Platini meets Romanian President Băsescu

UEFA President Michel Platini has met Romania's State President Traian Băsescu at the Cotroceni Palace in Bucharest on the second day of his visit to the country for discussions with football and government leaders.

Full support
Mr Băsescu promised the full support of the authorities in helping develop football and sport in Romania, as the country improves its infrastructures and nurtures its domestic game, in particular with the construction of a new national stadium in Bucharest. Mr Platini visited the site of the new stadium yesterday.

Major football country
During his trip to Romania, Mr Platini also met the mayor of Bucharest, Sorin Oprescu, the chancellor of the Romanian prime minister, Dorin Marian, and members of the Romanian Football Federation headed by the association's president Mircea Sandu. "Romania is a major football country with a big history, and I wish to congratulate the Romanian FA on its efforts and its achievements," said Mr Platini. "As a modern country, Romania needs this [new] stadium." The football community in Romania is hopeful of possibly staging a major European competition event in Bucharest in the future, such as the UEFA Europa League final in 2012.

Fighting negative aspects
Corruption and betting issues – an issue which is being given UEFA's undivided attention – were also on the agenda at a press conference in the Romanian capital. "We are concerned about all that is bad in football – corruption, doping, violence," said the UEFA President. "We are totally committed in the struggle against those negative aspects. The football governing bodies are all involved in the fight, and the justice authorities also have their role to play."

Czech leg
Albania and Bulgaria were the first destinations in Mr Platini's four-nation trip. Today, the UEFA President flies to the Czech Republic for meetings with government and football leaders until tomorrow.