- Title: UEFA set September date for presidential election
- Date: 18th May 2016
- Summary: BASEL, SWITZERLAND (MAY 18, 2016) (REUTERS) UEFA INTERIM GENERAL SECRETARY THEODORE THEODORISIS ARRIVING FOR NEWS CONFERENCE / SITTING DOWN NEXT TO UEFA'S HEAD OF LEGAL AFFAIRS ALISTAIR BELL
- Embargoed: 2nd June 2016 13:13
- Keywords: UEFA Basel Executive Committee
- Location: BASEL, SWITZERLAND
- City: BASEL, SWITZERLAND
- Country: Switzerland
- Topics: Snooker,Sport
- Reuters ID: LVA0014IC4P4V
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: UEFA will hold an election in September to choose a replacement for its banned president Michel Platini, European soccer's governing body said on Wednesday (May 18).
UEFA's executive committee decided to hold the election at a special Congress in Athens, acting general secretary general Theodore Theodoridis told reporters.
The decision means that UEFA will not have a president during its showpiece European championship in France in June and July.
Dutch FA president Michael van Praag, who last year stood for the FIFA presidency before withdrawing from the contest, was reported by local media as planning to stand in the UEFA election.
Theodoridis hinted that van Praag may be in the running as, when asked by Dutch broadcaster NOS, he responded that somebody from their country was interested in the role.
Platini, a former French international regarded as one of the finest players of his generation, was one of the sport's most powerful figures until he was engulfed by the soccer scandal which has plagued sport's governing body FIFA.
The 60-year-old was banished along with former FIFA president Sepp Blatter over a payment of two million Swiss francs ($2.08 million) made to the Frenchman by FIFA with Blatter's approval in 2011 for work done a decade earlier.
However, UEFA said they were still seeking clarification from FIFA as to whether the former France captain could attend the European Championships in his home country.
"We prefer to know what are our rights as we don't want to violate any FIFA rule and, as your colleague said, perhaps we might wish to invite him because don't forget he was the first scorer of this tournament, the first scorer in tournament history. But for us we have to clarify exactly what are our rights and what we can do and what we cannot do. We are not here to violate any decision or any regulations of FIFA," said Theodoridis.
Theodoridis also addressed the issue of Kosovo who, along with Gibraltar, have been accepted as FIFA members.
FIFA has already said that both teams will be able to take part in the 2018 World Cup qualifying competition which starts in September.
But Theodoridis mentioned that there may be certain teams, including Serbia, who will not be allowed to face Kosovo for security reasons.
It was not immediately clear whether Kosovar players who have already played for another national team would be allowed to switch nationalities.
FIFA rules do not allow players to change allegiance but there have been calls to make an exception for Kosovo, which could have a big impact on Switzerland and Albania who both have contingents of players with Kosovar roots.
UEFA's head of legal affairs Alistair Bell said they were seeking clarification from FIFA on this issue. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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