea FC in 2012). Last season’s Champions League winners, FC Barcelona, will enter the competition in the semi-finals, on 17 December in Yokohama. They will meet the winners of the quarter-final Getty Images to be played by Club América (the CONCACAF representatives) Germany remained unbeaten after meeting Serbia in their third and and the AFC representatives. The third-place play-off and the final match final will be played in Yokohama on 20 December. l

Executive Committee Support for UEFA President and endorsement of UEFA General Secretary Gianni Infantino

The UEFA Executive Committee and UEFA’s 54 member decision on the merits of the case by, at the latest, associations both met on 15 October at the House of mid-November 2015.” European Football in Nyon. Discussions centered on issues Following further discussions, UEFA’s Executive Committee relating to UEFA President Michel Platini, following his unanimously agreed to support Gianni Infantino, the provisional suspension for 90 days by the FIFA Ethics current UEFA General Secretary, as a candidate for the Committee, and his candidature for the forthcoming FIFA presidential election and issued the following FIFA presidential election on 26 February. statement on 26 October: “We support Michel Platini’s right to a due process and “The forthcoming election for a new FIFA President a fair trial and to the opportunity to clear his name,” represents a crucial moment in the governance of the Executive Committee said in a statement after the the game and the future of FIFA itself,” the Executive meetings. “We strongly call on all instances involved in Committee said. “We believe that Gianni Infantino has all the current process: FIFA’s Ethics Committee, FIFA’s Appeal of the qualities required to tackle the major challenges Committee and, ultimately, the Court of Arbitration for ahead and to lead the organisation on a path of reform Sport to work very rapidly to ensure that there is a final to restore FIFA’s integrity and credibility.” l

UEFA •direct | 11.15 | 13 Research Grant Programme

THE ROLE OF THE COACH-CREATED MOTIVATIONAL CLIMATE

Since August, each issue of UEFA • direct has featured a summary of a research project funded by UEFA. In this issue, Paul Appleton closes the series.

biggest challenge for the national associations is not only to continue to promote women’s football and increase the number of registered players, but also to keep these young players playing regularly in the longer term.” We know from research in other sports that one factor that determines whether athletes continue to participate in their sport is the motivational climate created by the coach. The motivational climate is everything the coach does: for example, how and when they provide feedback, how they group their players, if and when they provide choices and how they recognise progress and success. In this project, we tested whether the motivational climate created by the coach affects women’s and girls’ experiences in football. Specifically, we tested whether empowering and disempowering coach-created motivational climates were related to players’ intentions to drop out or continue playing football, as well as their enjoyment, anxiety and well-being. We did this across five countries: England, France, Greece, Norway and Spain, and collected UEFA questionnaire data from nearly 2,700 female Paul Appleton footballers. presents his research The recent World Cup in Canada highlighted Our findings revealed that when players project to the jury the growing popularity of women’s and girl’s viewed their coaches as empowering, they football across the globe. In Europe, UEFA has reported more enjoyment, less anxiety, better placed emphasis on growing and developing well-being and less intention to drop out of women’s grassroots football on a pan-European football. On the other hand, players reported basis. This has resulted in huge growth in the less enjoyment, more anxiety, poorer well-being number of registered players: there are now and more intention to drop out of football when more than 750,000 in Europe, according to a their coach was disempowering. These findings UEFA report entitled Women’s Football Across were consistent across the five countries. the National Associations, 2014–15. Based on the evidence from this project, we As more women and girls are playing football recommend that coaches of female players in Europe, it is important that we identify those across Europe receive training on how to create factors that determine whether female players more empowering motivational climates. This continue to play or whether they quit the game. may be possible via the Empowering Coaching UEFA acknowledges this point in its report: “The education programme (www.empowering- coaching.co.uk), which has been proven in the PAPA project to help coaches become more empowering (www.projectpapa.org). Such train­ Dr Paul Appleton is a research fellow ing may ultimately help UEFA achieve its objective at the University of keeping young female players in the game in of Birmingham. His the long term. research concerns This research project was a collaboration with motivational processes Dr Lorena González (University of Valencia, and how we can train Spain), Dr Sandrine Isoard-Gautheur (Université coaches, teachers Joseph Fourier, France), Dr Nikos Zourbanos and parents to create (University of Thessaly, Greece), Siv Gjesdal more empowering (Norwegian School of Sport Sciences, Norway) UEFA motivational climates. l and Dr Gareth Jowett (York St John University, England). l

14 | UEFA •direct | 11.15 member associations

Bosnia and Herzegovina www.nfsbih.ba

Dragons reach EURO play-offs The U21s were not celebrating in Biel, where they lost 3-1 to Switzerland – their third defeat Bosnia and Herzegovina celebrated victories in a row, putting them in last place in Group 9 against Wales (2-0) and Cyprus (3-2) in October of qualifying for the European Under-21 in the final qualifiers for EURO 2016 in France, Championship finals in 2017 in Poland. earning them third place in Group B and a spot The senior women’s national team are faring in the play-offs. After the first four games, in better in their qualifying campaign for Women’s which the Dragons secured only two points, EURO 2017, having beaten Estonia 4-0 at the F. Krvavac F. few believed that Mehmed Baždarević’s team national training center in Zenica. could turn it around in the remaining six Meanwhile, Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Bosnia and Herzegovina in action against Estonia in qualifiers, but they did just that and are now youngest women’s internationals have been Zenica, where the hosts secured a convincing 4-0 win preparing to meet the Republic of Ireland in competing in FYR Macedonia in Group 5 of the the play-offs. European Women’s Under-17 Championship (NFSBiH) and its top-flight clubs took part in a In between matches and training, the qualifying round. They lost against Italy (5-0) campaign to prevent racism and nationalism in national team have also participated in and drew with Northern Ireland (0-0) and stadiums. “The NFSBiH is following the example numerous humanitarian projects. The Dragons Macedonia (1-1), earning them third place set by UEFA and in cooperation with the clubs visited institutions for children with special behind Italy and Northern Ireland but ahead of in our elite competition we are joining the fight needs in Maglaj, where the boys and girls had hosts FYR Macedonia. against racism and nationalism,” the director of their photos taken with the players, and in Futsal champions MNK Center Sarajevo were competitions, Elmir Pilav, said. At matches Zenica portraits of the players painted by in Group 2 in the main qualifying round of the during the campaign, players and referees acclaimed artists Adin Hebib and Samir Hadžbić UEFA Futsal Cup but finished bottom of the entered the pitch in specially designed T-shirts, were auctioned off to raise money to build a group in Podcetrtek, Slovenia, after losing to holding placards that read: “The Bosnia and house in Sarajevo for the parents of children with SL Benfica (8-2), KMN Dobovec (5-2) and Herzegovina football family is united in the fight cancer. Players and coaching staff attended the FC Grand Pro Varna (6-5). Back at home, the against racism and nationalism.” exhibition and contributed to this good cause. Bosnia and Herzegovina Football Federation l Fuad Krvavac

