UEFA president Michel Platini
Michel Platini has told sports ministers that UEFA need
the power to introduce rules on finances for clubs in their
European competitions. The UEFA president said the game's European
ruling body had no intention of interfering with rules for domestic
leagues but wanted to ensure 'financial fair play' in their own
competitions such as the Champions League and UEFA
Cup.
If such a move was agreed it could eventually mean that clubs
such as Manchester
United, Arsenal,
Chelsea and
Liverpool,
who regularly qualify for the Champions Leagues, having to satisfy
UEFA rules on debts and even how much they spend on wages.
Britain's sports minister Gerry Sutcliffe, in Biarritz to hear
Platini's speech, and the Premier League are fiercely opposing the
proposals. Platini said: 'What UEFA can do - and we are thinking
seriously about doing it - is to reinforce and improve our system
for granting licences for our own club competitions.
'It is in this way that we wish to contribute to financial fair
play, and start responding to the expectations of the various
parties involved in our sport.'
He added: 'Fiscal rules in Europe are extremely diverse...and
the systems of licensing, control and financial management of
football clubs involve myriad concepts and different
regulations.
'UEFA is not going to charge itself with the task of harmonising
European fiscal issues. UEFA is not going to impose its licensing
system on national associations for their own competitions.
Platini also called for a halt to the trafficking of young
footballers, and a ban on transfers of players under the age of 18
- the Premier League also opposes the latter proposal.
Platini said: 'Today, in the world and in Europe, there is
trafficking of children. I will not mince my words because the
situation is serious.
'What else do you call a phenomenon whereby children aged 12 or
13 are torn away from their environment and culture to join a
business in return for payment? This is what is happening in
football.
'Together with FIFA, we are studying remedies, but measures can
already be taken to ban the international transfer of minors, even
within the European Union.
'In numerous European states, strict rules exist which prevent
clubs - on threat of sporting sanctions - poaching young players -
from their rivals' training centres. However, these rules do not
exist at European Union level.
'It is in this context that we would like to be able to ban
international transfers of players under the age of 18 within the
EU.
'This is not to create an obstacle to the free movement of
labour - it is an urgent matter relating to helping youngsters in
danger.'
Platini also argued that sport should be treated as a specific
entity and not the same as business.
