Mr Platini meets Hungarian PM

UEFA president Michel Platini has met with Hungary's prime minister Gordon Bajnai for talks at the Hungarian parliament in Budapest. Mr Platini travelled to Hungary for the final and third-place play-off of the 2010 UEFA European Futsal Championship.

Mr Bajnai is a former Hungarian second-division footballer who still passionately follows the game. Talks centred, among other things, on UEFA's Financial Fair Play initiative for the well-being of European football as well as on the protection of young players. Mr Platini has called for a halt to the trafficking of young footballers, with a ban on the international transfer of players under the age of 18.

The Hungarian prime minister thanked the UEFA president for changes made to the UEFA Champions League access list provisions, which enabled Hungarian club Debreceni VSC to reach the group stage of this season's competition. Mr Bajnai welcomed the opening of the group stage of Europe's premier club competition to more national associations, explaining that this would help accelerate the development and popularity of football not only in Hungary but also in numerous other countries.

Discussions also focused on the fight against corruption in football, and Mr Bajnai pledged his support to UEFA in the campaign to combat match-fixing and illegal betting in the game. On Friday, Mr Platini repeated UEFA's zero tolerance policy against corruption and warned that anyone found guilty of corruption – be they players, coaches or presidents – would be denied any future involvement in football.

The specificity of sport – one of UEFA's key values underpinning its work and dialogue – also came under the spotlight. The two men likewise exchanged thoughts on the protection of national teams, which provide an essential source of identity with respect to a country's football fans and football philosophy.