Doping controls: Bulgarian suspension revoked but Jamaicans collect bans
September 27 – FIFA have overturned a provisional suspension handed down to an unnamed Bulgarian international for a failed drugs test.
Author: Paul Nicholson
Besiktas hit with 4-game stadium sanction following fan pitch invasion
By Andrew Warshaw
September 27 – Already thrown out of this season’s Europa League by UEFA over match-fixing, Besiktas have now been ordered by the Turkish football authorities to play four games behind closed doors as a result of the violence which caused last weekend’s Istanbul derby against bitter rivals Galatasaray to be abandoned.
Qataris open inquiry into construction labour abuses
By Andrew Warshaw
September 27 – Qatar authorities say they are “appalled” by reports of severe mistreatment of migrant workers that have heaped further pressure on organisers of the 2022 World Cup. The Qatari government has opened an immediate inquiry into the reports.
FIFA forum on artificial turf to examine latest technologies
By Mark Baber
September 26 – FIFA has confirmed that representatives from the Dutch Football Association (KNVB), and the English Football Association (The FA) will be participating in a podium discussion on the future of artificial turf in football at this year’s IAKS (International Association for Sports and Leisure Facilities) congress in Cologne.
Cypriot crisis as clubs chased for tax money and top league cut to 12 teams
By Mark Baber
September 26 – Cypriot football has been hit by the financial tsunami which has hit the island as the Ministry of Finance is expected to file charges against clubs’ non-payment of taxes, Separately the board of the CFA Championship has decided to cut the league to 12 teams from the current 14.
Bulgarians claim FIFA knew of treatment on player before failed dope test
By Alexander Krassimirov
September 26 – The FIFA Disciplinary Committee has provisionally suspended a Bulgarian international footballer for an initial period of 30 days following an adverse drug test conducted after a World Cup qualifier played in Valletta, Malta, on September 10.
PST keeps the faith and, piece by piece, puts Pompey back on the rails
By Andrew Warshaw
September 26 – The group running the largest fan ownership in English football says it has proved its critics wrong in terms of being able to do the job.
Egyptians granted a return to Cairo for World Cup playoff
By Andrew Warshaw
September 26 – In a significant breakthrough 20 months after the Port Said stadium disaster, Egypt’s national team will play in Cairo for the first time in two years when they take on Ghana on November 19 in the decisive second leg of their World Cup playoff.
Coke hit trophy tour rhythm with World Is Ours anthem
September 26 – Coca-Cola has released the official Coca-Cola anthem for the 2014 FIFA World Cup™ World’s Cup campaign.
ITUC calls for workers’ safety to be prioritised for Qatar 2022 build
By Andrew Warshaw
September 26 – The International Trade Union Confederation, which claims to represent 175 million workers worldwide, says the safety of those involved in building Qatar’s infrastructure for the 2022 World Cup is “vastly more serious” than the global emphasis on whether to stage the tournament in summer or winter. Concerns for the welfare of players and spectators have led to FIFA considering moving 2022 from the heat of the Gulf summer,
David Owen: Qatar and the 2022 World Cup – Expect Amazing, perhaps; Expect A Maze, definitely
Expect Amazing. As a writer, I was never a great fan of the Qatar 2022 World Cup bid slogan, on grounds of dodgy syntax.
With the benefit of hindsight, I can now see they were just one syllable away from a formulation that pretty well encapsulates what we have been going through since the Gulf state’s fourth-round December 2010 victory: Expect A Maze.
To summarise – with the third anniversary of Qatar’s moment of moments fast approaching,
Nae problem: World Cup, Christmas Day, North Pole – the Scots are in
September 25 – The Scottish Football Association say they’d willingly play the 2022 World Cup in winter, even “on the north pole”, if it meant them qualifying.
Spanish football deepens its links with Gulf and opens up in Dubai
By Mark Baber
September 26 – Spanish football is developing ties with the Gulf State of Dubai and has announced plans for La Liga to open an office in the Dubai Airport Freezone (DAFZA). Dubai’s bid to host the World Expo 2020 is also being heavily promoted in Spanish stadiums.
Brazilian players call for a cut in club fixtures pre-World Cup 2014
By Andrew Warshaw
September 25 – A group of more than 70 players from Brazil’s top two soccer leagues say their health could be at risk because of fixture congestion to accommodate the 2014 World Cup.
Malaysian match-fixer denied bail in Aussie as investigations deepen
By Andrew Warshaw
September 25 – The Malaysian alleged to have been the middle man in Australia’s match-fixing scandal has been denied bail in a Melbourne court for being a possible flight risk, according to local reports.