Brussels, 15/06/2011 (Agence Europe) - On Tuesday 14 June in Brussels, UEFA (Union of European Football Associations) president Michel Platini met the president of the European Commission, José Manuel Barroso, as part of the structured dialogue between the European Commission and sports organisations. Barroso and Platini discussed three subjects: financial fairplay, the fight against match-fixing and the importance of national teams.
In these tough economic times Platini and Barroso took the opportunity to discuss European football finance, which struck a common chord. Barroso was very supportive of UEFA's new Financial Fair Play regulations, which introduce a more sensible approach to football clubs' spending. The new rules are being phased in over three years from 2010 to 2012. Another issue Platini and Barroso discussed was match-fixing and the integrity of sport, a very timely issue in general and where both agreed the support of national governments was crucial. Barroso agreed that national teams reflect the fundamental ideas of the EU and that their protection is essential for developing a healthy European football system. At the end of his meeting with the president of the European Commission, Platini stated: “I am very happy to continue our excellent working relations with the EU institutions and the European Commission in my second term. We have come a long way since the Bosman days, and UEFA, and I personally, are committed to continuing our fruitful co-operation and working on issues of common interest”.
In the general context of the meeting, the president of UEFA was asked about the current scandal in Italian football. He said that he was satisfied to see the seriousness with which the national and international authorities were tackling the matter and how they had gained an insight into what actually occurred. He said that it was better late than never that they had learnt about what had gone on. According to Platini, UEFA is doing all that it can to stamp out corruption, particularly by investing millions into developing an alarm system. So far, it is the police and legal authorities that have to do their job, explained Platini. Five years after the notorious Calciopoli case that shook up Italian football, a new corruption scandal has led to the arrest on 1st June of 16 people, including Beppe Signori, the former captain of Lazio and forward in their national team. The suspects are accused of corruption and illegal gaming. (I.L./transl.fl)
European Parliament adopts written declaration on combating corruption in sport
The European Parliament has adopted a written declaration on how to support the fight against corruption in sport. It was drafted on the initiative of EPP MEPs Georgios Papastamkos (Greece), Tadeusz Zwiefka (Poland) and Gay Mitchell (Ireland). The declaration received the signatures of 399 MEPs.
The written declaration calls on the European Commission and the member states specifically to highlight links between organised crime activity and legal and illegal betting, sport agents, referees, club officials and sportsmen and women, that aim to fix the results of European sports matches in advance. The Commission is called on to regulate online betting in the interests of the integrity and sustainable development of sport, through licensed operators, specific measures to combat match fixing and ensuring a fair return to grass-roots sport through the recognition of a “betting right” to sports competition organisers. Papastamkos stated: “The EU does not only have the right but it is obliged to take decisive measures to the benefit of the social, educational and cultural character of sport”. Zwiefka said: “Match-fixing and illegal betting kill the spirit of sport. If spectators do not have the feeling that the game or any other sport event is based on true and fair competition, the game itself is of no value, causes no emotion and is nothing more than a dirty business.” Pointing out that sport is a major source of income but which also attracts the rapacious eye of organised crime, Mitchell affirmed: “This written declaration demonstrates the political will for anti-corruption measures”. (I.L./transl.fl)