Last Week, UEFA overwhelmingly elected Slovenian lawyer Aleksander Ceferin, who was almost unknown three months ago, as its new 7th president to lead the world’s most powerful football confederation.
Čerferin will take over from Michel Platini, a European Cup winner and European Footballer of the Year during his time playing Football.
Back in 2015 Platini established the UEFA Foundation for Children.
A foundation which promotes the use of sport in projects around the world to improve the lives of young people through education, health and integration programmes.
It complements UEFA’s Football Social Responsibility programme which has promoted key strategic aims (antidiscrimination and diversity, social integration and reconciliation, active and healthy lifestyles, implementing football for everyone and contributing to environmental sustainability) through partnerships for many years.
In his manifesto, Čerferin, vowed to “use football to create a better world” .
His ambition is to make UEFA the best sports organisation in the world, and in setting out his vision he is not solely concerned with the development of the professional side of the game.
He wants UEFA to: create a leading grassroots programme; have the best social responsibility and sustainability programme; have an ambitious diversity and gender equality programme, and ensure that football remains a sport that is accessible to everyone.
Creating an inclusive organisation means bringing the football community together. The UEFA Foundation for Children will develop programmes to promote an inclusive and diverse society, ensuring those from minority populations can find their place on and off the pitch.
It is Čerferin’s intention to promote the development of young talent off the pitch. He will encourage member associations to create scholarship and internship opportunities, promoting the personal development of young people involved with football.
The manifesto sets-out an ambition to grow the women’s game and increase participation across Europe, ensuring gender equality continues to be integral to the development of a modern sports organisation.
Original Story SportandDev.org
