UEFA Chief of Football Zvonimir Boban has left his role after disagreeing with a proposed statute change that would enable current President Aleksander Ceferin to serve a fourth term.
Boban’s departure comes after highlighting his concern over Ceferin’s calls to change the UEFA statute following an executive committee meeting in Hamburg last December.
The former AC Milan and Dinamo Zagreb midfielder became UEFA’s first Chief of Football in 2021 but revealed he strongly opposes Ceferin’s plans in which he finds “fatal” to the European footballing body.
He told Croatian news outlet Telegram: “I talked to UEFA’s President about a problem that occurred during the last meeting of the executive committee in Hamburg – the proposal to change UEFA’s statute in order to enable Ceferin’s new candidacy after his final mandate runs out.
“After expressing my deepest concern and complete disagreement with the proposal itself, the president answered that he sees no legal or moral-ethical problem in it – and that he will, without any doubt, proceed with this idea that I find fatal.”
Boban is not the only strong opponent of the UEFA statute change, as former Manchester United Chief Executive David Gill is reportedly leading a group to prevent the amendment from happening.
Ceferin, currently serving his third term as UEFA President until 2027, is angling for a fourth term via the statute amendment which could potentially see him in the position until 2031 if re-elected.
However, this would ultimately go against the Slovenian’s decision that the President and Executive Committee Members could only serve a maximum of 12 years in their roles. Ceferin believes serving former President Michel Platini’s mandate up until 2019 should not be counted as his first three years in the role and towards his 12 year stint.
Gill spoke out against the plans at the meeting in Hamburg as he views this to be “undemocratic” and not within the best interests of football for the European footballing body.
Boban also believes that remaining in his position whilst allowing this statue change to happen would go against the “principles and general values” he believes in.
