Football: Aleksander Ceferin announced as new UEFA president

Slovenian Aleksander Ceferin has been elected as the new president of UEFA, European football's governing body.

The 48-year-old head of the Slovenian federation beat his Dutch rival Michael van Praag by 42 votes to 13 at an extraordinary congress in Athens.

Ceferin, a lawyer, will now complete the remaining two-and-a-half years of former president Michel Platini's term, after the Frenchman was banned from all football activities in December.

"Dear friends, thank you for your fantastic support," Ceferin said after the result was announced.

"It's a great honour, but also a great responsibility. It means a lot to me .and my family is very proud, and my small and beautiful Slovenia is very proud about it. I hope one day you will also be proud of me."

Prior to the vote, Ceferin used his 15-minute pitch to delegates at the Grand Resort Lagonissi hotel to address concerns about his age and experience.

He described himself as a "team player" and vowed to be "the most accessible and approachable UEFA president ever".

Van Praag, 68, likened himself to the "still rocking" Rolling Stones, saying his age was his "USP" and his experience his greatest asset.

The special election was called after Platini's ban for taking a payment of £1.35m from the world governing body FIFA in 2011.

Despite the ban, he was allowed by FIFA's ethics committee to address UEFA delegates as a "gesture of humanity" and, as expected, took the opportunity to again deny any wrongdoing.

"Be assured that I have a clear conscience, that I'm convinced I did not make the slightest mistake, and that I'm continuing the legal battle," he said.

He also used the platform to highlight his achievements since assuming the UEFA presidency in 2007 and issue advice to the next head of European soccer.

"Continue to balance sports realities and economic interests," he told his successor.

One of the main challenges facing Ceferin, whose backers include Russia, is a growing divide in Europe between its richest clubs and others.

He has said the process which led to reformulation of the Champions League was flawed and has vowed to fight any attempt to set up a breakaway Super League.

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