Bulgaria www.bfunion.bg

Bulgaria qualify Dimitar Kostadinov (24) and Ivan Tilev (67). for U17 elite round Meanwhile, in Sozopol, FYR Macedonia earned their first point in the tournament, holding Italy Just five months after hosting the final round to a 0-0 draw. This meant that the last round of the 2014/15 European Under-17 Champion- would be decisive. ship, Bulgaria organised a first qualifying On the final matchday, the hosts took on round mini-tournament in the 2015/16 FYR Macedonia at Lazur stadium in Burgas competition, the final round of which will be in a Balkan derby that finished 0-0, both held in Azerbaijan. Bulgaria, FYR Macedonia, goalkeepers – Dimitar Sheytanov for Bulgaria Italy and Scotland competed for the first two and Hristijan Stevkovski for FYR Macedonia – BFU places in Group 12 in Lazur stadium in Burgas making excellent saves to keep clean sheets. and Arena Sozopol on the Black Sea coast. Bulgaria could not break the deadlock with In Sozopol, Italy and Scotland finished 1-1, Italy made a bright start to the tournament, FYR Macedonia but in the end a draw was enough which was enough for the to win the wining 3-0 against Bulgaria in Sozopol. The to qualify for the U17 elite round group. Bulgaria advanced to the elite round Azzurrini scored all three goals in the latter as runners-up, and Scotland are still in with a stages of the match after a competitive first There were surprises on the second matchday, chance as one of the best-ranked third-placed half. In the other game that day, Scotland beat when Bulgaria put in a fantastic performance to teams. FYR Macedonia 3-0. beat Scotland 2-0, thanks to brilliant goals from l Yordan Grozdanov

Croatia www.hns-cff.hr

Many reasons to celebrate October 2015 will also be remembered commitment to the fight against racism during in October as an important month for women’s football the 13th round of the championship. in Croatia, as the national U15 team were Finally, Croatian midfielder Ivan Rakitić was Always a busy month in football, October assembled for the first time and played their named player of the year by Croatian daily was full of activities for the Croatian Football first match against Slovenia. Večernji list after winning a triple crown with Federation (HNS). With wins against Bulgaria Off the pitch, the HNS extended its partner- FC Barcelona. Rakitić received his award at a and Malta, the national team qualified directly ship with fan club Uvijek vjerni (Always faithful) children’s hospital, where he presented children for EURO 2016 in France. This is the ninth time for another three years, making sure that the with HNS footballs. that Croatia has qualified for a major tournament federation and its fans can join forces to take l Tomislav Pacak since gaining independence, missing out only on all the challenges currently facing football. on EURO 2000 and the 2010 World Cup. One of those challenges is tackling racism, The whole Croatian football family got behind Incidentally, France was the site of Croatia’s discrimination and violence in stadiums. The the FARE Football People action weeks greatest triumph – bronze at the 1998 World HNS joined UEFA, the Football Against Racism Cup. This latest success came in the same in Europe network (FARE) and other European month that the HNS celebrated the 25th countries in celebrating the FARE Football anniversary of its first modern international People action weeks in October. Croatian match: Croatia played the USA on 17 October national team players and football legends

1990 in a historic game that laid the promoted the campaign values before their HNS

/ foundations for all of the country’s future match against Bulgaria, while Croatia’s football celebrations. top-division clubs and players showed their Drago Sopta

UEFA •direct | 11.15 | 15 Member associations

Denmark www.dbu.dk

International partnerships cooperation between the two associations on IT fostering cooperation and matters and the sharing of fundamental values. development By cooperating, we can lift national projects to an international level and create mutual benefits. In September and October this year, the For example, sharing Danish initiatives such as Danish Football Association (DBU) signed the Football Fitness concept and anti-bullying partnership agreements with the Romanian tools will benefit Romanian football clubs, while Football Federation (FRF) and the Greenland Danish football will be inspired by the projects Football Association (GBU) respectively. being implemented in Romania. Such partnership agreements seek to Meanwhile, the DBU aims to help the GBU to strengthen cooperation between Danish football develop and strengthen football in Greenland, and other European associations, sharing so that Greenland can one day fulfil its dream knowledge and expertise. The DBU exports of becoming a member of both UEFA and FIFA. various best practices in the area of grassroots The DBU will assist the GBU in a whole range of football, fostering cooperation at both different areas, such as the building of artificial a political and an administrative level. The DBU pitches, the training of coaches and referees, partnership agreement between the DBU and The president of the DBU, Jesper Møller, and his and the promotion of volunteering. the FRF focuses on various grassroots activities, Romanian counterpart, Răzvan Burleanu (left) l Martin Mogensen

