Financial Statements and the kids

[joe]

interesting from an eL point of view as well as the rest of Europe

from uefa.com (http://www.uefa.com/uefa/news/Kind=128/newsId=19486.html)

Club licensing system given green light
Friday 15 March 2002
The UEFA Executive Committee today approved a licensing system for clubs in UEFA competitions.

Ready for 2004/05
The system, which will be ready for application in the 2004/2005 season, requires that all national associations ensure that clubs which qualify for UEFA competitions increase their financial transparency and credibility.

Financial statements
Clubs will have to provide financial statements in accordance with local legislation, financial statements for the interim period and ensure that no payments are overdue for transfer activities and also no payments overdue towards any club employees.

Accent on youth
Clubs will also have to field at least three youth teams within a range of 12-18 years, all competing in a national association-recognised competition. It will also be necessary to meet certain criteria regarding stadiums, including security measures and a minimum capacity of 3,000 seats.

'Very important project'
UEFA's Chief Executive Gerhard Aigner said: “The club licensing system is a very important project and, once it is realised, it will have an enormous positive effect on European football, as it will create the necessary framework for a further development of football all over Europe.

Close co-operation
“UEFA’s role is to support its member associations to implement such a licensing system at domestic level. We have been working very closely with eight pilot associations who have helped us on this approach.

'In-depth survey'
“The implementation of the new system is foreseen in 2004. And two years later we will conduct an in-depth survey to introduce the necessary changes and modifications if needed.

'More stability'
“The objective of this system is not to ban clubs from our competitions, but to create more stability for our competitions. It will also ensure more transparency on financial and legal aspects.”

Main legal criteria
Clubs will have to have a certified head coach responsible for the first-team squad, as well as proper organised governance. The main legal criteria will be that the club is affiliated to a UEFA member association and recognises as legally binding the statutes, rules and regulations of FIFA, UEFA and their national association and league.

'A significant step'
UEFA's Legal Services representative, Marcel Benz, said: "The Executive Committee has made a significant step today by approving the club licensing system. Now we can start its practical implementation. In this regard all football associations will be invited to UEFA at the end of April when we will present the Club Licensing Manual."

Meeting in April
Representatives of the European Football Associatons will visit Nyon on 19 April, where the details of the Club Licensing Manual will be explained. uefa.com will publish the manual in early April.

uefa.com (http://www.uefa.com/uefa/news/Kind=128/newsId=19486.html)

[pete]

Financial statements

ROLMAO

that should be "interesting"



minimum capacity of 3,000 seats

I think thats fine as suggestions for minimum of 10k seated stadiums seems a bit too much for a lot of countries.

[Jaime]

Yeah 3,000 seats should surely be a realistic ambition for most clubs. It will take time, but a standard has to be applied at club level as it has been at international level for a long time. And of course, safe standing areas are a must, if they think they care about fans.

[Éanna]

probably is a good idea, but I still haev a sneaking suspicion about UEFA. They're always looking for ways to give the "superclubs" more money.

[Jim Smith]

Would financial transparency pose a problem for a club that is a plc? I'm pretty sure that the last time this was raised most of the larger clubs accountants gave it a thumbs down so I can't see that happening in the near future.

[Pablo]

Having said that, if uefa impose these rules, the EL clubs will HAVE to adhere to them,,,,,,,,

[Éanna]

Infrastructure criteria

The following criteria must be in conformity with the current version of the Technical Recommendations and Requirements for the Construction or Modernisation of Football Stadia, compiled by FIFA and UEFA.

1. Each stadium must be inspected and certified as being a safe place by the local certifying authorities. This certificate must not be older than two years. (Dalymount is ****ed)

2. Minimum capacity of 10,000 covered seats. UEFA may grant exceptions according to the size of the country (or city). Seats must be:
• fixed to the floor
• separate from each other
• comfortable (anatomically formed)
• numbered
• have backrests of a recommended height of a minimum of 30 cm, measured from the seat.

3. A minimum of three places out of 1,000 must be reserved for handicapped persons and their helpers, for all of whom adequate access, sanitary and refreshment facilities must be provided.

4. Playing field dimensions must be 105 x 68 metres.(Pats and Cork are ****ed)

5. Playing area dimensions should preferably be no less than 120 x 80 metres.

6. Fence-free pitches, subject to state/municipal provisions.

7. Floodlight/minimum 1200 lux.(Methinks a few eircom league clubs will fail this)

8. Two totally independent alternative power supplies.

9. Pitch heating (where necessary for climatic reasons).

10. Ability to deliver a stadium free of advertising boards in the event that it might be used for a neutral purpose.

11. Covered substitutes’ benches at the same height as the pitch. Minimum of 16 seats per bench. (16 covered seats - everyone ****ed)

12. VIP seating and hospitality facilities. Minimum 80 seats.

13. Adequate medical facilities for treatment of spectators.

14. Adequate medical facilities for treatment of players and referees.

15. Adequate parking for cars and buses, depending on the location of the stadium and public transport access. (Tolka,Turners X, Richer???)

