European Football Moves Forward: UEFA's 'Football Senate' Meeting
The so-called ‘football senate’ of UEFA, composed of renowned coaches and former players, gathered at the House of European Football in Nyon to discuss and share opinions on the future of the sport.
The meeting, which took place after the UEFA VAR Symposium in Lisbon, addressed topics such as consistency in VAR intervention, the Laws of the Game related to offside, handball, and double touch penalties.
The workload of players and the cause of injuries in football were also debated, with a general agreement that players should be given sufficient time to rest and recover before preparing for the next campaign.
The ‘Football Board’ recommended greater respect for referees and match officials, leading to the introduction of the directive that only team captains should speak to referees. This initiative has been incorporated into the Laws of the Game, helping to improve respect for referees and reduce acts of harassment and dissent.
The meeting was chaired by Luis Figo and featured prominent figures in football, such as Rafael Benítez, Oliver Bierhoff, Fabio Capello, among others. The goal of these meetings is to inform future decision-making within the sport and ensure that football remains a fair and exciting sport for all involved.
