UEFA to assess Albania soccer election process amid key vote

TIRANA, Albania (AP) - UEFA will send a delegation to evaluate the electoral process of the Albanian soccer federation before clubs vote on a president next month.

European soccer's governing body said Tuesday the 'œassessment mission'ť was the result of talks between Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama, UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin and federation president Armand Duka.

The three-person delegation will travel to the capital city of Tirana on Feb. 14-16. The election for president is March 2. UEFA outlined its plans in a letter released by the federation.

Duka is seeking a sixth four-year term even though Tirana city hall has accused him of corruption.

After meeting with Rama in Tirana last week, Ceferin said his concerns about political interference in soccer elections were alleviated.

Ceferin said he had agreed with Rama "that there will be no governmental interference, that football will decide about football and that's what we want.'ť

The UEFA president also committed to staging the inaugural final of the third-tier Europa Conference League in Tirana on May 25.

Last month, an explosion shook Duka's home in the western port city of Durres. No injuries were reported.

The 59-year-old Duka has been federation president since 2002.

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