16. Adequate public transport access.

17. Safety/security concept in the stadium:
• Camera surveillance: permanently mounted TV cameras inside and outside the stadium with monitors in the stadium control room.
• Evacuation plan.
• Entry checks, approved by the local authorities.
• Stewards, police, private security organisations, fire brigade and medical service provisions must all be approved by the local certifying authorities.

18. Acceptable warm-up area, reasonably adjacent to or within the stadium.

19. Adequate public toilet provisions for both sexes.

20. Adequate public refreshment areas.

21. Technical facilities:
• Teams’ dressing-rooms; minimum surface for each room: 100 square metres
• Referees’ dressing-room; minimum surface: 24 square metres
• Doping control room
• Match delegate room
These rooms must be bright, clean, hygienic and spacious, adequately equipped.

22. The players must have direct covered access to the stadium and from the dressing-room to the playing field.

23. Facilities for the access and hosting of supporters from the visiting club in a safe and segregated fashion. A minimum number of numbered seats must be allocated to fans of the visiting club in the main stand or opposite grandstand. This should amount, as a rule, to 5% of the normal seating capacity in the stadium, and may be increased in consultation with the visiting club’s management and safety/security official. Priority must be given to safety/security aspects.

24. Clear sign-posting, easily understandable in any language (international).

25. Loudspeakers must be clearly audible in all parts of the stadium (inside, outside and in the playing area).

26. Regarding the training facilities for all club teams, the club must fulfil the following requirements. These installations must be the property of the club concerned, or be available through contracts with the owner regarding utilisation. In those countries with long winters (associations still to be specified), the facilities must be equipped with pitch heating, or have appropriate indoor or covered artificial playing surfaces instead of open-air pitches, to ensure that all teams can train regularly during the entire football season. The minimum requirements are:
• An outdoor pitch of proper dimensions in terms the size of the stadium (Chapter VI).
• A sports hall of a minimum size of 60 x 40 metres.
One open-air pitch of a minimum 60 x 40 metres for every 25 registered club players.

27. The training facilities should also comprise appropriate places for medical treatment and examination.

28. Media facilities:
• Access: Specific media entrance and drop-off point near to the facilities for unloading the equipment from vehicles.
• Press box: in a central position in the main grandstand where the players’ dressing-rooms and the media facilities are situated, with appropriate permanent press seats (recommendation for new stadiums: about 150 seats), equipped with desks big enough to accommodate a laptop computer or a notebook. Power supply and phone/modem connections at each desk (ISDN lines for new stadiums).
• Television & radio commentary positions: appropriate TV commentary positions and radio commentary positions, in a central position and covered or separated by Plexiglass or other technical means. A phone plug in each commentary position. (Recommendation for new stadiums: at least five of each.)
• Television studios: appropriate TV studio(s) of approximately 25 square metres each and a minimum height of 4 metres to allow for TV sets and lighting. In the main grandstand, with easy access for players and coaches. (Recommendation for new stadiums: at least three.)
• Television camera platforms: at least three TV camera platforms. For the main centrally located cameras: permanent cable installations to the OB van area.
• Other TV facilities: area/position between the spectators and the pitch where TV commentators/reporters can conduct pre-match presentations or interviews. Space, preferably indoors, close to the route from the pitch to the dressing-rooms for flash interviews. Ample parking for trucks used by TV companies.
• Media working room: appropriate room (including buffet and toilet facilities) for media representatives, plus photographers. (Recommendation for new stadiums, 300 persons.)
• Press conference room: room with appropriate seats for reporters and adequately equipped. (Recommendation for new stadiums: 100 seats.)
• Facilities for photographers: suitable parking and equipment drop-off facilities. Photographers should be offered an easy-access reception room and a sufficiently large dark room (including running water).
• Mixed zone: area between the dressing-rooms and the team buses where accredited written press, and radio and TV reporters can interview players after the match. Adequately equipped for 200 media personnel.
• Office space for accreditation procedures and equipped with phones, fax machine, photocopiers, etc.

[Éanna]

taken from the eircomleague.net message board. Surely they can't impose all of that! 90% of clubs in UEFA's jurisdiction would fail this!

[pete]

That list was too long but I got through about half of them.

Theres no way all those will be enforced as loads of 'local conditions' get out clauses inserted. Many of them will be very easy to add to grounds as well so I can see it as only a good thing for the eL.

Basically neither the FAI or the eL appears to be able to enforce any of their own rules without loopholes so it was always going to take someone like UEFA to force them to change. Overall can only be good.

[Éanna]

yeah, but no. 26 is the one that worries me- puts the emphasis on trainging facilities. Hopefully it will be enforced, but clubs will be helped to do so.