Estonia www.jalgpall.ee

Estonians compete with a new layout in 1998. The new version in dice football was supported financially by the most successful football club in Estonia – FC Flora Tallinn. The For the last eight years the Estonian Football third edition of the game was released in 2006 Association (EJL) has organised official dice and the fourth one just last year. football championships, and the winner in 2009 Dice football is a board game for the whole was none other than EJL president Aivar Pohlak. family. You can play one against one or in So what exactly is dice football? teams. The game imitates almost all elements Dice football was invented by football of a real football game: shots, passing, corner journalist Indrek Schwede in 1985. “I got the kicks, dribbling through opponents’ defences, inspiration from the game of Monopoly,” says the offside rule, penalty kicks, treating injuries Schwede. “For many people Monopoly took off the pitch, own goals and yellow and red too long to play and at a certain point the cards. Even the dice itself imitates the ball, winner became so obvious that others simply as it is a sphere. The most attractive and original Lembit Peegel lost their interest and motivation. My intention parts of this game are shots on goal and was to create a game which would be not so defending shots. EJL president Aivar Pohlak (front left) with the other time-consuming, 15 minutes max., and the Not everything in the game is up to the dice: participants results of which would be forecastable or the players must also make decisions. Situations unpredictable. The first copy of the game change very quickly and unpredictable situations Mart Poom, who has won 120 caps for the was a simple drawing by me.” make dice football a fast-paced game. Estonian senior team. Poom and many other In 1995 the first printed version of the game The patron of dice football is one of the best top players regularly attend the dice football was released, followed by an updated version and most well-known Estonian football players: championships. l Press office

Faroe Islands www.football.fo

Record-holding captain retires retired from international duty and was also feature for four years, but in 2007 he was applauded ahead of the match against Romania. recalled to the team. The captain of the Faroese national team, Holst made his debut in September 2003, In the last 13 years, Holst has won 50 caps 37-year-old Fróði Benjaminsen, has retired from when the Faroe Islands played Scotland at and scored six goals. international football. Benjaminsen, who is also ’s . After this he did not l Terji Nilsen the country’s most capped player (86 caps), played his final match against Northern Ireland in Torshavn in September. The prime minister, Aksel V. Johannesen, and the general secretary of the Faroe Islands Football Association, Virgar Hvidbro, paid tribute to an injured Benjaminsen ahead of the Faroe Islands’ final European Qualifiers match, at home against Romania on 11 October. Benjaminsen played his first international match back in August 1999, in a friendly against Iceland in Torshavn, and three weeks From left to later he played his first competitive match, right: Aksel when Lithuania visited the Faroe Islands. V. Johannesen, Benjaminsen, a carpenter by trade, scored six Fródi Benjaminsen, goals in his 16-year spell with the national team. Christian Lamhauge Another prominent Faroese national team Holst and Virgar FSF player, Christian Lamhauge Holst, has also Hvidbro

16 | UEFA •direct | 11.15 France www.fff.fr

Making dreams come true Châteaugiron entered the field on 24 October to the sound of the French Cup anthem and the For the fourth consecutive season, the French applause of the 1,350 supporters present. The Football Federation organised a match de rêve stadium was decorated in the competition’s (dream match) for an amateur club still in the colours, the teams were accompanied by player running for the French Cup. The event takes escorts as they lined up, the Charles Simon place during the sixth round of the competition trophy was on display in the stadium and, the and gives one lucky club and its players the icing on the cake, the match was shown live chance to play in conditions worthy of the final on Eurosport 2. The coach and captain gave a – an exceptional experience for all involved. pre-match media conference the night before. This year it was Breton club US Châteaugiron In the end Châteaugiron lost 6-0 to US who got their dream match, having campaigned Saint-Malo, who play in the national amateur hard online and off. Their social media activities championship – six divisions above their dream were supported by Luis Fernández and Darren match opponents. But the score mattered little Tulett, among others, and stands in local that day. The enthusiasm generated by the FFF supermarkets proved equally effective: not only event was everyone’s greatest reward and a did they win, but they had a 3,000-vote lead worthy victory for Châteaugiron. Young supporters were excited to get so close over the team in second place. l Laura Goutry to the French Cup

Georgia Gibraltar www.gff.ge www.gibraltarfa.com

Record-breaking former Local charity receives a wanted to invest in big projects that would international elected president donation from the Tartan Army make a difference.” In close cooperation with the professional team at the school, the Tartan On 3 October 2015, Levan Kobiashvili, Gibraltarian charity Little Smiles received Army requested that the money be spent on who only recently ended his playing career at a donation from the Scotland fan club, the rebound therapy equipment. This consists of German club Hertha BSC Berlin, was elected Tartan Army, on the pitch ahead of Gibraltar trampoline equipment and specially designed president of the Georgian Football Federation and Scotland’s recent European Qualifiers match Nessie cushions. The equipment helps to (GFF). The 38-year-old was elected by 18 votes at the Estádio Algarve. improve core strength in children. It meant a lot to 15, beating Revaz Arveladze, who has been The charity was set up by parents and carers to the Tartan Army team to be able to hold the general secretary of the GFF since 2009. The of pupils at St. Martin’s School to raise funds presentation in the stadium and to have the other candidate, Mamuka Kvaratskhelia, for the benefit of these special needs children. players join in, and for Little Smiles it was received no votes at all. “Our sole aim is aiding the school with special to see the players in the charity’s T-shirts. Kobiashvili is the only player ever to win projects,” Jane Tunbridge from Little Smiles Little Smiles already had a connection with 100 caps for Georgia’s national team. He will explained. “We strive to improve the children’s the Gibraltar national team, after the players now pour all of his energy into the further education and help them to fulfil their maximum donated £2,300 from their own wages after the development of Georgian football. His main potential. A majority of our children are team’s first official match, against Slovakia last priorities are the promotion of children’s non-verbal so we are their voices.” The school year. football, the establishment of a European-style caters for children with a range of abilities and “Our children thoroughly enjoyed the day football system in Georgia with a view to conditions, including Down’s syndrome, autism, at the Estádio Algarve in Faro, and were made uniting all available resources, the further Angelman syndrome, Lowe’s syndrome, Rett to feel very welcome,” said Tunbridge. “It’s development of infrastructure, obtaining syndrome and cerebral palsy, to name but a a day that will always be treasured. The Scottish the necessary support from the Georgian few. The school has increased to 57 children, fans were amazing with us as we spent the government, the marketing including 15 in the nursery, which provides early afternoon with them. Three families travelled of the national championship intervention. up to be part of the presentation – myself and the establishment of “The presentation was quite overwhelming with Sean, who has Angelman syndrome, a national football league. as receiving funds from abroad was a first Tamara Colton with Ewan, who is autistic, In order to carry out those for us,” Tunbridge said. “The Tartan Army and Vanessa Castle with her son Kelvin. We plans, the new president will Children’s Charity chose us as they wanted are still talking about what a great experience implement as many UEFA to give something back to the home team. it was.” projects as possible, as the They did it for all the teams in the group; they l Steven Gonzalez UEFA management model is particularly well suited to small countries such as Georgia. “My primary aim is to raise standards to European GFF levels. My idea of football Levan Kobiashvili development is fully in line with UEFA’s key principles, and I hope that we will be able to implement a number of interesting projects together,” Kobiashvili said. Kobiashvili spent many years in the German , playing for SC Freiburg, FC Schalke Big smiles 04 and Hertha BSC Berlin. Indeed, he was one on the pitch of the longest-serving players in the Bundesliga ahead of the in terms of number of matches, playing in a match against total of 351 games. When his playing career Scotland, came to an end, he was employed in an courtesy of administrative capacity by Hertha BSC Berlin. the Tartan GFA l Otar Giorgadze Army fan club

