WE CARE ABOUT FOOTBALL No. 124 | December 2012 In ThIs Issue Official publication of the ThE AdvAntagEs OF AddITIOnAL Union des associations AssIstanT REFEREEs 4 européennes de football Representatives from all UEFA member associations were invited to Nyon, Switzerland, for a workshop to explain the benefits of using additional assistant referees. Chief editor: André Vieli UEFA Produced by: Atema Communication SA, CH-1196 Gland UEFA ExecutivE COmmittee meets Printing: In LausAnnE 5 Artgraphic Cavin SA, CH-1422 Grandson The UEFA Executive Committee held its fifth and Editorial deadline: last meeting of 2012 in Lausanne in December, chaired by the UEFA President, Michel Platini. 7 December 2012 UEFA The views expressed in signed articles are not necessarily the official views of UEFA. Artificial pITChEs ALL across FInLAnd 6 The reproduction of articles With the help of the UEFA HatTrick programme, the Finnish published in UEFA·direct is authorised, provided the FA launched a vast programme to build artificial pitches, which source is indicated. are a major asset for the development of football in Finland. Kai Jäderholm sOLIdARITy pAymEnTs for 183 clubs 10 Through solidarity payments, UEFA Champions League revenues also go to the clubs eliminated in the qualifying stages of the UEFA club competitions. This year, 183 clubs shared more than €38m. PA Wire/PA Images Wire/PA PA Cover: nEWs from mEmBER Associations 14 Favourites to progress from their group when the draw was made, title holders Chelsea FC and former European champions Juventus had to wait until the final matchday of the group stages to find out which of them would qualify. In the end, it was the Italian side that made it through. Photo: Getty Images 2 | UEFA •direct | 12.12 Editorial UEFA UEFA A big year for womEn’s football In the coming year, women’s football will programme of annual incentive solidarity pay- occupy some key dates in the European football ments – in itself represents a substantial invest- calendar. ment totalling €21.2m over the next four years. The UEFA Women’s EURO 2013 is being This investment should deliver UEFA’s objective staged in Sweden in July, two months after the of supporting every member association through most important women’s club competition fix- its women’s football development strategy so ture – the 2012/13 UEFA Women’s Champions that, from the grassroots level up, all girls get the League final on Thursday 23 May at Stamford chance to play football locally. Bridge in London. Although the capacity of Chelsea FC’s stadium means that the record Moreover, the UEFA Executive Committee attendance of last year’s final (50,212) cannot be decided in March 2011 to ensure that a woman equalled or exceeded, UEFA is aware that overall, was included among its ranks, and this has been the competition is appealing to a growing audi- another milestone in sending a clear political mes- ence across Europe. sage about UEFA’s stand on women’s football. UEFA’s lead in changing its approach towards foot- Apart from these two highlights, UEFA women’s ball’s governance is having a positive effect across football development tournaments will also be the game, as the number of women in leadership taking place in spring and summer 2013. These positions rises. The number of women on UEFA tournaments, which started in 2012, are now committees has also climbed significantly, stand- open to all UEFA member associations, offering ing at 22 in all for the 2011-15 period – an national women’s Under-16 and Under-17 teams increase of 47% compared with 2009-11. the opportunity to enhance their skills in compe- titive international matches. In turn, this will raise Such changes can only be good for the future the level of UEFA’s women's national team com- of football from everyone’s perspective. petitions, beginning with the UEFA European Women’s Under-17 Championship, which, for its 2013/14 edition, will have a final tournament held elsewhere than Nyon for the first time – with England hosting the expanded eight-team event in November/December 2013. Gianni Infantino These are not token gestures on behalf of UEFA General Secretary women’s football, but important additions to an expanding annual calendar aimed at strengthen- ing Europe’s footballing elite. UEFA recognises its responsibility to promote the women’s game. The UEFA women’s football development pro- gramme – which forms part of UEFA’s HatTrick UEFA •direct | 12.12 | 3 Refereeing The benefiTs of addiTional assisTanT RefeRees The additional assistant referee (AAR) system is proving its value after being incorporated into the laws of the Game this summer. The system is being used in the european club competitions and was successful at UEFA eURo 2012. UEFA explained the benefits of additional assistant referees to its 53 member associations at a workshop in nyon on 14 and 15 november. Senior referee