background guide

union of
european
football
associatons
the 8th edition
shiv nadar school gurgaon mun
29th to 30th july
 Table of Contents
Letter from the Executive Board​ 3
Introduction​ 6
Agenda 1: Deliberating on the controversial calls made by referees and the misuse of VAR
taking into account situations such as Jude Bellingham’s red card for “foul language”​ 7
VAR (Video Assistant Referee):​ 7
Controversy:​ 7
Germany VS Spain- Euros Quarter Final 2024:​ 7
Modernising vs Humanising:​ 7
Jude Bellingham VS Osasuna:​ 8
Conclusion:​ 8
Questions to consider:​ 8
Agenda 2: Addressing the Credibility and Indecisiveness of The Ballon d’Or and its criteria
whilst actively trying to “restore confidence” in the European Football​ 9
Ballon d’OR:​ 9
Controversy:​ 9
Conclusion:​ 10
Questions to consider:​ 10
Agenda 3: Opening of the Transfer Market​ 11
Bibliography​ 13

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 Letter from the Executive Board

My name is Shaan Dutt Mehra, I study in Shiv Nadar School Gurgaon in class 11. I have been doing
muns for a few years now, one of the main reasons why I fell in love with this committee and chose to
chair it is because of my love for football. Not just that I truly love how my expertise in conventional
committees can join diplomacy with the world of football to solve crises which modern football faces.

As the executive board of UEFA, our expectations for the committee are high. Despite being an
unconventional committee, delegates will be expected to uphold the fundamentals of diplomacy.
A few key points to remember are that, firstly we are not looking for standardised facts/statistics but
instead we are looking at how you understand and perceive certain problems.

Similarly, we don't want blatant solutions, we would look forward to unique solutions which are not
commonly thought of, however they must be realistic and practical. These solutions should be
well-explained and should ideally include their implementation in the game.

To summarise, what we look for in the “best delegate” is-

-​ Perspective over facts
-​ Innovation over convention
-​ Practicality
-​ Debating skills over dictating skills

Finally, we would like to mention that the EB would favourably look upon all 3 agendas to be
completed over the two given days.

In the end, we want this committee to be a space where your passion for football meets your diplomatic
skill set. The beautiful game deserves beautiful minds — and we’re looking forward to seeing how you
rise to the challenge.

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Karandheer, Armaan, and I are incredibly excited to chair this committee and welcome you all to what
we hope will be two days of rigorous debate and out-of-the-box thinking. Each of us brings
deep-rooted expertise and a genuine love for UEFA and the sport as a whole — from understanding its
politics and operations to the intricacies of how football shapes culture and policy. We're confident
that this committee will not only challenge your abilities but also amplify your passion for the game.

Let’s make this committee one to remember.

Warm regards,
Shaan Dutt Mehra
Co-Chairperson – UEFA
Contact: uefa.snsmun@gmail.com

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Greetings!

We would like to tell you that it gives us immense pleasure to serve as your Executive Board for the
simulation of UEFA at Shiv Nadar School Gurgaon MUN 2025.

This study guide will introduce a general view of the committee as pioneered by us, you must
understand that you are not bound by this document and are recommended to research further. Such
research along with carefully constructed logic and a vivid representation of facts goes a long way. We
are certain that we will be learning from you immensely and we also hope that you all will have an
equally enriching experience.

Additionally, for this committee – and MUNs in general, we do not wish to know your research or the
statistics you may read; we are particularly interested in the meaning of the statistics and numbers you
may have read, and its analysis. We urge all of you try and build some cognitive mass and make your
knowledge traceable, do not assert a claim to be true unless you can not logically back up the
foundational value of it. Keeping that in mind, we cannot emphasize the need for wit and evaluation in
your arguments and speeches any more. We also implore you to go beyond what’s been presented in
this research guide so that you can present an opinion in the comittee that is construed off your own
individual thinking mechanism and research based inspection. Try to imbibe as much information
about the agendas, consider this to be a starting point to project you further in the direction in which
we aim to drive this committee.

All of you can contact either of us, if need arises and we’ll be more than glad to resolve any issue or to
support and guide you.

Regards,
Karandheer Gahlot
Co-Chairperson – UEFA

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 Introduction

UEFA – the Union of European Football Associations – is the governing body of European football. It
is an association of associations, a representative democracy, and is the umbrella organisation for 55
national football associations across Europe.

Its objectives are to deal with all questions relating to European football to promote football in a spirit
of unity, solidarity, peace, understanding and fair play, without any discrimination on the part of
politics, race, religion, gender or any other reason, to safeguard the values of European football,
promote and protect ethical standards and good governance in European football, maintain relations
with all stakeholders involved in European football, and support and safeguard its member associations
for the overall well-being of the European game.