UEFA •direct | 11.15 | 17 Member associations

Israel www.football.org.il

Action week in Israel As part of the ant-racism action weeks celebrated all over Europe in October, the Israel Football Association (IFA), together with Kick It Out, organised an activity day for more than 100 children from Israeli and clubs, together with the U19 national team. Five clubs from different parts of Israel were invited to the national technical centre to be part of this special day, which included a training session with the U19s, led by their coach, Eli Ochana. Off the pitch, and before the ball got rolling,

the IFA held a short ‘Football for All’ ceremony. IFA Two players from the U19 national team read statements in Arabic and Hebrew, followed by Inclusivity in action speeches by Ochana and Salach Hasarma, head coach of Israeli premier league side Hapoel teams is the face of Israel,” he said. “From the Football is the best example of why walls are no Kiryat Shmona FC. youngest team up to the national A team, our longer needed and should no longer exist. We Ronen Hershco, director of national teams squads have always been a mix of Jewish, Arab all speak the same language – the language of and education, welcomed the participants on and Circassian players with different cultures football – and we are proud of that.” behalf of the IFA. “The face of our national and backgrounds but the same attitude. l Michal Grundland

Italy Latvia www.figc.it www.lff.lv

FK Liepāja crowned champions The 2015 champions of Latvia’s top division – the Virslīga – were crowned two games before the end of the season, when FK Liepāja earned the necessary points to secure their place at the top of the table. The story of FK Liepāja is one of the most inspirational in recent Latvian football history. The city of Liepāja can be proud of its football heritage, with many players of the highest calibre and regular achievements at both national and international level. But in January 2014, the city took a massive hit when the country’s most recognisable steelworks, Liepājas Metalurgs, went bankrupt. That also brought hard times for the football of Liepāja, as the company was the main sponsor of the local football team, FK Liepājas Metalurgs. After the collapse of Liepājas Metalurgs, the city of Liepāja and its football were given a new FIGC hero in the form of Māris Verpakovskis – the Investing in youth football all-time leading goalscorer of the Latvian national football team. He decided to return to his home- Regional development centre The aims of this innovative programme are town and take office as president of FK Liepājas opens its doors in Florence as follows: to nurture talent, to try to prevent Metalurgs’ successor, FK Liepāja. The team was young people from giving up sport, to monitor formed in time for the 2014 Virslīga, in which A new centre for youth and school football, young footballers in the short and medium they finished fourth, and this year they climbed set up in Florence with the assistance of the term, to develop a coordinated style of to the very top of the league. In many ways, Italian Football Federation (FIGC), opened coaching and to offer centralised education. FK Liepāja are an example to other football its doors on 26 October. Regional development The FIGC plans to set up 200 regional teams and even teams in other sports. Their centres such as this one, unanimously backed development centres, which will together hold professional attitude, forward-thinking and by the federal board of the FIGC, will 3,500 educational meetings every year. Some local focus are the reasons they have become represent a territorial marker for excellence in 10,000 qualified referees and 1,200 coaches the country’s champions! l Toms Ārmanis the development of young footballers, boys will be involved and contribute 30,000 hours of and girls aged 12 to 14, who will train in time, with 150,000 boys and 3,500 girls falling Well-deserved celebrations for Liepāja 11-a-side football and futsal. The FIGC’s CEO, under the scheme’s monitoring system. The aim Michele Uva, explains: “This has been one is to have around 830,000 players using the of the most important topics for us since facilities and to have 15,000 boys and 5,000 the start of Carlo Tavecchio’s presidency and girls join development programmes. The scheme this project is the most significant since the also expects to see the centres in weekly use development of the technical centre at by amateur athletes able to use the national Coverciano. We’ve set out a budget of around amateur league’s existing facilities or rented €9m for this, to take us up to 2020, but pitches every Monday. Different federal bodies we see this as an investment rather than as will cooperate alongside sections of the FIGC in expenditure.” their specialist areas. l Diego Antenozio LFF

