Media Partners attacks UEFA

Proposers of Super League file complaint against soccer body

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Posted: Friday October 02, 1998 06:25 PM

BRUSSELS (Reuters) -- Media Partners, the Milan-based media sales group that is pushing for a European Super League, said on Friday it had filed a complaint with the European Commission against European soccer's governing body UEFA and its members.

"[Media Partners] believes the football authorities have infringed EU competition rules by abusing their dominant position and by preventing new bodies to organise and market football competitions in Europe," it said in a statement.

The announcement came after UEFA unveiled in Geneva its response to the threatened breakaway league -- plans for a 24- or 32-member European Champions' League with total prize money of between 600-800 million Swiss francs ($446.1 million).

Media Partners is promoting a 36-team pan-European League and a new knockout competition called the ProCup comprising 96 clubs.

The company's president, Rodolfo Hecht, said the company had filed the complaint with the European Union's executive arm to protect clubs from the threat of sanctions from established football authorities.

"As the reform of competitions continues apace, the clubs should be free to talk to whoever they wish, in order to achieve the best format for their supporters and for the game as a whole," he said in the statement.

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