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Aleksander Ceferin was re-elected as UEFA president unopposed during the Ordinary Congress of European football’s governing body in Lisbon on Wednesday.
The Slovenian has won reelection for another four-year term that will last until 2027.
Ceferin won the election to serve as UEFA’s seventh president in 2016 to succeed Michel Platini, who resigned after losing his appeal against the expulsion
The 55-year-old faced his biggest challenge in April 2021 when some of Europe’s top clubs attempted to form a European Super League.
The competition was a direct threat to UEFA’s continental club competition, the Champions League, and Ceferin called on fans, football federations and governments to oppose the “disgraceful, self-serving proposal.”
In his address ahead of his re-election, Ceferin said: “European football is already global. And while we are reaping the benefits, we are also paying the price.
“There have been temptations, and even attempts, to create new models, but they conflict with the European model that we know so well and cherish so dearly.
“Our model is based on sporting merit. Where we come from, merit doesn’t have a price. Merit can’t be claimed. It can’t be acquired. It can only be earned. Season by season. On and off the pitch. There’s no room for cartels on this continent.”
Ceferin also highlighted the need to clamp down on the abuse of players.
“Football is an inclusive sport, open to everyone,” he said. “Unfortunately, some people have still not grasped this concept, which is why we’re going to have to rethink our approach.
“We need to target offenders more effectively when a player is a subject of racist, homophobic or sexist insults during UEFA competitions. We’re here to protect the players.”
Ceferin, a lawyer, was first re-elected unopposed for a four-year term in 2019.