18 | UEFA •direct | 11.15 Liechtenstein www.lfv.li

Curtain comes down on Mario Frick’s international career The last match of Liechtenstein’s qualifying campaign for EURO 2016 – against Austria in Vienna on 12 October 2015 – was also the last ever international appearance by the team’s Mario Frick shakes captain and leader, Mario Frick. One month hands with Sweden after his 41st birthday, the former player captain Zlatan brought the curtain down on his international Ibrahimović before career in front of a sell-out crowd. his last international Frick made his international debut back in home match 1993 at the age of 19. He went on to have an impressive professional career, playing almost 600 games and scoring more than 140 goals. LFV His career took him not only to various clubs in Switzerland, but also to a number of Italian Vienna, where the 48,500 spectators gave him international career means that Liechtenstein sides (including Hellas Verona FC and AC Siena). a fitting send-off. The Liechtenstein Football has lost not only the most capped player in its For the last 22 years, Frick has also been a Association and the country’s home supporters history and its record goalscorer, but also the mainstay of Liechtenstein’s national team. had already taken the opportunity to pay leader of its team. He was always a source of His 125th and final international was against tribute to the 41-year-old at the team’s previous great support for his team-mates, particularly Austria in a packed Ernst-Happel-Stadion in match, at home to Sweden. The end of Frick’s the younger players. l Anton Banzer

Luxembourg www.football.lu

First football night signed with Belgian first-division club Waasland- Beveren in June. The Luxembourg Football Federation (FLF) “It was a fantastic and intense season for held its first football night on 23 October me,” Jans said. He thanked first and foremost at the Rockhal concert hall in Esch-sur-Alzette. his former team-mates from Fola Esch, saying The theme of the evening was fair play, as that “without them this would not have been trophies were presented to the best players possible”. of 2014/15. The young and talented Karen Marin, 16, Some 500 guests from the football family from SC Bettembourg, was chosen as best watched as awards were given to the best women’s player of the season. “Winning the men’s player, the best women’s player, the top title of best women’s player is a great honour scorer, the player who scored the best goal, the for me,” said Karen, who would not rule out best referee and the team in each division who joining a foreign club one day. showed the best spirit of fair play. All these awards are recognition of Luxem- Full-back Laurent Jans was voted best men’s bourg’s clubs and players, giving them all a player for 2014/15. He was the obvious choice, reason to celebrate. The evening, which lived having been crowned domestic champion with up to all expectations, was rounded off with CS Fola Esch, performed well with the senior FLF a party for the friends of football present. national team and – the icing on the cake – A special night for the award winners l Marc Diederich

Malta www.mfa.com.mt

High-profile UEFA associations since it began in 2005, was also efficiently at the highest administrative levels, meetings in Malta very important, with several items of interest for the good of the game and in the interests discussed. The programme operates at the of its member associations. Recently, the Malta Football Association (MFA) strategic crossroads between football politics l Alex Vella hosted two important UEFA meetings, each and football development. with big issues and current affairs on the agenda. It supports the top The first was the two-day Top Executive executives of the national Programme (TEP) strategy meeting, after associations in their which it was the turn of the UEFA Executive decision-making roles, by Committee, chaired by the UEFA President, providing, analysing and Michel Platini. This was the third UEFA Executive discussing facts and figures Committee meeting hosted by the MFA, after relating to strategic issues. those held on the Mediterranean island in 2005 The aim is to further develop and 2010. the game specifically from This time the main items on the agenda were an organisational and an update on EURO 2016, which will be held business perspective. between 10 June and 10 July next year, and the In the final reckoning, appointments of a UEFA special representative both the TEP and the on Crimea and a new chief investigator for the Executive Committee Club Financial Control Body. meetings went off Aquilina D. The TEP meeting, one in a series that has smoothly, demonstrating made a tangible difference to UEFA’s member UEFA’s efforts to operate The UEFA Executive Committee LFF

UEFA •direct | 11.15 | 19 Member associations

Moldova www.fmf.md

Moldova Government Cup organisers also awarded prizes to the Vasile Alecsandri school from Balti won the best players of the 10th Moldova Government Cup for Under-14 tournament, namely teams. In the final, which was played at the Gheorghe Soltan of national team technical centre in Vadul lui Măgădăcești (best Voda, Vasile Alecsandri beat Universum from goalkeeper), Dan Sarata Galbena 4-0. In the match for third Dumbrăveanu from place, Măgădăcești school beat the school from Vasile Alecsandri (best from Fundurii Vechi 5-4 on penalties. In all, defender), Dorin Sîrbu the competition brought together 13,000 of Fundurii Vechi youngsters and over 9,000 teams. The annual (best midfielder) and Moldova Government Cup is organised by the Universum’s Vlad ministry of youth and sports, the ministry of Blănuță (best forward). education, the ministry of health, the ministry Previously the

of internal affairs and competition has been FMF of Moldova (FMF). won by Lopatnic The awards ceremony was attended by school in 2006 and Vasile Alecsandri school, 2015 Government Cup champions Dragoș Hîncu, deputy minister of youth and 2008, Minerva school sports, Nicolae Cebotari, general secretary of from Chisinau in 2007, Mihai Eminescu school this year’s winners Vasile Alecsandri from Balti in the FMF, and other officials. They presented the from Edinet in 2009, Congaz school in 2010, 2012, Negureni school in 2013 and Drochia’s participants with medals, trophies and gifts. The Hyperion school from Gura Galbenei in 2011, Mihai Eminescu school in 2014. l Press Office

