Platini Frustrated with FIFA Age & Term Limit Proposal Delay

UEFA President Michel Platini has revealed his frustration at the FIFA Congress’ decision to remove a proposal to impose age and mandate limits on its senior officials from their agenda.

Following Thurday’s UEFA strategy meeting, Platini said the seven UEFA members on FIFA’s Executive Committee were not pleased a decision on the proposal had been postponed. The Frenchman also denied that UEFA is trying to hinder the reform process.

The FIFA Executive Committe decided not to proceed with the proposals to impose age limits or mandate limits from the reform package to be discussed at the organisation’s annual Congress. FIFA have stated that both items will be further discusses and the Congress will asked to return them to the 2014 agenda, with “concrete proposals”.

Reuters report Platini said: “President (Sepp) Blatter said that the reforms would be concluded at the 2013 Congress but now they are not. We have been speaking about this for two years. The seven European members of the executive committee were not happy about the postponement. This is not UEFA that is stopping the reform; we are not blocking anything. The seven UEFA members did not want to postpone the decision. Do you think there will be an agreement by next year? No there will not…because it concerns Blatter, it concerns people who are 83 years of age, these are the people who are the judge and the jury. It is clear why it has not gone to the Congress, I think we know that.”

FIFA President Sepp Blatter claimed that an age restriction on FIFA officials could be considered discrimination. Blatter’s current term as President will end in 2015, when he will be 79-years-old. He has hinted that he may stand for a fifth term as President.

There is currently no limit to the length a senior FIFA official can hold their position, Blatter has said he would support restrictions in this regard.