The year in UEFA

By Mark Chaplin

Another eventful year of UEFA activity is ending - with a new era taking shape as European football's governing body gets set for its Jubilee year.

Aigner retires
The year was marked by Chief Executive Gerhard Aigner's announcement that he will retire at the end of December after 34 years with UEFA. Mr Aigner, who became General Secretary in 1989 before being renamed Chief Executive in the body's administrative overhaul in 2000, has stepped down to devote more time to his personal and private interests.

Momentous period
The Bavarian has been at the helm during a momentous period in the European body's 50-year history. Since he succeeded Hans Bangerter as head of the administration, Mr Aigner has overseen the transformation of UEFA from a purely administrative body, operating with a small staff from offices in the Swiss federal capital Berne, into a modern business concern with 200 employees and its own headquarters in Nyon, western Switzerland.

Shaping structures
In tandem with UEFA President Lennart Johansson, in office since 1990, Mr Aigner has helped shape European football's present structures. Over the past decade, the UEFA Champions League has been born, the UEFA European Championship has become a lucrative event featuring 16 teams, and UEFA has kept pace not only with sporting and commercial developments, but also with political upheavals in Europe. New countries have emerged which have been steadily absorbed into the UEFA football family.

Continuity counts
UEFA has gone for continuity in choosing Mr Aigner's successor. Lars-Christer Olsson, the former Swedish Football Association general secretary who has led UEFA's professional football and marketing division since 2000, takes over at the start of 2004. Mr Olsson has a wealth of experience, and will lead a committed team seeking to reinforce UEFA's recent development.

New-look competitions
On the field, UEFA implemented the new format of the Champions League - a 32-team group stage, followed by a 16-team knockout phase - which has met with widespread approval. The UEFA Cup's appeal is also likely to be enhanced through the launching next season of a 40-team group phase.

Licensing preparations
The club licensing scheme gets under way for the start of the 2004/05 season, and UEFA's most recent activities in this project - designed to help football move forward on a sounder footing - have centred on helping associations, who will be the licensors at national level, put infrastructures in place for this ambitious project.

EU matters
Dialogue with the European Union has also intensified. This is an essential part of UEFA's work, given that many decisions taken by political authorities have an effect on football. Lobbying has continued for recognition of sport's specific nature in future EU legislation, and the European Commission approved a formal exemption which gives UEFA the right to continue its new approach to selling Champions League broadcasting and new media rights - thereby protecting the key principle of central marketing of its major club competition.

Fighting racism
The fight against racism has been a crucial area of activity over the past 12 months. A conference on the issue was held in London in March, and UEFA issued a guide to good practice in the summer, which passes on advice and recommendations to the European football community.

Pioneering work
Assistance and charity activities have also stood at the forefront of UEFA's work. The HatTrick programme, unveiled in March, promises financial, development and educational aid to UEFA's 52 member associations. In addition, work with charity partners - the International Committee of the Red Cross, the Special Olympics body and the Danish Open Football Schools project - have shown a commitment to human and humanitarian causes. UEFA's pioneering work therefore continues, at the end of a year on which it can look back with pride.