Northern Ireland Romania www.irishfa.com www.frf.ro

Let Them Play strategy A strategic plan for grassroots bolstering the future of Romanian football and a society that is more involved, healthier and The Irish Football Association’s first-ever Together We are Football is the biggest project more aware of the benefits of sport and youth football strategy has been given the seal ever launched by the Romanian Football Fede- competition,” the FRF president, Răzvan of approval by UEFA. ration (FRF) and it is dedicated exclusively to Burleanu, said. UEFA welcomed the Let Them Play strategy, developing Romania’s grassroots. Starting this Together We are Football includes national which will shape how youth football develops autumn, the FRF is implementing no fewer than Olympic tournaments for primary schools, and grows in Northern Ireland between now 11 integrated sub-projects, all at national level, middle schools, high schools and universities, and 2025. Around 50,000 young people including competitions and scouting activities. and seven-a-side Unified Football, where each already play the game across Northern Ireland, Such a big, important project needed a special team is composed of four players with learning but one of the key objectives of Let Them Play launch, which took place on 29 September difficulties and three without. This is just a is to increase youth football participation rates at one of Romania’s most important cultural taster of the wide range of competitions to 75,000 by 2020 and 100,000 by 2025. establishments, the national theatre in Bucharest. envisaged. Together We are Football is the concept that The project launch was attended by special underpins a strategic programme of unified guest Jesper Møller, president of the Danish activities designed to develop Romanian Football Association (DBU), because it coincided football’s grassroots, the main aim being to with the signing of a five-year partnership reconfigure football as a social phenomenon between the FRF and the DBU – a partnership among Romanians, both in towns and cities founded on the values of respect for diversity, (large and small) and in the countryside. human rights and the rule of law, equality of Obviously, the FRF can only do so much alone the sexes and sexuality, the rights of minorities, and it has therefore entered into partnerships solidarity and good governance. with central and local authorities, as well as With this new partnership, the two with businesses. The long-term objectives associations will organise a number of joint are two-fold: on the one hand, significantly football events at different levels, although increasing the number of people who play the main focus is on the grassroots, and they football in Romania and identifying talented will exchange knowledge in various areas of young players who could become the the game. professionals of tomorrow, and on the other, l Paul Zaharia transforming football into an instrument of social inclusion IFA and mobility, improving Michael O’Neill with some young hopefuls overall levels of physical at the launch of the Let Them Play strategy activity and contributing to people’s individual Through the initiative, the Irish FA will work development through with a range of partners to empower boys and the values of sport. girls to develop a lifelong love of the game, not “This is the best way to only creating talented players who could one return to what football is day play for Northern Ireland but also helping really about: the joy and the to nurture positive citizens who can contribute emotions of the game. We to society. can save the present by Northern Ireland manager Michael O’Neill said: “This is the first time the Irish FA has developed a comprehensive youth football Grassroots football strategy and we look forward to sharing our development gets a fitting FRF new plans with the world.” l Nigel Tilson boost at the national theatre

20 | UEFA •direct | 11.15 San Marino www.fsgc.sm

A demanding project and hard Analysis of the goals scored during the work are behind futsal’s growth preliminary round shows that they were all the result of pieces that had been rehearsed again Our national futsal team’s adventure in and again: in short, the hard work paid off. Uddevalla, Sweden, came to an end recently. After the last match, a 3-0 loss to Montenegro, They had been playing in the preliminary round the 11-0 defeat at the hands of the same of the Futsal World Cup. The results were not opponents (in Nice on 24 January 2013) bad: although the blues and whites did not get seemed a distant memory. San Marino showed any points and conceded 14 goals, they scored that hard work, attention to the smallest details a solid 5. and a team united as never before can reduce But it is not the number of goals for or the gap between big and small teams, and against that makes us optimistic about the FSGC even bridge it completely once in a while. team’s development: it is their attacking play The national futsal team On the basis of this analysis, we can say in each match, the team’s general fitness levels that we really grew in Sweden, even in the and the ever-reducing number of opportunities tournaments. Throughout this period the third and final match – in which San Marino given to the opponent. players devoted themselves to intense weekly has traditionally experienced a dramatic drop It is not by chance that these improvements training sessions with their professional in performance, especially on a physical level, have been made: the San Marino Football coaching staff: applying the club model to the which has often led to heavy defeats. In Federation is committed to developing futsal, national team. This hard work from everyone Uddevalla the San Marino futsal team therefore and worked hard from as early as April to just involved also enabled the team to play friendly showed themselves to be ripe and ready for this before the matches in Sweden in order to matches against top teams from the biggest level of competition. produce players who are ready to play in big championships in Italy. l Matteo Rossi

Scotland www.scottishfa.co.uk

Commemoration at the Szöllősi took part in a discussion Scottish Football Museum on the Hungarian legend with Scottish commentator Archie A plaque has been unveiled at the Scottish MacPherson and journalist Hugh Football Museum commemorating one of the MacDonald at the Scottish Football greatest European Cup finals of all time. Museum. “It’s a great honour to Over 100,000 people watched Real Madrid visit Hampden, where Puskás CF beat Eintracht Frankfurt 7-3 in the 1959/60 enjoyed one of his greatest ever European Cup final at Hampden Park. Madrid games,” the author said. striker Ferenc Puskás became the first player to Sir , who wrote the score four times in a European final that day – book’s foreword, added: “I was a a record that still stands. The match is regarded player at Queen’s Park and was able by some as the greatest football match of the to get a ticket to witness the greatest 20th century. final of all time. I was fortunate to The unveiling was also marked by the launch have seen [Puskás] play. He was of an authorised biography of Puskás, written without question one of the greatest Scottish FA by György Szöllősi, co-founder of the FIFA players of all time.” The new plaque at the Scottish Football Museum, in honour Puskás Award for goal of the year. l David Childs of Ferenc Puskás

Slovakia www.futbalsfz.sk

Historic qualification for EURO 2016 12 October 2015 is a day every Slovak football fan will remember for a very long time. With a win against Luxembourg, Slovakia qualified for a EURO for the first time in modern history, having featured in football annals since 1 January 1994. Sixth time lucky! We fell by the wayside in the qualifying stages Celebrating a for the tournaments in 1996, 2000, 2004, 2008 historic qualification and 2012, but after competing in the 2010 for EURO 2016 World Cup in South Africa (until the round of 16), this football-loving country at the heart of Europe has finally lived to see our team qualify for the finals of a . SFZ In qualifying we secured victory over every opponent, including Spain and Ukraine. in the starting line-up) helped Czechoslovakia to EURO 2016 will mark the 40th anniversary of Ján Kozák’s team, which features Martin Škrtel the title of European Champions in 1976, beating that victory. (captain), Marek Hamšík, , Peter West Germany in the final. This is still considered It is not only with the senior team that we Pekarík, Róbert Mak and Vladimír Weiss, are a significant success in Czechoslovakian football have had a very successful autumn: the U21s, following in the footsteps of their successful history. There were 12 Slovak players on the led by Pavel Hapal, also won the internationally predecessors. Nine Slovak players (eight of them roster and one of the coaches was Jozef Vengloš. recognised Challenge Cup. l Peter Surin

