LONDON, (Reuters) – UEFA president Michel Platini repeated his call for soccer to win the battle over the evils affecting the game on an historic day for Gibraltar who were delighted at becoming European soccer’s newest member yesterday.
UEFA also responded to demands from its top clubs by awarding a Champions League place to the the Europa League winners, while delegates at the annual Congress of European soccer’s governing body unanimously approved a resolution introducing tough new measures to fight racism.
Platini also defended Europe’s 15 World Cup places after a hint from FIFA president Sepp Blatter that it should concede some to confederations with fewer.
Platini, in typically bullish mood ahead of next week’s FIFA Congress in Mauritius, repeated his call for the formation of a European sports police force, telling delegates in his keynote speech he was upset his appeal for one had been ignored.“Six years ago now, in response to problems of betting, corruption and match-fixing, as well as the problems of hooliganism and doping, I called for the establishment of a European sports police force,” Platini said.
“There has been no response to those calls so far. Given the absence of any reaction and the lack of awareness on the part of politicians, I renew that call today.”
Platini, addressing delegates from UEFA’s 53 member nations, said the issues of match-fixing and betting, discrimination and the financial troubles of many clubs were “poisoning football from within” and a sports police force would help the game deal with its problems.
“If, by misfortune, this call again falls on deaf ears, I ask that each country, at the very least, adopts specific provisions of national legislation addressing the issue of match-fixing in order to finally have the legal tools necessary to rigorously punish these cheats,” he added, saying that only about 10 countries had already adopted measures.
GIBRALTAR ROCKS
Platini was happier about welcoming Gibraltar as the 54th member of UEFA after the tiny British colony was finally admitted as a full member after a 14-year fight to join.
He beamed with delight as Congress delegates overwhelmingly approved its membership while even Angel Maria Villa Llona, the highly influential UEFA vice-president from Spain, applauded the colony’s arrival.