UEFA is a society that has entered into the register of companies under the Swiss civil code, and it is
neutral, politically and religiously. Its headquarters are located in Nyon, Switzerland. It is a continental
confederation recognised by the world football governing body FIFA, based in Zurich, Switzerland.

The organs through which UEFA acts are the UEFA Congress, the UEFA Executive Committee, the
UEFA President and the organs for the administration of justice.

The organization acts through several organs: the UEFA Congress (its supreme controlling body), the
UEFA Executive Committee, the UEFA President, and the organs for the administration of justice.
UEFA is registered as a society under the Swiss civil code and maintains political and religious
neutrality. It is recognized by FIFA, the global governing body of football based in Zurich, Switzerland.

In summary, UEFA's history is marked by its founding in 1954 to unify and govern European football,
its growth in membership, and its establishment of a permanent headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland,
which reflects its stature as the continent's football authority

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 Agenda 1: Deliberating on the controversial calls made by referees and the misuse of
VAR taking into account situations such as Jude Bellingham’s red card for “foul
language”​

VAR (Video Assistant Referee):

Refers to a system using video replays to assist referees in making decisions, particularly for "unclear
and hard to spot errors" in situations like goal decisions, penalty decisions, direct red cards, minute
fouls etc. First used in the 2018 world cup in Russia and now globally in every game.

Controversy:
The VAR has been accused of being biased and unfair according to the general public and critics. Due
to the secrecy of the decision, critics question the authenticity and unbiased verdict given out. With
major controversies arising in the following game-

Germany VS Spain- Euros Quarter Final 2024:

Jamal Musiala's shot struck Marc Cucurella's arm in the dying moments of extra time, with the match
locked at 1-1. Referee Anthony Taylor waved away German penalty appeals, ruling that the Spanish
defender's arm was positioned close to his body—a decision backed by VAR that ultimately helped
Spain secure their 2-1 victory. However, the controversy deepened when the Referees' Committee later
admitted they got it wrong, acknowledging that Cucurella's arm wasn't actually close enough to his
body , going against their original decision which could have been game changing for Germany. This is
one of the many issues brought up by critics. Could solutions such as the Bundesliga innovation of
VAR help? Similarly during a 2023 CBS Sports "King for the Day" segment, Arsenal legend Thierry
Henry proposed that referees explain their decisions in post-match press conferences to boost
transparency, clarifying controversial calls like penalties or VAR decisions and aligning with practices in
sports like rugby.

Modernising vs Humanising:
Both are needed, but what if both are accused of failing? Apart from VAR being called out, referees
have been called “indecisive” and “unstable” by managers such as Pep Guardiola and Sir Alex Furgeson.
Their comments can be seen through:-

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Jude Bellingham VS Osasuna:
February 16, 2025. Jude Bellingham scored the “winning goal” against Osasuna which got disallowed.
Whilst players and fans were in disbelief referee Jesús Gil Manzano showed Jude a red card, claiming
that the English midfielder had directed “foul language” at him. Despite Real Madrid's appeal the red
card stood. Bellingham claimed that he was expressing himself and was not directing the language to
anybody, nevertheless he faced a 2 game ban and a large fine. However this is one of the many incidents
which sparked controversy and got critics passing comments.

Conclusion:
VAR and Referees, both meant to regulate and create a fair game, are being accused of indecisiveness
and corruption. Critics have been bringing to light many cases of such incidents. It's now in the hands
of the delegates to find a way to prove critics wrong and restore football to its former “fair field.”

Questions to consider:
1.​ How can transparency be enhanced by referees? What measures can be taken to create a
unified understanding of verdicts for all fans, players and coaches
2.​ Should Post-Match appeals revamp the final result of the game provided the drastic
shortcoming is proven correct?
3.​ Should direct VAR processions be open to the public?
4.​ Should different models of moderation from other sports be used in order to better the current
VAR system?

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 Agenda 2: Addressing the Credibility and Indecisiveness of The Ballon d’Or and its
criteria whilst actively trying to “restore confidence” in the European Football ​

Ballon d’OR:
The Ballon d'Or or the 'Golden Ball' is an annual football award presented by French magazine France
Football since 1956 to honour the player deemed to have performed the best over the previous season.
Also known as the Pinnacle of individual glory.