UEFA •direct | 11.15 | 21 Member associations

Switzerland www.football.ch

It all begins with the girls’ play was high,” says Walter regional teams Späni, one of the Swiss Football Association’s youth coaches – For more than ten years now, women’s someone who knows what he football has been booming in Switzerland. is talking about. Swiss women’s teams have consistently enjoyed Since 2010/11, each regional success at Under-17, Under-19 and Under-20 association has had the option level in recent years, and this year the senior of forming a regional team at team qualified for the Women’s World Cup for Under-13 and Under-15 level. the first time. With Switzerland also reaching The Swiss FA hopes that this SFV the final of the European Women’s Under-17 will help to achieve objectives Concerted efforts at regional level are paying off at all levels Championship in 2015, the rise of Switzerland’s at three different levels. It will of the women’s game women’s teams appears unstoppable. give the national association an The senior team have made another successful overview of the quality of girls’ football at club The main beneficiaries, though, should be start to their qualifying campaign for Women’s and regional level, and those regional teams will the players themselves. For them, selection EURO 2017, with their recent successes anything be used to preselect players for the training for the regional team is the first step in their but a coincidence. centre in Biel/Bienne and the Under-16 national careers, and the opportunity to compare The Credit Suisse Football Academy (which team. It also gives the regional associations an themselves with other talented players (at was initially established in Huttwil but has since opportunity to see the quality of the work being both regional and inter-regional level) should moved to Biel/Bienne) has played a pivotal role done at club level, which means that the motivate them to try even harder. They will also in Switzerland’s success, but it actually all begins development of women’s football in the region benefit from the additional high-quality training at an even lower level, in the regional Under-13 in question can be supported in a more sessions and the high standard of matches. and Under-15 teams, which form the basis for targeted manner. l Pierre Benoit the national Under-16 team. “That is where the players are screened and selected. We were very impressed by what we saw; the quality of Ukraine www.ffu.org.ua

Turkey “This is an important event for the whole www.tff.org New stadium in Vyshneve of Ukrainian football,” said the FFU president, 18 October was a day of great celebration for Andriy Pavelko, as the FFU opened the modern Unforgettable day for Vyshneve in the Kyiv region, where the Football football stadium with its artificial pitch. “Thanks visually impaired team Federation of Ukraine (FFU) opened a new to the UEFA HatTrick development programme, stadium in partnership with the local authorities. we will soon be building another stadium in the The Turkish visually impaired national team, The stadium construction was made possible Cherkasy region and the first steps have been who are supported by the Turkish Football by grants from the UEFA HatTrick programme. taken in the construction of the Ivano-Frankivsk Federation (TFF), the Turkish Blind Sports Federa- ground. I am confident that we will raise tion and sponsors Turkcell, won the 2015 IBSA Ukrainian grassroots football to a higher level, Blind Football European Championships when and be able to implement all UEFA development they beat Russia 1-0 in the final on 29 August. projects in this country.” In celebration, they experienced an During the opening ceremony, the FFU unforgettable day on 6 September, when the president gave the mayor of Vyshneve a TFF organised for them to attend Turkey’s national team shirt with the number 12 on European Qualifiers match against the the back. Netherlands in Konya, Turkey, which the home To inaugurate the pitch, the new stadium then hosted amateur teams FC Chayka and team won 3-0. Before kick-off, the other Kubanov P. supporters applauded the visually impaired Dinaz Vyshhorod in the Kyiv region’s Super Cup. The inauguration of the new stadium in Vyshneve l Yuri Maznychenko

Wales www.faw.org.uk

Welsh clubs support fortnight we live, whatever our connection to the game of anti-racism action and whatever our background. Support from Welsh clubs has helped Show Football clubs in Wales lent their support to Racism the Red Card further its work in Wales. Show Racism the Red Card during a fortnight Last season the charity worked with over of action at the end of October. 20,000 young people and held 28 educational Show Racism the Red Card is the UK’s events at stadiums across the country, with leading anti-racism educational charity. The support from professional players. Once again, TFF organisation uses the high-profile status of this season the charity will be taking educational A dedicated commentary service for the special guests football and football players to help tackle events to all Welsh Premier League clubs. racism in society, delivering educational l Rob Dowling team on their great success as they entered the workshops to young people and adults in stadium. They then followed the match with schools, in workplaces and at events in stadiums. the help of a dedicated audio commentary just The fortnight of action forms part of the for them by one of Turkey’s most famous sports FARE Football People action weeks and is commentators, Yalçın Çetin. They were thus supported by the Football Association of Wales. able to celebrate the national A team’s three This year’s fortnight of action saw 56 clubs and goals and historic success in beating the over 1,000 players across eight leagues unite Netherlands for the first time in 18 years. to challenge discrimination and celebrate the FAW l Aydın Güvenir contribution we all make to football, wherever Bala Town and Newton show racism the red card

