Financial measures

UEFA to vote on 'banning' debt-ridden clubs

LONDON (Reuters) -- Europe's top clubs will have to conform to a set of financial standards to be eligible for the lucrative Champions League and UEFA Cup if new proposals are accepted at a UEFA meeting this week.

European soccer's governing body wants all clubs taking part in their competitions to satisfy certain criteria governing their financial state, stadiums and youth development policies.

UEFA have been working on the controversial plan for three years in an attempt to limit clubs putting themselves tens of millions of dollars in debt to buy players which clubs run on a financially-sound basis cannot afford.

If the measure is approved at Thursday's UEFA executive committee meeting in Nyon, Switzerland, it will come into force in 2004.

By then the UEFA Cup, European soccer's second tier club competition, is likely to have a new format, probably involving a group stage similar to the Champions League.

Last month UEFA officials met representatives of more than 70 leading clubs and agreed in principle to overhaul the competition.

However, any changes depend on a ruling from the European Commission on the legality of UEFA's central marketing policy, a ruling they have yet to receive.

Both matters will be under discussion at Thursday's meeting.

Law-making body

Also meeting in Switzerland this week is FIFA's International Board, world soccer's law-making body.

It will convene in Zermatt where one of the main items on the agenda will be how to combat the increase in players feigning injury and diving to gain penalties.

The board will also discuss players removing their shirts to celebrate a goal.

Formerly a cautionable offence, this became acceptable from the start of this season. But FIFA has asked the board to discuss the practice which has led to players increasingly displaying messages on T-shirts worn underneath.

A further concern for FIFA is the practise of preventing teams from taking quick free kicks by standing in front of the ball.

Widespread a few years ago, this almost disappeared once the international board ruled it a cautionable offence and instructed referees to strictly enforce the punishment.

However, it has been creeping back into the game and another stiff reminder to players and officials is on the cards.

 

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