Controversy:
The Ballon d’OR, the award every player dreams of winning, is now under pressure by the world. Now
being accused of corruption and a bias to players alongside an indecisive selection process.
Winners are said to be chosen because of “favouritism”.
The controversies can be seen through the following cases:
1.​ Rodrigo VS Vinícius Junior. 2024 ceremony: Manchester City's Rodri won the 2024 Ballon
d'Or after a brilliant season where he helped his team win the Premier League and Spain win
the Euros. However controversy sparked when Vinicius Jr lost the Ballon D’or despite winning
5 trophies (as compared to Rodri’s two trophies) being the Champions League, LaLiga,
Intercontinental Cup, UEFA SuperCup and the Spanish SuperCup. This is the case due to
which our agenda questions the indecisiveness and fluctuating criteria of the award. One key
reason Vinicius Jr did not win the award was because of his “behaviour”. This reason was
arguably only taken into consideration for Vinicius’s award and not Rodri’s. Rodri had been
seen performing unsportsmanlike behaviour online passing comments on teams and other
players who are considered the “legends of the game”. Critics argued that his actions off the
field should not matter and therefore Vini's onfield actions should matter. But shouldn't
sportsmanship, a key criteria of the award be seen on and off the field?
2.​ Lionel Messi VS Erling Haaland- 2023 ceremony: Lionel Messi won his 8th Ballon d’Or based
on one criteria which was his World Cup, in 2022. The opposition was Earling Haaland, the
Treble winner who broke records left and right becoming the Premier League top-scorer and
much more. Apart from the team's Treble, Haaland won numerous individual trophies as well.
However Lionel Messi’s trophy from a year ago made him the inevitable winner of the award.

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Conclusion:
The Ballon d’Or, a trophy which everyone yearns to win, is being questioned for its authenticity by
both players and fans. As Cristiano Ronaldo stated “The Ballon d’Or is losing credibility,” if a 5x
winner is saying such bold words there must be a reason. Delegates now have to find a way to restore
confidence and create a fair and equal selection process for all.

Questions to consider:

1.​ Should sportsmanship criteria for the Ballon d’Or stay? And if it does, should sportsmanship
off the field be considered?
2.​ How can a new and improved selection-criteria be made to make a fair field for players of all
positions and all leagues?
3.​ In case of a Ballon d’Or being wrongly given out, how can amends be made and will the
ceremony be hosted once again?

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 Agenda 3: Opening of the Transfer Market

For the simulation of the transfer window, the EB has set a few guidelines all delegates should take clear
note of:-

1) The freeze date for this simulation is 20th July 2025. Whilst we acknowledge this may
invalidate certain transfers done after this date, it is necessary to ensure that delegates' portfolios do not
acquire players during the committee and to actually bring essence to the agenda, as if we made the
transfer date post this, the window would be over and there would be no need for a transfer window.
Any transfers and loans after the date are void and not considered by the committee.

2) It is mandated that all clubs list at least two of their players in the format mentioned below for the
auction. There is only a minimum limit, no maximum. For the sake of complexity, we will not consider
free agents during the auction.

3) The EB will also include players from non-portfolio clubs in the auction. The base price for these
players will be set by the EB

4) For ease of communication and mutual understanding between delegates and EB, we will use Euros
as the universal currency and use www.transfermarkt.com as the source for all details and information.

5) Format for transfers:- mentions the player's Name, Position, market value (in Euros), Base Price (in
Euros) and Your Portfolio. Formal information for these aspects will be seen from-
www.transfermarkt.com. For example:-

6) Players can only have one position in the document: Goalkeeper, Midfield, Defence, or Attack. If a
player plays in multiple positions, just put the one mentioned on their transfermarkt page. For
example, Valverde would be put as a Midfielder, even though he can play as a Defender.

7) Loaned players cannot be sold, but they may be loaned in the player-to-player transfer segment.

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8) The base price can be lower, equal to, or higher than the transfermarkt valuation and is a choice
made by the delegate. The EB advises that the delegates stick to realistic values and don't sell players for
unfathomably high prices.

Mail a copy of this document with your players and their details to:- uefa.snsmun@gmail.com by 11:59
PM on 27th July so that we can note your players and details. Don't use any other template for
uniformity.

FAILURE TO SUBMIT THIS ON TIME WILL BEAR A MARKING ON YOUR FINAL

SCORES.

