Representatives of the English Football League visited the European Parliament this month to obtain backing for their campaign to persuade UEFA, European football's governing body, to reinstate the right of this season's League Cup winners to play in next season's UEFA Cup. United Kingdom socialist MEPs Mark Hendrick, Clive Needle, Susan Waddington and Simon Murphy met the delegation and voiced their full support for the Football League's position.
Football League president David Sheepshanks warned that without a reversal of the decision, ["]terrible damage["] could be inflicted on smaller clubs in England. The League estimates that £32.5 million is generated for the 72 League clubs from their competition, roughly 20 per cent of their income. There is additional concern that the competition could lose television interest and support from Coca Cola, the League Cup's current sponsors, if immediate re-instatement of the UEFA Cup berth for this season's competition winners is not forthcoming. The Football League argues that UEFA's decision amounts to "an abuse of a dominant position".