ROME: Uefa president Aleksander Ceferin was on Thursday re-elected for a four-year term as head of European football’s governing body by acclamation.
The 51-year-old Slovenian lawyer was the only candidate going forward for election at the Uefa Congress in Rome.
Ceferin took over two and a half years ago after the corruption scandal that toppled his predecessor, Frenchman Michel Platini. “I am honoured,” said Ceferin, thanking members of Uefa’s 55 member associations for re-electing him, saying he was taking over with “fewer doubts and less scepticism than back then”.
“The most dangerous thing we can do is rest on our laurels and bask in our current situation,” he continued. “So, what’s going to happen now? That is the question many people were asking when I was elected two and a half years ago,” said Ceferin.
“It was a legitimate and pertinent question. A question that I asked myself, to be totally honest with you. It was a bit of a jump into the unknown.
Previously the head of the Slovenian Football Federation, Ceferin’s presidency has so far been marked by his discretion and a less charismatic approach than that of Platini.
The Frenchman is still suspended until October this year, when he will complete a four-year ban from all football-related activities following the corruption scandal that also brought down then-Fifa chief Sepp Blatter.
Ceferin promised to work closely with world football governing body Fifa. “With our unity restored, we will be a source of constructive ideas for Fifa, rather than one of opposition. And we expect the same attitude from Fifa.” — AFP
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