Platini Writes To Pm Over Threat To Football

Michel Platini, the president of European football governing body UEFA, has
written a letter to new British Prime Minister Gordon Brown regarding the
‘serious threat’ to the future development of the sport.

The letter is Platini’s response to growing concern within UEFA with regard
to the mounting finances accrued within British football and the increased
foreign ownership within the Premiership.

Platini wrote: ‘A serious threat hangs over the development of European
football: the malign and ever-present influence of money. We may be entering an
era in which financial profit alone will be the measure of sporting success.’

Platini copied the letter to all European leaders – and is calling on
governments to accept their role as ‘the last hope for a healthy and balanced
future of European football’.

He added: ‘Money has always been in sport and football has had a professional
component for 150 years. But money has never been the ultimate objective of
football: the main purpose has always been to win trophies.’

Platini was elected UEFA president in January and has since questioned the
role of agents, spoken out against racism and violence in the European game and
appealed for an increase in home-grown talent.