Rome, Aug. 1 (LaPresse) – “UEFA welcomes FIFA’s decision to withdraw its plan to sell a stake in its competitions, including the World Cup, to private investors. The proposal was unanimously rejected by UEFA’s national associations and by many other federations and confederations of all sizes around the world, whose task is to protect football.” UEFA said this in a statement following FIFA’s U-turn on the project, which envisaged the sale of an approximately 20% stake to private investors. “UEFA thanks all the fans, leagues, clubs, players, individuals, associations and confederations that opposed the project, together with the many Prime Ministers, Heads of State and commentators who showed the FIFA President that football is not for sale. We cannot continue like this with secret plans, drawn up at great speed by faceless individuals and of questionable benefit to the game. We must identify those responsible and hold them accountable,” it added. “It is right that, in the coming days and weeks, UEFA works with its associations and in close cooperation with the other confederations to reflect on how this could have happened and to develop a plan that ensures it does not happen again. This review must be thorough and radical. No option must be excluded,” it continued.
Soccer, UEFA: “FIFA project withdrawal welcome, no secret plans”
Rome, Aug. 1 (LaPresse) – “UEFA welcomes FIFA’s decision to withdraw its plan to sell a stake in its competitions, including the World Cup, to private investors. The proposal was unanimously rejected by UEFA’s national associations and by many other federations and confederations of all sizes around the world, whose task is to protect football.” UEFA said this in a statement following FIFA’s U-turn on the project, which envisaged the sale of an approximately 20% stake to private investors. “UEFA thanks all the fans, leagues, clubs, players, individuals, associations and confederations that opposed the project, together with the many Prime Ministers, Heads of State and commentators who showed the FIFA President that football is not for sale. We cannot continue like this with secret plans, drawn up at great speed by faceless individuals and of questionable benefit to the game. We must identify those responsible and hold them accountable,” it added. “It is right that, in the coming days and weeks, UEFA works with its associations and in close cooperation with the other confederations to reflect on how this could have happened and to develop a plan that ensures it does not happen again. This review must be thorough and radical. No option must be excluded,” it continued.
