Beckenbauer's UEFA Bid on Hold

Franz Beckenbauer will have to wait until at least another two years to be UEFA president after new voting procedures were adopted at the UEFA Congress on Thursday which would see encumbent Lennart Johansson remain as UEFA president at least until 2007. UEFA has fallen into line with FIFA and the Asian, South American and African federations by agreeing to hold its presidential election in odd-numbered years to avoid clashing with the World Cup, continental championships and the Olympics. Johansson, who will be 77 by the time of the proposed 2007 election date, was elected to the post in 1990. He has said he would not be seeking re-election in 2006, when his fourth term was originally due to end. Germany's Beckenbauer and France's Michel Platini were seen as front-runners for the post and had already begun to lobby for support.