Just Spee re-elected President of KNVB

Just Spee was re-elected President of the KNVB at the General Assembly on December 21. - Foto: KNVB Media

Just Spee was re-elected President of the KNVB (Royal Netherlands Football Association) at the General Assembly on December 21. He therefore will remain the KNVB's highest ranking official for the next three years. In the speech he gave following his reappointment, Just Spee touched on topics that included the expansion plans for the KNVB Campus in Zeist and the KNVB's position within the international football community.

During the opening of the General Assembly, the President of the KNVB also addressed the football association's relationship with FIFA, and more specifically the events that took place off the pitch during the recent World Cup. These included FIFA's last-minute prohibition on the wearing of the OneLove armband by team captains, as part of the OneLove initiative by the KNVB and six other countries. The wearing of OneLove armbands had not been a problem at previous matches held under the auspices of UEFA.

Just Spee directly communicated to FIFA that this was not the end of the conversation on this subject. "Following the tournament, I told Gianni Infantino that, when it comes to mutual understanding between us, some repair work needs to be done. We are particularly disappointed that our arguments were not listened to, and that we only heard just before the start of the first match that captains who wore the OneLove armband would receive a yellow card. We therefore believe that, moving forward, this World Cup will mark the beginning - and not the end - of the conversation on this subject. We feel very encouraged by the tremendous support we have received for our OneLove campaign from every corner of the globe. Our message - that the love of football transcends all differences between people - is being shared all over the world."

At an international level, the President of the KNVB also referred in his opening address to the opinion issued by the European Court of Justice on 15 December concerning the position of UEFA and FIFA within the European sports model. The court's opinion and final ruling will have an impact on the possible creation of a European Super League. “We are pleased that the court's opinion reflects the importance of the current sporting principles that underpin football leagues. As you know, we do not support the potential creation of a new European Super League that does not include a promotion and relegation system and disregards financial solidarity. Furthermore, we believe the creation of a super league of that kind would not adequately reflect the feelings of local and regional clubs and their fans. Top honours in international football are valuable due to their scarcity. Besides, if Paris Saint-Germain and FC Barcelona were to face each other six times in quick succession, fans would start to lose interest. Nevertheless, I believe we need to be able to respond to change, and must not close our eyes it. Moreover, football, as a game, cannot exist unless a business-like approach is taken."

Just Spee was appointed President of the KNVB in 2019, succeeding Michael van Praag, and his re-election was uncontested. In addition to serving as President of the KNVB, Just Spee is a member of the UEFA Executive Committee.