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 Bibliography:

●​ ESPN: Bundesliga to trial referees making in-stadium VAR announcements

●​ DFL Official: DFL launches pilot project for the announcement of referee decisions
●​ AP News: Referees in Germany's Bundesliga to start in-stadium announcements for VAR calls
●​ Reuters: German league to trial referees announcing VAR decisions to stadium
●​ Bundesliga Official: DFL's pilot project for the announcement of referee decisions begins
●​ Premier League: Semi-automated offside technology: What you need to know
●​ Sky Sports: Premier League: Semi-automated offside to be introduced in top flight on April 12
●​ ESPN: Premier League to debut semi-automated technology this season
●​ CBS Sports: Thierry Henry "King for the Day" segment - Referee Press Conference Proposal
(2023)
●​ France Football: Ballon d'Or Official Voting Process
●​ Goal.com: Ballon d'Or 2024 Results and Voting Analysis
●​ UEFA: Player of the Year Awards Process
●​ OneFootball: Editorial Voting Process Documentation
●​ https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5313018/2024/03/06/jude-bellingham-red-card-ban-real-
madrid/
●​ https://www.indiatoday.in/sports/football/story/jude-bellingham-slapped-with-two-match-ba
n-after-red-card-against-valencia-2511482-2024-03-06
●​ https://www.si.com/fannation/soccer/futbol/news/jude-bellingham-ban-for-red-card-after-dis
allowed-goal
●​ https://sportstar.thehindu.com/football/euro-2024-spain-vs-germany-penalty-denied-cucurell
a-hand-ball-var-reason-explanation-news-updates/article68372537.ece
●​ https://www.espn.in/football/story/_/id/40340965/euro-2024-var-review-every-decision-ger
many-analysed
●​ https://www.espn.in/football/story/_/id/41398652/euro-2024-review-says-germany-deserved-
penalty-spain
●​ https://www.bavarianfootballworks.com/2024/9/23/24252199/germany-uefa-admits-mistake
-spain-euros-penalty-handball-marc-cucurella
●​ https://www.goal.com/en-us/lists/pathetic-petty-real-madrid-boycott-ballon-dor-ceremony-ro
dri-vinicius-jr-scandal/bltf01e465b97fab36a
●​ https://www.tntsports.co.uk/football/no-ballon-dor-for-2020-after-france-football-cancel-awa
rd_sto7811647/story.shtml

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●​ https://fcbayern.com/en/news/2021/11/ballon-dor-2021/robert-lewandowski-comes-second-
behind-messi-in-ballon-dor
●​ https://sports.yahoo.com/barcelona-star-finally-breaks-silence-124100946.html
●​ https://www.uefa.com/ballondor/news/0292-1c33aa864c69-d47a84004f4d-1000--rodri-wins-
2024-men-s-ballon-d-or
●​ https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/articles/c4g7jynnydlo
●​ https://www.uefa.com/ballondor/news/0292-1c2705cb8fd5-8f2dcb111a8a-1000--ballon-d-or
-how-are-the-winners-decided/
●​ https://www.football365.com/news/opinion-ballon-dor-meaningless-ronaldo-lewandowski-m
essi-modric
●​ https://theanalyst.com
●​ https://probitasreport.com/why-the-ballon-dor-isnt-as-important-as-we-believe​
https://www.stadiumrant.com/exploring-the-ballon-dors-diminishing-shine/
●​ https://sportstar.thehindu.com/football/ballon-dor-antoine-griezmann-luka-modric-kylian-m
bappe-kopa-best-footballer-in-the-world-world-cup-2018/article25659595.ece
●​ https://www.getfootballnewsfrance.com/2018/feature-why-didnt-a-frenchman-win-the-2018-
ballon-dor/
●​ https://www.beinsports.com/en-mena/football/articles/ballon-dor-2019-messi-and-runner-up
-van-dij-1
●​ https://www.goal.com/en-in/news/van-dijk-loses-out-to-messi-for-ballon-dor---but-the-big-pri
zes-are-still-in-the-liverpool-defenders-sights/n93x7dotesyt14gpx50dkkmnj
●​ https://www.goal.com/en-in/news/van-dijk-admits-he-was-disappointed-to-lose-out-on-ballon
-dor-to-messi/w0bumd1o3r9r17htvucgtr9j3
●​ https://www.tntsports.co.uk/football/ballon-d-or-votes-revealed-lionel-messi-beat-virgil-van-d
ijk-by-narrow-margin_sto7561950/story.shtml
●​ https://www.goal.com/en-au/news/live/ballon-dor-2019-winner-live-blog-van-dijk-messi-rona
ldo-vie/1kvl6jpe3dfak1bjapsubs3gp8
●​ https://www.beinsports.com/en-mena/football/articles/ballon-dor-2019-messi-and-runner-up
-van-dij-1
●​ https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/football/top-stories/so-you-need-to-win-the-cham
pions-league-franck-ribery-takes-aim-at-cristiano-ronaldo-alludes-to-2013-ballon-dor-result/art
icleshow/121704829.cms
●​ https://m.economictimes.com/news/international/us/franck-ribry-responds-to-cristiano-rona
ldos-champions-league-ballon-dor-comments/articleshow/121700559.cm

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●​ https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/articles/c4g7jynnydlo

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