Lennart Johansson

Lennart Johansson
Johansson in 2006
Honorary President of UEFA
In office 26 January 2007 – 4 June 2019
President	Michel Platini Ángel María Villar (acting) Aleksander Čeferin
5th President of UEFA
In office 19 April 1990 – 26 January 2007
Preceded by	Jacques Georges
Succeeded by	Michel Platini
Personal details
Born	Nils Lennart Johansson (1929-11-05)5 November 1929 Stockholm, Sweden
Died	4 June 2019(2019-06-04) (aged 89) Stockholm, Sweden
Children	5
Occupation	Football administrator

Nils Lennart Johansson (5 November 1929 – 4 June 2019) was a Swedish sports official who served as the fifth and, to date, longest-serving president of UEFA, the Union of European Football Associations. He served in the position from his election at the UEFA Congress in 1990 until 2007.^[1] In June 1998, he contested the FIFA presidential election against Sepp Blatter, losing by 111 votes to 80.

Johansson grew up in Åkeshov [sv], a then newly built suburb west of Stockholm with his parents, his father Erik Hilmer Johansson (1884–1963) and mother Anna-Maria Johansson (née Pettersson 1886–1964).^[2][3] As a child, he used to bike from his home to Råsunda Stadium to watch AIK matches along with his brothers.^[3] He also played football for his local team Åkeshov.^[3]

Johansson worked at Forbo Forshaga (now Forbo Flooring) from 1950 to 1990,^[4][5] starting as an errand-boy and in the end becoming the company's CEO and chairman.^[6] From 1984, he was a president of the board of Tipstjänst and Operakällaren;^[4][7] he was also chairman and president of AIK between 1967 and 1980.^[8] Johansson was a lifelong supporter of AIK.^[9]

Between 1985 and 1990, Johansson was the president of the Swedish Football Association.^[10][11] In 1990, he was voted UEFA President at the UEFA Congress in Malta.^[10][12] Johansson helped found the UEFA Champions League, replacing the European Cup.^[10][12] Johansson supported Sweden's bid to host UEFA Euro 1992,^[11] and England's bid to host UEFA Euro 1996.^[11][13] During Johansson's presidency, the UEFA headquarters were also moved from Bern to Nyon.^[11]

In June 1998, Johansson contested Sepp Blatter to become FIFA President; he lost by 111 votes to 80.^[14] It was alleged that Blatter's victory had been helped by bribery involving João Havelange.^[15][16] After the election, Johansson accused Blatter of financial mismanagement, and voted for Issa Hayatou rather than Blatter at the 2002 FIFA presidency election.^[9]

In 2007, Johansson was succeeded as UEFA president by Michel Platini.^[14][12] In October 2007, he was appointed chairman of a committee for bringing bandy into the Olympic programme.^[17]

In 2001, the trophy given to the winning team of Swedish league Allsvenskan was renamed after Johansson: Lennart Johanssons Pokal.^[11][18] Prior to this the trophy had been named after Clarence von Rosen.^[18]

• Illis quorum, 12th size (22 February 2005)^[19]
• Great Cross of Merit of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany (2005)^[20]
• Supreme Companion of the Order of the Companions of O. R. Tambo^[21] (29 October 2004)^[22]
• Commander's Cross of the Hungarian Order of Merit (22 March 2006)^[23]
• Knight's Cross of the Order of the Falcon (18 November 1997)^[24]
• Officer of the National Order of Merit (August 2002)^[25]
• Third Class of the Order of Prince Yaroslav the Wise^[22]
• First Class of the Order of Merit^[21]
• Third Class of the Order of Merit^[22]
• Second Class of the Order of Friendship (2005)^[26]
• Order of Friendship^[21]
• CAF's Order of Merit^[27]
• Unidentified Red Cross Medal^[22][a]

Johansson was married twice and had five children. He was married to his first wife, Anna-Stina Eriksson (1922–2005), from 1953 to 1980, with whom he had two daughters.^[28] His second marriage was with Lola Sidenvall (1929–2017). In December 2017, he became a widower after his wife Lola died.^[29]

In 2008, he suffered a severe cerebral hemorrhage, and after that his physical health began to fail. Johansson died on 4 June 2019, aged 89.^[12]

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