UEFA Introduces Tough Penalties For Extravagant Clubs

Portsmouth's financial meltdown has highlighted the problem

Profligate clubs face being banned from the Champions League and Europa League after European football’s governing body UEFA approved new plans.
UEFA president Michel Platini has now passed rules which would force clubs to operate within their means. Clubs will only be able to spend what they themselves generate.
Big cash injections from wealthy benefactors like the owners of Chelsea and Manchester City would also be restricted under UEFA’s ‘Financial Fair Play’ plan.
The system is being phased in and bans would not be able to be imposed theoretically until the 2014-15 season at the earliest. Clubs are required to restructure themselves over the next three seasons so they are financially solvent.
The devil is in the detail but, basically, it means clubs’ financial returns will be monitored over a three-year period and they will be expected, on average, to spend no more than they earn.
UEFA General Secretary, Gianni Infantino said: “The main rule is the break-even requirement which will be phased in over the next three years. It is not as easy to swallow for everyone but everyone understands it is necessary. They are there not to punish clubs, they are there to help clubs. We don’t want to kill anyone, this is why we have a phased-in approach.” The rules will also forbid clubs owing money to their rivals, players and staff or the tax authorities at the end of the season.
Earlier this year, Infantino estimated 50% of clubs in Europe were making losses and 20% were in financial peril. Big transfer fees can still be paid but clubs will need to generate sufficient funds through ticket sales, TV money and commercial revenue. The European Clubs’ Association’s president, former German international Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, welcomed the move, commenting: “The measures will shape the future of European football into a more responsible business and ultimately a more sustainable one.”

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May 30, 2010 - 11:19 pm

1. What is Islaam?

The word “Islaam” is an Arabic word that means “submitting and
surrendering your will to Almighty God”. The word comes from the same
root as the Arabic word “salam”, which means peace. Unlike the names
used for other religions, such as Buddhism, Hinduism and Christianity,
the name for the religion of Islaam was both revealed by God and
carries a deep spritual meaning – only by submitting one’s will to
Almighty God can one obtain true peace both in this life and in the
life hereafter. Islaam teaches that all religions originally had the
same essential message – which was to submit whole-heartedly to the
will of God and to worship Him and Him alone. For this reason, Islaam
is not a new religion but is the same divinely revealed Ultimate Truth
that God revealed to all prophets, including Noah, Abraham, Moses and
Jesus.

2. Who are Muslims?

The Arabic word “Muslim” literally means “someone who submits to the
will of God”. The message of Islaam is meant for the entire world and
anyone who accepts this message becomes a Muslim. Some people
mistakenly believe that Islaam is just a religion for Arabs, but
nothing could be further from the truth, since in actuality over 80%
of the world’s Muslims are not Arabs! Even though most Arabs are
Muslims, there are Arabs who are Christians, Jews and atheists. If one
just takes a look at the various peoples who live in the Muslim World
- from Nigeria to Bosnia and from Morocco to Indonesia – it is easy
enough to see that Muslims come from all different races, ethnic
groups and nationalities. From the very beginning, Islaam had a
universal message for all people. This can be seen in the fact that
some of the early companions of the Prophet Muhammad were not only
Arabs, but also Persians, Africans and Byzantine Romans. Being a
Muslim entails complete acceptance and active obedience to the
revealed will of Almighty God. A Muslim is a person who freely accepts
to base his beliefs, values and faith on the will of Almighty God. In
the past, even though you don’t see it as much today, the word
“Mohammedans” was often used as a label for Muslims. This label is a
misnomer and is the result of either wilful distortion or sheer
ignorance. One of the reasons for the misconception is that Europeans
were taught for centuries that Muslims worshipped the Prophet Muhammad
in the same way that Christians worship Jesus. This is absolutely not
true since a Muslim is not permitted to worship anyone or anything
besides Almighty God.

3. Who is Allaah?

Very often one will here the Arabic word “Allaah” being used in
regards to Islaam. The word “Allaah” is simply the Arabic word for
Almighty God, and is the same word used by Arabic speaking Christians
and Jews. If one were to pick up an Arabic translation of the Bible,
one would see the word “Allaah” being use where the word “God” is used
in English. Actually, the Arabic word for Almighty God, “Allaah”, is
quite similar to the word for God in other Semitic languages – for
example, the Hebrew word for God is “Elah”. For various reasons, some
non-Muslims mistakenly believe that Muslims worship a different God
than the God of Moses and Abraham and Jesus. This is certainly not the
case, since the Pure Monotheism of Islaam calls all people to the
worship of the God of Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus and all of the other
prophets.