Platini to seek second term as UEFA president

EUROPEAN NEWS

Michel Platini has confirmed he is to seek a second term as UEFA president next year.



Michel Platini has confirmed that he plans to stay on as UEFA president

Platini, who defeated Lennart Johansson in the elections for the role in January 2007, told the XXXIV Ordinary UEFA Congress in Tel Aviv that he is eager to continue his work.

"I am a happy man, a happy president and happy to work with you," he said. "There is more work to do in the future so I am happy to announce to you that I am a candidate for re-election to the presidency of UEFA."

It had been suggested that Platini may stand for FIFA president, but he has confirmed that he remains committed to seeing through the four major challenges he had identified at the previous year's congress in Copenhagen.

He had indicated a willingness to ensure that Euro 2012 takes place in Poland and the Ukraine, ensure there is 'financial fair play' in the sport, to halt the traffic of minors and stamp out illegal betting fraud.

Many of Europe's top clubs will be affected by changes demanding financial fair play, which would have ramifications for many Champions League and Europa League sides from 2012.

"I told you, word for word, that in this area we will act because it is a question of ethics, a question of credibility and even a question of survival for our sport," Platini told the congress. "I can tell you today that we have acted.

"We have acted because, since Copenhagen, all the families of football, without exception, have approved our concept and the principles of financial fair play. Principles that are supported and encouraged by the institutions of the European Union.

"A Uefa Club Financial Control Panel has been set up, involving some of the top European experts on these issues ... It is now established that, from the 2012-13 season, clubs participating in European competitions will have to follow a simple but demanding rule: they will not be allowed to spend more than they earn.

"Today, thanks to this set of decisions on financial fair play, and especially in view of the reaction of all members of the football family to these measures, it is clear that football has matured."