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UEFA diary: March

/noticias.info/ uefa.com chief writer Mark Chaplin casts an eye back on what happened within European football's governing body during 2006.

21 March
The court case involving R. Charleroi SC and FIFA opens at the Palais de Justice in the Belgian town. The case was brought by Charleroi against the world governing body because one of their players, Abdelmajid Oulmers, returned injured from an international friendly for Morocco last year.

22 March
Tickets for the UEFA EURO 2008™ finals should be on sale by spring 2007 - with the organisers promising a "perfect system" for sale and distribution. Euro 2008 SA chief operating officer Martin Kallen, Austrian Football Association president Friedrich Stickler and Austrian tournament director Christian Schmölzer confirm in Vienna that that tickets for the tournament should be available to buy in a year's time.

23 March
UEFA's member national associations adopt a resolution in relation to recent developments concerning European football and the European competitions. The resolution - concerning issues such as UEFA's core principles and beliefs, the release of players for national teams and challenges to this rule, and solidarity and sporting values within European football - is adopted by delegates from the 52 associations at the XXX Ordinary UEFA Congress in Budapest. Click here to read the resolution.

UEFA President Lennart Johansson sharply criticises the philosophy of a group of European clubs, who he says, are simply attempting to "get more money and power out of the game with no concern for the sport or the fans". "This resolution shall be a clear and strong message to all those who are threatening football." He calls on associations to take the resolution to their respective countries and "convey it loud and clear to all stakeholders of European and national football, to the leagues, the clubs, the players, the coaches, the officials and to the millions of football fans".

Mr Johansson adds that the associations had decided at the last UEFA Congress in Tallinn that UEFA's Vision Europe for the future should be based on an open, inclusive model, founded on the principles of democracy, equality and solidarity. "We have to be proud of what we do in terms of redistribution policy and we are proud that we are including everyone, from the biggest to the smallest member, in our family. That is our philosophy," he explains.

24 March
UEFA Chief Executive Lars-Christer Olsson describes 2005 as "a year of consolidation". In his report to the XXX Ordinary UEFA Congress in Budapest, Mr Olsson highlights a number of flourishing activities in another hectic 12 months for European football's governing body. "We are a very stable organisation, which gives us a good foundation for further developing European football with our main stakeholders, the national associations, leagues and clubs," he says.

UEFA's Executive Committee says that while there is much for European football to be happy about, a number of elements within the game are giving cause for concern. In its report to the XXX Ordinary UEFA Congress, the committee says that efforts to strike a balance between sporting and economic aspects could only be successful if the stable foundations on which football is based were given proper protection. "Too many matches continue to be blighted by incidents that reflect a lack of respect for the referee or opponents," It says. "Racism in particular is far from eradicated and corruption, doping, rumours of money laundering, people's selfish pursuit of their own interests and the desire to make money also cast a shadow over professional football from time to time," the report adds. notas_de_prensa_archivo