By Duncan Mackay
British Sports Internet Writer of the Year
March 20 – The new Major League Soccer (MLS) season will kick-off as planned in the United States next week after a deal – reached with the help of Landon Donovan (pictured) – was hammered-out to prevent the players going out on strike.
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March 20 – UEFA President Michel Platini (pictured) could announce next week whether he intends to bid for another four-year term it has been reported.
March 20 – Franz Beckenbauer has praised the new Red Bull Arena, New York’s first purpose-built football stadium, which was officially opened today with an exhibition match against Pele’s old club, Santos.
March 20 – Australian Rules football will refuse to take a backseat if the country is awarded the 2018 or 2022 World Cup, the league’s chief executive Andrew Demetriou (pictured) has warned.
March 20 – Worawi Makudi (pictured), the President of the Football Association of Thailand (FAT) and a member of FIFA’s ruling Executive Committee, has appealed to people protesting against the Government not to disrupt the country’s Premier League from taking place.
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March 19 – FIFA today lifted its suspension on the Iraqi Football Association (IFA) following a compromise agreement over alleged Government interference.
By Duncan Mackay
British Sports Internet Writer of the Year
March 19 – Colombia President Alvaro Uribe (pictured) has announced his country will bid to host the 2026 football World Cup after receiving encouragement from Jack Warner.
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By David Owen
March 19 – FIFA has decided against putting a limit on the time that anyone can serve as FIFA President, in a move portrayed as a fillip for current incumbent, Sepp Blatter (pictured).
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By David Owen
March 19 - And then there were nine after Indonesia appears to be out of the race to stage the 2022 World Cup following its failure to come up with satisfactory Governmental guarantees by the required deadline.
By Duncan Mackay in Whistler
British Sports Internet Writer of the Year
March 19 – Sebastian Coe (pictured), the chairman of London 2012, has claimed that comments from critics that the Olympic Stadium should be turned over to a football club after the Games and that if it used to stage athletics it is waste of public money are beginning to sound like “a cracked record”.
March 19 – The European Championships in 2012 could be held at only six venues instead of eight if the stadiums are not completed in time, it was revealed today.
By Andrew Warshaw
March 18 – The bid to stage the 2022 World Cup has burst into controversy with the revelation that Qatar have arranged to be last on the list of FIFA technical inspection visits – several weeks after the other Asian candidates.
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By Andrew Warshaw
March 18 – Australia’s bid to host the World Cup in 2018 or 2022 has received a timely boost following an agreement on the principle of paying compensation to rival sports unhappy at being marginalised during the event.
March 18 – The Football Association have appointed Julian Eccles (pictured) as Group Director of Marketing and Communications, it was confirmed today.
By Duncan Mackay
British Sports Internet Writer of the Year
March 18 – Vladimir Putin (pictured) is being urged to reprise his successful role in bringing the 2014 Olympics to Sochi and personally lead Russia’s bid to host the 2018 or 2022 World Cup in December.