22 | UEFA •direct | 11.15 Birthdays, calendar, notices

birthdays John Ferry (Northern Ireland, 1 Dec.) 60th Bobby Barnes (England, 17 Dec.) Guy Goethals (Belgium, 26 Dec.) Sergei Roumas (Belarus, 1 Dec.) Michael Riley (England, 17 Dec.) Servet Yardımcı (Turkey, 26 Dec.) David Griffiths (Wales, 2 Dec.) 70th Artan Hajdari (Albania, 17 Dec.) Rudolf Repka (Czech Republic, 26 Dec.) Charles Agius (Malta, 2 Dec.) Guntis Indriksons (Latvia, 18 Dec.) 60th Bernhard Heusler (Switzerland, 27 Dec.) Ligita Ziedone (Latvia, 2 Dec.) Niklas à Lidarenda (Faroe Islands, Nils Fisketjonn (Norway, 27 Dec.) Sean Dipple (England, 3 Dec.) 18 Dec.) 60th Dušan Tittel (Slovakia, 27 Dec.) Juan Antonio Fernández Marín (Spain, Rainer Koch (Germany, 18 Dec.) Krisztina Varga (Hungary, 27 Dec.) 3 Dec.) Jacco Swart (Netherlands, 18 Dec.) Bernard Carrel (Switzerland, 28 Dec.) Gylfi Thor Orrason (Iceland, 3 Dec.) Patrick Filipek (Czech Republic, 18 Dec.) Martial Saugy (Switzerland, 28 Dec.) Josipa Flam (Croatia, 3 Dec.) Jean Fournet-Fayard (France, 19 Dec.) Otakar Mestek (Czech Republic, 28 Dec.) Janusz Basałaj (Poland, 4 Dec.) Lúðvík S. Georgsson (Iceland, 19 Dec.) Evangelos Mazarakis (Greece, 29 Dec.) Miroslav Liba (Czech Republic, 4 Dec.) Harri Talonen (Finland, 19 Dec.) Anders Solheim (Norway, 29 Dec.) Ioannis Farfarellis (Greece, 4 Dec.) David Casserly (Republic of Ireland, Dagmar Damková (Czech Republic, Ján Kováčik (Slovakia, 4 Dec.) 19 Dec.) 29 Dec.) Georg Lüchinger (Liechtenstein, 4 Dec.) José Nebot (Spain, 20 Dec.) 40th Hans-Hubert Vogts (Germany, 30 Dec.) 50th Edgars Pukinsks (Latvia, 20 Dec.) Wolfgang Thierrichter (Austria, 30 Dec.) Desislava Ralkova (Bulgaria, 4 Dec.) William Young (Scotland, 21 Dec.) 60th Matthew Crocker (England, 30 Dec.) Maurizio Montironi (San Marino, 5 Dec.) Bjarne Berntsen (Norway, 21 Dec.) Horst Brummeier (Austria, 31 Dec.) 70th Christiaan Timmermans (Belgium, Henrique Jones (Portugal, 22 Dec.) Christian Moroge (Switzerland, 31 Dec.) 6 Dec.) Olzhas Abrayev (Kazakhstan, 22 Dec.) David Findlay (Scotland, 31 Dec.) Heather Rabbatts (England, 6 Dec.) 60th Josef Geisler (Austria, 23 Dec.) Jens Larsen (Denmark, 31 Dec.) António Manuel Almeida Costa Pia Hess-Bolkovac (Germany, 23 Dec.) Liene Kozlovska (Latvia, 31 Dec.) (Portugal, 6 Dec.) László Vágner (Hungary, 24 Dec.) 60th Stilian Shishkov (Bulgaria, 6 Dec.) Irina Mirt (Romania, 24 Dec.) Andrea Agnelli (Italy, 6 Dec.) 40th Noël Le Graët (France, 25 Dec.) Andreas Akkelides (Cyprus, 7 Dec.) Patriţiu Abrudan (Romania, 25 Dec.) notice

Raymond Ellingham (Wales, 7 Dec.) Laura Montgomery (Scotland, 25 Dec.) l On October, David Mujiri replaced Johan van Geijn (Netherlands, 7 Dec.) 40th Revaz Arveladze as general secretary Raili Ellermaa (Estonia, 7 Dec.) Nikola Mužíková (Czech Republic, of the Georgian Football Federation. Andrea Manzella (Italy, 8 Dec.) 25 Dec.) Michel D’Hooghe (Belgium, 8 Dec.) 70th Vitaly Mutko (Russia, 8 Dec.) Konstantin Sonin (Russia, 8 Dec.) 50th Les Reed (England, 9 Dec.) Dušan Bajević (Bosnia & Herzegovina, 10 Dec.) Forthcoming events Leif Lindberg (Sweden, 10 Dec.) Christian Andreasen (Faroe Islands, Meetings Competitions 10 Dec.) 2 December, Nyon 8/9 December Alain Hamer (Luxembourg, 10 Dec.) Youth and Amateur Football Committee UEFA Champions League: 50th Marketing Advisory Committee group matches (matchday 6) Trefor Lloyd Hughes (Wales, 11 Dec.) Avi Levi (Israel, 11 Dec.) 3 December, Nyon 10 December Ilcho Gjorgjioski (FYR Macedonia, European U19 and U17 Championships: UEFA Europa League: 11 Dec.) draws for the 2015/16 elite rounds and group matches (matchday 6) Alvaro Albino (Portugal, 12 Dec.) 60th for the 2016/17 qualifying rounds Fiona May (Italy, 12 Dec.) 10–13 December Kaj Natri (Finland, 13 Dec.) 11 December, Paris European qualifying competition Stefan Messner (Austria, 13 Dec.) Executive Committee for the 2016 Futsal World Cup: Antonio Mortagua (Portugal, 14 Dec.) main round 12 December, Paris Bülent Konuk (Germany, 14 Dec.) EURO 2016: final draw 10–20 December, Japan Ged Poynton (England, 15 Dec.) Club World Cup Helmut Sandrock (Germany, 15 Dec.) 14 December, Nyon Dušan Svoboda (Czech Republic, UEFA Champions League: 15 Dec.) draw for the round of 16 Steve Stride (England, 16 Dec.) UEFA Europa League: FAW Karel Vertongen (Belgium, 17 Dec.) draws for the rounds of 32 and 16

UEFA •direct | 11.15 | 23