Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/488485
maltatoday, WEDNESDAY, 1 APRIL 2015 20 Sport SPORTTODAY FOOTBALL Clubs agree to more even distribution of Champions League funds European clubs have agreed to distribute revenue from the Champions League and Europa League more evenly from next season, the European Clubs Association (ECA) and UEFA said on Tuesday The Palestinian Football Association will ask the FIFA Congress in May to suspend Israel, accusing it of continuing to hamper its football activities THE announcement came amid con- cern the gulf between the richest clubs and the rest was widening, with the result that domestic leagues and the Champions League are becoming in- creasingly predictable. "ECA and UEFA have together developed a revolutionary distribu- tion mechanism for the Champions League and Europa League aimed at sharing ... revenue growth more even- ly among European clubs," ECA and UEFA said in a joint statement after an ECA meeting. "A record funding pot of €2.24 bil- lion (£1.62 billion) will be divided (per season) with a new focus on solidar- ity. "A greater proportion of funds than ever before will go to Europa League participants, to participants in the qualifying rounds and to clubs in me- dium/smaller championships. "The concept means more funding for all because the new percentage- based system ensures every stakehold- er will benefit proportionally from the competitions' continued growth." ECA chairman Karl-Heinz Rum- menigge said he was pleased with the outcome. "We have something like 220 clubs as members so we have big clubs like Real Madrid, mid-sized clubs like Por- to and small clubs coming from Malta, Cyprus and so on," Rummenigge ex- plained to the press. "We have to care about club football as a whole and not just for the big and rich clubs. We are very happy with the outcome ... because it's very favour- able for club football and once more a signal that club football is in very good shape. "ECA is still a very young organi- sation and these achievements are an extraordinary success which will strengthen the solidarity among the clubs and our sense of responsibility for football," added Rummenigge. The ECA said more money would al- so be distributed to clubs who release players for Euro 2020 and that, for the first time, the amount would be cal- culated as a percentage rather than a fixed figure. "Clubs will receive eight percent of income from broadcast, commercial and ticketing/hospitality, with the minimum set at 200 million euros, a 50 million increase on the clubs' share of Euro 2016 revenues," said the ECA. Gianni Infantino, general secre- tary of European soccer's ruling body UEFA, said: "The key words in all of this are good governance...dynamic governance with the involvement of the clubs directly in the executive committee of UEFA." "We have something like 220 clubs as members so we have big clubs like Real Madrid, mid- sized clubs like Porto and small clubs coming from Malta, Cyprus and so on," Karl-Heinz Rummenigge Palestinians to ask FIFA to suspend Israel DESPITE efforts by FIFA president Sepp Blatter to ease tensions, the Palestinians remain frustrated at re- strictions they say Israel imposes on the movement of their athletes be- tween the Gaza Strip and the Israeli- occupied West Bank. The Palestinian Football Associa- tion also cited curbs Israel places on the import into Palestinian territo- ries of sports equipment and on visits by foreign teams and individuals. In 2013, Blatter established a task force which included himself, the Israeli and Palestinian soccer chiefs and the heads of the European and Asian soccer confederations to ex- amine the Palestinian complaints and to try to resolve them. But Palestine Football Association president Jibril Rajoub said he has lost patience, and he has called on FIFA to show Israel "the red card". Israel cites security concerns for restrictions it imposes in the West Bank, where the Western-backed Palestinian Authority exercises lim- ited self rule, and along the border with the Hamas Islamist-run Gaza Strip. But it says it has eased travel for Palestinian athletes between the two territories, which requires passage via Israel. In December, Rajoub called on FIFA to sanction Israel after Israeli troops entered the offices of the Pal- estine Football Association. An army spokesman said at the time soldiers were seeking a wanted individual and were not targeting the premises because of its links to soccer. The Palestinian draft resolution calls for Israel's suspension because its actions "inhibit our ability to de- velop the game". It also complains about racist be- haviour towards Arab players by some Israeli fans. Many Israeli soc- cer teams from predominantly Jew- ish towns have Arab players on their books. There are also many teams from Arab communities. The Palestinian Football Associa- tion said Israel was violating inter- national law by including five clubs from Jewish settlements in the West Bank in domestic league play. Most countries regard settlements Israel has built on land it captured in a 1967 war as illegal. Reports in the Israeli media this month said UEFA President Michel Platini had urged former Israel Foot- ball Association chief Avi Luzon, a member of the UEFA executive com- mittee, to enlist Western diplomatic help to avert possible sanctions. Palestinians watch a football match between Palestine and Japan on a large screen at the Joseph Blatter Football Academy in the West Bank city of Ramallah last January