Sam Kerr to face criminal trial in England over alleged racial abuse of police officer
March 5 – Chelsea and Australia star Sam Kerr will face a criminal trial next year for alleged racially aggravated harassment of a police officer.
Legal
Spanish court rules against Real Madrid’s claim that ‘Boost LaLiga’ CVC deal was illegal
February 28 – A Spanish court has dismissed legal action by Real Madrid and Athletic Bilbao against LaLiga over a €1.9 billion investment deal to finance scores of clubs.
Alves to appeal rape convinction
February 23 – Convicted sex offender Dani Alves is to appeal against his four-and-a-half sentence.
Spanish court jails Alves for four a half years for rape
February 22 – Former Brazilian international Dani Alves, one of the most decorated footballers in history, has been sentenced to four and a half years in jail after being found guilty of sexually assaulting a woman in an Barcelona nightclub on New Years Eve in 2022.
Canadian player’s union files $40m ‘negligence’ suit against Canada Soccer
February 22 – The Canadian Soccer Players’ Association, which represents the national women’s team, has filed a $40 million lawsuit against 15 current and former board members of Canada Soccer alleging “negligence and breach of fiduciary duty.”
PSG faces legal action after fans target abuse at major Anne Hidalgo
February 14 – Paris city hall is taking legal action after sections of Paris Saint-Germain fans targeted the local mayor Anne Hidalgo with sexist insults and homophobic chants during a French league match.
Barca chase Zenit for unpaid €490K Malcom bonus
February 9 – Barcelona are taking Zenit St. Petersburg to sport’s highest court in pursuit of a €490,000 bonus payment it says it missed out on when the Russian club was banned from the Champions League following the country’s invasion of Ukraine.
Cardiff make deal with Sala agent Willie McKay
February 9 – Cardiff City have reached an out-of-court settlement with an agent over the release of documents and messages about the transfer of the late Emiliano Sala.
Alves rape trial starts in Barcelona
February 5 – The long-anticipated trial of former Brazilian star Dani Alves got under way today in Barcelona as he faced accusations of raping a woman in a local nightclub.
Spanish judge rules Rubiales will face criminal trial over Hermoso kiss
January 26 – A Spanish judge on Thursday proposed that disgraced former national federation chief Luis Rubiales be tried over the kiss he forced on Women’s World Cup star Jenni Hermoso without her consent.
Benzema files defamation suit against Gerald Darmanin for suggested Muslim Brotherhood links
January 17 – French football icon Karim Benzema has filed a defamation lawsuit against the country’s interior minister for accusing him last year of having “notorious” links with the Muslim Brotherhood.
French players’ union seeks protection for players from ‘moral coercion’ by clubs
January 16 – In a rare move, France’s main football union is launching legal action to protect professional players from the mental pressure their clubs put on them when they are cold-shouldered until they sign a new contract or agree to just leave.
Antalyaspor’s Jehezkel arrested over displaying supposed pro-Israeli message after scoring
January 15 – A Turkish-based Israeli player faces prosecution for showing solidarity during a goal celebration with the hostages taken in the October 7 Hamas attacks.
Ankaragucu’s former ref beating president tells court he did not threaten to kill him
January 10 – The former president of Turkish top flight club Ankaragucu, Faruk Koca, told a court on Tuesday that he regretted attacking the referee at the end of a league game but denied threatening to kill him.
Three years after his death, Maradona is cleared of tax evasion
January 8 – Italy’s highest court has cleared the late Argentine legend Diego Maradona of tax evasion charges, ending a 30-year-long legal battle.