Boban leaves UEFA: Čeferin told me he will continue with that disastrous idea

(Patria) - Zvonimir Boban is leaving UEFA. The legendary Croatian footballer confirmed this to Index. He was UEFA's chief operating officer and a close associate of President Aleksander Čeferin, but he could not and did not want to overlook Čeferin's attempt to, as he sees it, forcibly remain in power longer than he should have.

At the end of last year, Čeferin began pushing changes to UEFA's statutes that would allow him a fourth term at the helm of the European football governing body. The Slovenian's current term as UEFA president was due to expire in 2027, and according to the statutes, he could no longer stand for election, meaning he cannot be in power for more than 12 years.

He came to the helm of UEFA after Michel Platini was removed. He was the man who was supposed to change UEFA, make it more transparent and fairer, but now, in Boban's opinion, he is forcibly trying to extend his rule for another term. For that, he will need the majority votes of UEFA member associations at the congress in Paris on 8 February.

“I spoke with the UEFA president about the problem that occurred during the last Executive Committee meeting in Hamburg regarding the statute change. After expressing my utmost concern and complete disagreement with the method and the proposal itself, the president replied that for him there is no legal or moral problem and that he will, without any doubt, continue with that, in my opinion, disastrous idea.

Paradoxically, it was Čeferin who in 2017 proposed and initiated a package of reforms that were supposed to protect UEFA and European football from poor governance, which was the modus operandi of the old, corrupt, and already so often accused system,” Boban told Index.

“The two main points of the reforms were that neither the president nor members of the Executive Committee could stand for election more than three times, and an age limit of 70 years was introduced for all members of the Executive Committee. It was an epochal thing for football, but also for him personally. With that act, Čeferin earned the respect of the entire football community and the public, and became an unquestionable moral authority, for many a guide to better and more transparent football.

His departure from those values and the change to the main reforms are difficult to understand, especially in this delicate football time. I understand well that nothing is ideal, least of all myself. And I know well that many times we have to accept compromise, but if I were to accept such a difficult and wrong decision and turn a blind eye, I would be going against the principles and universal values I deeply believe in.

I am not playing any hero and I know well that many share the same opinion, perhaps naive, but certainly correct. In these three years, the relationship and cooperation with Aleksander and all colleagues at UEFA have been excellent. Thank them for that, I wish them all the best. I am sorry and sad, but I am leaving UEFA,” Boban said.