Zvonimir Boban, the Chief of Football at UEFA, announced his resignation from the organization’s board of directors, citing his opposition to Aleksandar Ceferin’s attempt to amend the organization’s bylaws to prolong his tenure.
Former Croatian captain and AC Milan midfielder Boban revealed his choice in an open letter that was posted on the website Telesport, a new tab.
“I’m sorry and I’m sad, but I’m leaving UEFA,” Boban said in the letter.
Boban added that the reason for his departure was Ceferin’s support for a proposal to change UEFA’s rules at its next Congress on Feb. 8 in Paris that would allow him to stand for re-election when his current four-year term ends in 2027.
UEFA’s current rules prevent the president and members of the Executive Committee from running for office more than three times, or staying in their posts for more than 12 years.
“Paradoxically, it was Ceferin who proposed and launched the package of reforms in 2017 that were supposed to protect UEFA and European football,” Boban said.
“His departure from these values and changes in the main reforms are difficult to understand, especially in this delicate football time.
“If I were to accept such a difficult and wrong decision and turn my head, I would be going against the principles and general values in which I deeply believe.
“I am not playing any hero, and I know very well that many are of the same opinion — perhaps naive, but certainly correct.”
Ceferin was re-elected UEFA president unopposed at the governing body’s Ordinary Congress in Lisbon in April last year.
