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Associated Press

Uefa has elected Aleksander Ceferin to succeed Michel Platini as president, replacing one of the greats of soccer with a largely unknown Slovenian lawyer to lead the European game.
The 48-year-old Ceferin will complete Platini’s four-year presidential term through until 2019, while the former France captain serves a four-term Fifa ban over an improper payment.
Ceferin, the head of the Slovenian federation and now the seventh president in the 62-year history of Uefa, beat current vice president Michael van Praag of the Netherlands 42-13 in the vote on Wednesday in Athens.
Ceferin’s immediate challenge is to heal the rifts in European soccer created by the secret deal to increase guaranteed Champions League places for clubs from the powerful leagues of England, Spain, Germany and Italy.

“My small and beautiful Slovenia is very proud about, it and I hope one day you will also be very proud of me,” Ceferin told Uefa delegates.
Ceferin, who has never served on Uefa’s executive committee, tackled his apparent lack of preparedness for the presidency head on in his prevote address.
“Some people may have said that I am not a leader, that I am too young and too inexperienced to become the next UEfa president,” said Ceferin, a father-of three from Ljubljana.
“It’s not because you repeat again and again, loud and clear ‘I am a leader’ that you are a leader. If you have to do it you are probably not a leader.”

Congratulations to Aleksander Čeferin
The new #UEFAPresident
Watch live https://t.co/2amOjMQwSs pic.twitter.com/sQIMxyaQtN
— UEFA (@UEFA) September 14, 2016

<![CDATA[// ><!]]>

Ceferin said combining running a law firm in Slovenia with leading the country’s soccer federation required him to be “creative, strong and inspiring.”
“You can say that I am young and experienced but I honestly think it disrespectful for all small and medium-sized federations who, 365 days a year, have to do more with less,” Ceferin said.
UEfa was forced to call the special election after Platini was banned by Fifa’s ethics judge last year for taking a payment of US$2 million from the global governing body in 2011.

Despite being banned from holding any position of power or involvement in soccer, Platini was allowed by Fifa’s ethics judge to address UEfa delegates on Wednesday as a “gesture of humanity.”
“Be assured that I have a clear conscience, that I’m convinced I did not make the slightest mistake, and that I’m continuing the legal battle,” Platini told an audience which included Fifa President Gianni Infantino.

“I want to thank everyone in this room who had the courage and loyalty to support me during the past months.”
Emerging from his Fifa-enforced exile, Platini used the platform in Athens to highlight his achievements since assuming the Uefa presidency in 2007 and issue advice to the next head of European soccer.
“Continue to balance sports realities and economic interests,” he said.

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Uefa

Leader of the pack: Uefa elects Aleksander Ceferin of Slovenia president to replace Michel Platini

Aleksander Ceferin. Photo: EPA

epa05538841 Former UEFA President Michel Platini delivers his speech during UEFA elections, at 12th Extraordinary UEFA Congress in Athens, Greece, 14 September 2016. Michel Platini has been given permission by Fifa's ethics committee to address the Uefa congress in Athens despite his four-year ban from all football-related activity. EPA/YANNIS KOLESIDIS

Former UEFA President Michel Platini delivers a speech during the opening of the 12th Extraordinary UEFA congress in Lagonissi, some 40 kilometers south of Athens, on September 14, 2016. Disgraced football leader Michel Platini said on September 14 in a farewell speech to UEFA that he felt no guilt over a $2 million payment from FIFA that has seen him suspended for four years. / AFP PHOTO / ARIS MESSINIS

epa05538883 President of the Football Association of Slovenia and candidate for the UEFA presidency Aleksander Ceferin (L) speaks before the elections of the new UEFA President, at 12th Extraordinary UEFA Congress in Athens, Greece, 14 September 2016. Michel Platini has been given permission by Fifa's ethics committee to address the Uefa congress in Athens despite his four-year ban from all football-related activity. EPA/YANNIS KOLESIDIS

Disgraced Uefa chief Michel Platini says Fifa appeal rejection is ‘insulting and shameful’

Uefa chief Michel Platini has railed against the imposing of a six-year ban which has ended his hopes of becoming Fifa president. Photo: AFP

