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The Football Association (FA) was the only footballing governing body to vote against a controversial reform from the UEFA President, Aleksander Ceferin, which will allow him to run for an unprecedented fourth term. All 55 UEFA member states voted on the statutory change, which saw the majority of them holding up a green card in support of Aleksander Ceferin.
The statutory change of extending the term limit of Aleksander Ceferin was bundled into a wider reform package, which also included the increase of women on UEFA’s Executive committee and the clarification over the European Super League. It saw England, Norway, and Iceland vote against the bundling of the reforms, while Ukraine abstained from voting.
Since the decision was taken to vote for reform as a package, the Chief Executive of FA, Mark Bullingham was the sole delegate to hold up a red card rejecting the term limit amendment as a matter of principle, but not directly in opposition to Aleksander Ceferin himself. Ultimately, the motion was passed in a bundle with 49 of the 55 UEFA member states holding up a green card in support.
The term limit amendment will allow Aleksander Ceferin to hold the UEFA presidency longer than the previously permitted 12-year tenure.
Aleksander Ceferin to not run for UEFA presidency
But shortly after the voting ended at the UEFA Congress in Paris on Thursday, February 8, Aleksander Ceferin ruled out a further term after his current tenure runs out in 2027. He was quoted as saying in a press conference, as per the Guardian, “I decided six months ago that I would not run anymore. The reason is that after some time every organisation needs fresh blood, but mainly because I was away from my family for seven years now.”
“I intentionally didn’t want to disclose my thoughts before, because firstly, I wanted to see the real face of some people and I saw it. I have a beautiful life in football, I have a beautiful life outside of football as well,” he added.
