AIK Fotboll har sorg
UEFA mourns Honorary President Lennart Johansson
Fotbollssverige sörjer Lennart Johansson
Svensk fotbolls störste ledare och ikon genom alla tider, Lennart Johansson, avled inatt. Under sina respektabla 89 år hann Lennart med att vara ordförande i AIK, Svenska Serieföreningen (nuvarande SEF), Svenska Fotbollförbundet och UEFA, samt vice ordförande i FIFA.
Lennart Johansson var en man av mycket stor integritet, tyvärr kanske en av de sista ledarna av sitt slag inom världsfotbollen då alla mutskandaler inom FIFA och UEFA började efter att Lennarts ordförandeskap var till ända. Hans minne lever vidare genom alla oss fotbollsälskare, genom den allsvenska pokalen som namngivits i hans ära, genom hans hedersordförandeskap i AIK, samt genom den lilla turnering han skapade vid namn Champions League.
Med anledning av vår sorg, samt till minne för denne store man, har en minneslund för Lennart Johansson upprättats utanför Nationalarenan.
Jag vill härmed uppmana samtliga fotbollsälskare, oavsett lagsympatier, att gå dit och hedra denna stora legend. Lägg ner en halsduk eller vimpel, tänd ett minnesljus eller lägg en krans, eller bara åk dit, skänk dina tankar och visa ditt stöd. Gör det idag, imorgon, i samband med fredagens landskamp mot Malta, eller närhelst annars du kan.
PS.
Du som bor långt ifrån Stockholm och saknar möjlighet att besöka minneslunden får gärna länka en hedrande text eller skriva några egna ord om vad Lennart betytt för dig, din kärlek för fotboll, eller fotbollsfamiljen i stort i kommentarsfältet nedan.
Vila i frid, Lennart! Du är redan saknad men aldrig bortglömd!
https://twitter.com/LD/status/736510501698580481
https://twitter.com/LD/status/736565314880700420
Lennart Johansson is not supriced over the scandal that shakes FIFA. "It's symptomatic for FIFA. It's just a bunch of hassle and hustle", says the former UEFA-president to DN.
Lennart Johansson was awaken by the sensational news that the swizz police made a razzia in Zürich and, according to the New York Times, arrested 14 people with connections to FIFA.
When DN meets Johansson on Wednesday morning he says:
"It's name I recognize, but I dont know anything about what's happened. It's worth finding out exactly what's going on, so i'm heading down to the FIFA congress."
FIFA have through the years been involved in a row of bribe scandals. 1998 Johansson lost the FIFA President election against Sepp Blatter. One of FIFAs former vice presidents, Jack Warner, have later confirmed that he against a bribe of 4 million pounds made sure that Blatter got the votes he needed to win. Warner have himself left FIFA after corruption allegations havebeen made against him.
Sepp Blatter isn't among the names over the people caught, what do you say about that?
"They haven't found anything on him, no. He makes sure not to get caught, he's careful about that", says Johansson.
I decided to translate this article (auto-video) from swedish newpaper DN by reporter Johan Esk (who's awesome) because I found it interesting. Don't think Johansson is a saint himself, but it's nice to see someone like him not hold back.
There is a newly made swedish documentary that recently aired on swedish TV that I reccommend everyone here to see (when it gets subtitled). It's an exellent portrait of the man who created Champions League and was the UEFA president from 1990-2007.
Only link I know of but not subtitled. http://www.svtplay.se/video/2062891/mannen-som-forandrade-europeisk-fotboll
Do your worst!
For context I'm a Refuse Driver (Garbage man) & today I was on food waste. After I'd tipped I was checking the wagon for any defects when I spotted a lone pea balanced on the lifts.
I said "hey look, an escaPEA"
No one near me but it didn't half make me laugh for a good hour or so!
Edit: I can't believe how much this has blown up. Thank you everyone I've had a blast reading through the replies 😂
It really does, I swear!
They’re on standbi
Pilot on me!!
