Former UEFA president Lennart Johansson dies aged 89

Lennart Johansson, who had been president of European soccer physique UEFA from 1990 into 2007, has died on the time of age 89, the Swedish soccer federation mentioned on Wednesday.

“Swedish soccer is in mourning. Lennart Johansson died. He handed away on the night time of June four aged 89 following a quick sickness,” the federation mentioned.

Johansson so lengthy reign within the head of UEFA surfaced utilizing a metamorphosis on the financing of soccer as the sport grew to become a giant firm and noticed huge development in TV gross sales.

In 1998, he had been defeated by Sepp Blatter in his bid to turn out to be the chief of soccer ‘s worldwide federation FIFA.

Johansson was an outspoken critic of Blatter, who had been compelled from workplace in 2015 with subsequent accusations of corruption within the awarding of the 2018 World Cup finals to Russia together with additionally the 2022 variant to Qatar.