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Britain aiming to lead changes in European game
(Reuters)
Updated: 2005-11-16 09:01
LONDON, Nov 15 (Reuters) - Britain said on Tuesday it was joining forces with
Europe's major soccer nations, the European Commission and sporting authorities
UEFA and FIFA to try and overhaul the way the game is governed in Europe.
The sports ministers of Spain, France, Germany and Italy, along with EC and
soccer officials will meet next month to discuss reforms in key areas of a game
which has become a multi-billion global business.
Club financing, the regulation of agents, the use of homegrown players, ways
of investing in grassroots football and tests of whether people are fit and
proper to be involved in the game will all be on the agenda.
"In the last 15 years European football has become a global phenomenon
watched by billions, but the speed of this transformation has left the
governance of football in its wake," said UK Sports Minister Richard Caborn, who
put the plan together.
"Everyone across football now recognises the need for change and I'm glad I
can use the UK's presidency of the EU to get that process under way."
Along with an exchange of views, the meeting's main task will be to set the
terms of reference for a Europe-wide review which Caborn aims to launch shortly
after the meeting.
The results of that review should ultimately feed into reforms that are
readily acceptable by all sides, a feat that has proved tricky in the past.
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