UEFA director quits over Ceferin rule change that is "beyond comprehension"

25 January 2024 , 12:23

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Aleksander Ceferin is seeking a fourth term as president (Image: AP)

UEFA's technical director Zvonimir Boban has quit over Aleksander Ceferin's efforts to extend his stay at president.

Ceferin was elected to the top of Europe's governing body in 2016, replacing the disgraced Michel Platini. One of the reforms he put in place was a three-term limit for all appointments, but he's now looking to tweak the rule which would allow him to remain in power until 2031.

The Slovenian is due to leave his post in 2027 but plans are being put in place to keep him in his role, which Boban has claimed is "beyond comprehension". Ceferin was unopposed when he was re-elected last year.

The proposed change would mean that any appointment before 2017 - a year after Ceferin came into the fold - would not be counted as part of the three terms which each executive is allowed to serve. Despite opposition the move is due to be green lighted at next month's congress in Paris.

Former Manchester United chief executive David Gill is among those to speak out against the move, doing so at a recent executive committee meeting. He insisted that such a change would be a bad look for UEFA, who have had to rebuild their reputation after a difficult period under Platini.

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Boban, a former Croatian international has said on the decision and his subsequent departure: "Despite having expressed my deepest concern and total disapproval, the Uefa president does not consider there to be any legal issues with the proposed changes, let alone any moral or ethical ones, and he intends to move forward regardless in pursuit of his personal aspirations.

"Ironically, it was the Uefa president himself that proposed and launched a set of reforms in 2017 which were introduced to prevent such a possibility. These rules were designed to protect Uefa and European football from the 'bad governance' which for years had unfortunately been the 'modus operandi' of what is often referred to as the 'old system' of football governance.

Zvonimir Boban has quit his role with UEFA

"The reforms were to football's great credit, and that of the Uefa president. His shift away from these values is beyond comprehension."

He also added: "During the past three years, my relationship and collaboration with the Uefa president, and all my colleagues at Uefa, has been excellent. I am thankful for this, and I wish them all the best. It is with sorrow, and a heavy heart, I have no option but to leave Uefa."

Samuel Meade