Aleksander Ceferin Elected New UEFA President

[caption id="attachment_11696" align="alignnone" width="620"]Aleksander Ceferin, UEFA President[/caption]

Aleksander Ceferin has been elected as the new president of UEFA after winning the necessary number of pledges at the governing body’s congress in Athens.

Ceferin, the head of the Slovenian Football Association, was elected ahead of his only rival, Dutchman Michael van Praag, after winning 42 pledges – 14 more than the 28 vote majority needed and 29 more Praag.

The 48-year-old succeeds embattled former president Michel Platini, who resigned from the role last year after receiving an eight-year ban from all football activity for breaching rules over a £1.3m payment from former FIFA president Sepp Blatter.

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Ceferin becomes just the seventh president in the 62-year history of UEFA and will now take on the remainder of Platini’s term, which is due to end in 2019.

“Dear friends, thank you for your fantastic support,” Ceferin said in a speech to the congress. “It is a great honour but at the same time a great responsibility. It means a lot to me. My family is very proud about it.

“My small and beautiful Slovenia is also proud about it. I hope one day you will also be proud of me. Thank you very much.”

Ceferin, a member of the Uefa’s executive committee, has a background in law and has been president of the Slovenian FA since 2011.

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