Burleanu takes helm at Romanian federation

Răzvan Burleanu is the new president of the Romanian Football Federation (FRF) after being elected at the association's ordinary general assembly.

The 29-year-old will serve a four-year term. UEFA Executive Committee member Mircea Sandu, who has been an outstanding president in Romania since 1990, did not seek a new term, and has been named honorary president of the FRF upon a proposal by the association's executive committee.

Burleanu will be the youngest-ever FRF president and is also currently the youngest president of a Romanian sports federation. The son of Gheorghe Burleanu, who played more than 350 matches in the domestic top flight, Burleanu played football at youth level before deciding to move into academia. He studied political sciences at the National School of Political and Administrative Studies in Bucharest, and graduated following several masters studies and a doctoral thesis.

"Being elected president is a huge responsibility for me," Burleanu told the FRF assembly. "Thank you for your faith. It is an extraordinary honour for me and I will do my best to perform at the highest level. I assure you I will not disappoint. We now go to work, starting on 6 March."