managers from the associa- itive results of the system were clear to see. ”The tions were present at the House of European main goal is for additional assistant referees Football for an in-depth review and analysis of to give support when a decision has to be taken the system, in which the referee, two assistants – particularly inside the penalty area, where and fourth official are joined by two additional a decision can affect the result of a match,” he assistant referees positioned alongside each goal explained. line, with the particular brief to watch for inci- ”What we have seen over some 1,200 matches dents in the penalty area and help the match since 2008 is a better [refereeing] control of the referee in taking decisions. match,” he added. ”There has been a reduction in incidents – particularly at set pieces such as corners and free-kicks – better con- trol of the goal line and higher accuracy in terms of decisions taken by the assis- tant referees. These goals have been achieved thanks to additional assistant refe- rees.” Information on DVD UEFA has also produced a DVD for its associations, which provides information on implementing the AAR system. Through key video examples – particularly those related to UEFA EURO 2012 matches, where audio com- munication among the refe- UEFA ree teams was recorded – Representatives of UEFA's member associations listen attentively to the explanations of UEFA's refereeing officers the DVD demonstrates the practical benefits on the pitch, and offers solutions Encouraging trial for utilising refereeing resources efficiently in Following permission from the International order to implement the system. At the workshop, Football Association Board (IFAB), the experi- UEFA’s referee fitness expert, Werner Helsen, also ment with additional assistant referees began at gave a practical presentation including training a European Under-19 Championship mini-tour- exercises for additional assistant referees both nament in Slovenia in October 2008, and initial on and off the field. feedback was very encouraging, especially in Collina emphasised that football’s evolution In Lausanne, terms of helping the match referee in his deci- over the past decade had helped create the need the Executive sion-making. The trial was eventually expanded for additional assistant referees. ”The biggest Committee ap- to the UEFA Europa League, UEFA Champions change in the last ten years has been speed,” he proved the use League and UEFA Super Cup, and finally, the reflected. ”With football getting even faster and of additional IFAB took the decision to include AARs within the players fitter, it seems that sometimes the assistant referees the Laws of the Game at its meeting in Zurich in men in black face a 'mission impossible',” he at next summer’s European July 2012. added. ”Two extra pairs of eyes focusing on the Under-21 Cham- penalty areas are of valuable assistance to the pionship final Better control referee, and strengthen the refereeing team in round in Israel. UEFA's chief refereeing officer, Pierluigi Collina, confidence and numbers, while allowing the told the association representatives that the pos- game to flow.” l 4 | UEFA •direct | 12.12 Executive Committee An APPEALING AND INNOvATIvE IdEA The UEFA Executive Committee held its fifth and final meeting of 2012 in Lausanne on 6 december. The UEFA president, michel platini, chaired the debates. Although it remains a long way off – and will be has been given the name UEFA Youth League. The preceded by UEFA EURO 2016, preparations for trophy for the winning team will be named after the which are progressing well – EURO 2020 has already UEFA honorary president, Lennart Johansson. attracted a high level of attention thanks to the innovative idea, suggested by Michel Platini in June, Congresses in Astana and Vienna of holding a EURO for Europe to be played in several Turning to other matters, the Executive Commit- major European cities, marking the 60th anniversary tee decided that the 2014 and 2015 UEFA Ordinary of the competition’s inaugural final tournament in Congresses would be held in Astana (Kazakhstan) an original way. The idea was discussed recently by and Vienna (Austria) respectively. The 2013 edition senior national association officials, particularly at will take place on 24 May in London, on the occa- meetings held as part of the Top Executive Pro- sion of the 150th anniversary of The Football Asso- gramme (TEP), and met with a generally very posi- ciation. tive response. In Lausanne, the Executive Committee The committee also discussed the FIFA Statutes therefore decided to turn the idea into a concrete revision process, a topic that will be covered at the project and to give the green light to the EURO for meeting of member association presidents and gen- Europe. Many questions will need to be addressed eral secretaries in Nyon on 24 January.