Combination file photograph of FIFA President Sepp Blatter addressing a news conference at the FIFA headquarters in Zurich, Switzerland June 2, 2015 and UEFA President Michel Platini (R) attending the 65th FIFA Congress in Zurich, Switzerland, May 29, 2015. FIFA's appeal committee has upheld bans on longtime President Sepp Blatter and European soccer head Michel Platini for ethics violations but reduced them to six years from eight, it said on February 24, 2016. REUTERS/Ruben Sprich/Files TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY

This picture taken on February 15, 2016 shows the headquarters of the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) in Zurich. The fallen head of European football, Michel Platini, faced a FIFA appeals committee on February 15, 2016 in a bit to clear his name and overturn an eight-year ban from the sport for ethics violations. / AFP / MICHAEL BUHOLZER

Disgraced Uefa chief Michel Platini withdraws his troubled bid for Fifa presidency

(FILES) This file photo taken on October 23, 2012 shows UEFA President Michel Platini looking on during a press conference on the Euro 2016 football tournament at the FFF headquarters in Paris. Suspended UEFA chief Michel Platini on January 7, 2016 withdrew from the race to become FIFA president, telling French sports daily L'Equipe that he will concentrate on clearing his name instead. / AFP / LIONEL BONAVENTURE

epa05091891 (FILE) A file picture dated 15 December 2014 of UEFA President Michel Platini during the UEFA Champions League 2014/15 round of 16 draw at the UEFA Headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland. Banned UEFA president Platini, who is suspended by the FIFA Ethics Committee, on 07 January 2016 announced he is withdrawing his candidacy for FIFA president. EPA/JEAN-CHRISTOPHE BOTT *** Local Caption *** 52089287

XINHUA SPORTS PHOTOS OF THE YEAR 2015 TRANSMITTED ON Dec. 31, 2015
  British comedian known as Lee Nelson (R) gestures after he throws banknotes in front of FIFA President Sepp Blatter (L) at a news conference after the Extraordinary FIFA Executive Committee Meeting at the FIFA headquarters in Zurich, Switzerland July 20, 2015. (Xinhua/Xu Jinquan) (wll)

Uefa president Michel Platini has officially ended his candidacy for the post of Fifa president choosing instead to concentrate on clearing his name of misconduct allegations. Photo: AFP

Fifa in disarray as Sepp Blatter and Michel Platini receive ethics committee suspensions

Fifa president Sepp Blatter, Uefa President Michel Platini, and Fifa Secretary General Jerome Valcke are all now suspended from Fifa affairs. Photo: AP

The upper-reaches of world soccer including Blatter, Platini, Chung Mong-Joon and Jerome Valcke, are currently suspended from the sport. Photo: AFP

Fifa president Sepp Blatter and Uefa boss Michel Platini banned for eight years

(FILES) This file photo taken on June 11, 2014 shows FIFA president Joseph Blatter (L) talking to UEFA president Michel Platini during the 64th FIFA congress in Sao Paulo. A FIFA court on December 21, 2015 banned Sepp Blatter and Michel Platini for eight years after finding them guilty of abusing their positions over a 2 million USD payment that was made to the suspended head of European football. / AFP / FABRICE COFFRINI

Disgraced: Fifa president Sepp Blatter and Uefa chief Michel Platini have both been banned for eight years by the Fifa ethics committee. Photo: AFP

Fifa scandal engulfs president Sepp Blatter and Uefa chief Michel Platini as criminal proceedings are opened 

Fifa President Joseph Blatter talks to UEFA president Michel Platini during the 64th Fifa congress in Sao Paulo. Photo: AFP

Swiss officials are investigating Sepp Blatter's links with Jack Warner, a former Fifa vice-president who is at the centre of an American probe. Photo: AP

Journalists gather in front of Fifa headquarters waiting for a press conference with Sepp Blatter that was abruptly cancelled. Photo: Reuters 

Fifa boss Sepp Blatter with his right-hand man secretary general Jerome Valcke, who has been implicated in a black market tickets scheme. Photo: EPA

In May, a protester wearing a mask depicting Fifa president Sepp Blatter in front of the building where the 65th Fifa congress takes place in Zurich.  Photo: AP

Sport

Football

The head of the Slovenian federation beat current vice president Michael van Praag of the Netherlands 42-13 in the vote on Wednesday in Athens
