Norman Darmanin Demajo, the MFA president, failed to get the necessary votes to earn him a place on the UEFA Executive Committee at his first time of asking yesterday.
When the UEFA Congress met in Paris, Darmanin Demajo was one of three of the 13 candidates who did not obtain the necessary votes. The other two unsuccessful candidates were Ivan Hasek, who captained Czechoslovakia at the 1990 World Cup, and Francois De Keersmacker of Belgium.
Of course, this was the first time that Darmanin Demajo, who had also worked at UEFA, especially as delegate at top international matches in the 1990s, had contested for a place in the Executive Committee of Europe’s top football body.
The UEFA Congress also awarded a UEFA Honorary membership to Dr Joseph Mifsud, former MFA president and UEFA’s fifth vice-president in the last term, and Italy’s Antonio Matarrese, ‘for their long and meritorious services to European football.’
Russia, Bulgaria officials join UEFA ruling panel
Russian football leader Sergey Fursenko and former Bulgaria World Cup goalkeeper Borislav Mihaylov were elected yesterday to four-year terms on UEFA’s executive committee.
Switzerland’s Peter Gillieron was also chosen as a newcomer to the 16-member ruling panel by the UEFA’s 53 member federations.
A total of seven seats were elected at the European football authority’s congress.
An eighth post, which is reserved for the British nations, was taken by Jim Boyce from Northern Ireland. He also becomes a FIFA vice president, and replaces Englishman Geoff Thompson in both roles.
Grygoriy Surkis, president of the Ukraine football body, retained his seat one year before his country co-hosts the 2012 European Championship, despite his organisation’s internal disputes. FIFA and UEFA intervened this year to protect Surkis after a faction at his national federation tried to remove him.
However, Grzegorz Lato from Euro 2012 co-host Poland failed in his candidacy.
Spain’s Angel Maria Villar, Senes Erzik of Turkey and Lithuanian Liutauras Varanavicius retained their UEFA seats.
Two officials lost their executive positions: Portugal’s Gilberto Madail and Mircea Sandu from Romania.
Villar also was unopposed to get a renewed four-year term representing UEFA as a FIFA vice president. Europe has eight of 24 seats on the ruling panel at football’s world governing body.
The voting resulted as follows:
UEFA Executive Committee
Elected following a first ballot:
Ángel María Villar Llona (Spain) 47 votes
Şenes Erzik (Turkey) 42 votes
Peter Gilliéron (Switzerland) 40 votes
Grigoriy Surkis (Ukraine) 38 votes
Borislav Mihaylov (Bulgaria) 28 votes
Sergey Fursenko (Russia) 27 votes
Elected following a second ballot:
Mircea Sandu (Romania) 15 votes
FIFA Executive Committee
Candidate for FIFA Executive Committee vice-presidency:
*UEFA President Michel Platini is an ex-officio FIFA vice-president.
Elected: Ángel María Villar Llona (Spain)
Candidate for FIFA Executive Committee:
Elected: Theo Zwanziger (Germany)