April 25 – Chairman of Belgian club Union Saint-Gillloise Alex Muzio has been elected the president of the Union of European Clubs (UEC) with co-founders Dennis Gudasic and Gareth Farrelly elected to other key roles.
On Wednesday, the UEC staged their first general assembly with over 80 clubs in attendance, a year after its birth.
The UEC was formed to give small and medium-sized clubs across the continent a voice in the decision-making process of European football. Muzio becomes its first chairman. Gudasic, the executive director of Croatian club Lokomotiva Zagreb, and Farrelly, a former Everton player and sports lawyer, will become the secretary general and CEO respectively.
The board will consist of representatives from 16 members, including 14 European clubs and Fair Game as well as the Maltese Premier League clubs. In a significant boost to the membership, the UEC signed a partnership with Fair Game last December.
The young organisation has not been free of controversy. Following a rift over the war in Gaza, then secretary general Katarina Pijetlovic, a major driving force behind the UEC, and Daniel Lambert exited the organisation.
“The UEC has had an incredibly busy and rewarding 12 months growing to over 141 members. Clubs have recognised its firm commitment to true representation, its one club/one vote principle and every club having an equal voice regardless of their size,” said Muzio.
“This General Assembly, growth in membership, geographical diversity of clubs represented in the Executive Board and the democratic principles give the UEC every right to be knocking on the door of UEFA for formal recognition.”
Burnley, Norwich, Osasuna and Union are among the more recognisable members of the UEC, whose mission statement is to democratise European club football.
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