The Eight UEFA Cup Groups Four Years of Club Licensing
11. 0 7 Including The eight UEFA Cup groups 03 Four years of club licensing 06 Coach education directors meet in London 11 Germany win the Women’s World Cup 14 No 58 – Février 2007 67 November Message Photos: UEFA-pjwoods.ch of the president Sporting competition and economic competition Under the pretext of moving with the times, is it necessary to draw a line under the past and its traditions and values? I don't think so; in fact, I am convinced that, in sport, we need to preserve the European model, with all the characteristics that distinguish it from sport as a business. More than ever before, sport is an important social factor, an incomparable tool for integration and an unrivalled conveyor of examples of fair play, team spirit, effort and solidarity. However, sport had to wait for the Nice Declaration before any mention was made of its specificity. And, since huge amounts of money are generated at the top of its pyramid structure, it is subject to laws designed for the economy and, when disputes arise, to the courts, just like any other economic activity. This situation may suit the most affluent, inasmuch as it enables them, through their financial resources, to protect a privileged position that should be based on sporting results alone. But sporting competition is not the same as economic competition. For a football club, the priority is not to increase its market share, but to win titles and IN THIS ISSUE trophies. Purely economic rules cannot therefore be applied, which is something we have been saying for years now.
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