By Paul Nicholson
May 2 – After an investigation taking more than a year, FIFA’s investigatory chamber has referred Gordon Derrick’s case to the adjudicatory chamber of the FIFA Ethics committee. The case is potentially one of the most controversial and politically laden decisions FIFA’s court will have had to make – though it has yet to rule against a single case from its investigators.
May 2 – The United Nations’ top human rights official has hailed Pescara’s Ghanaian midfielder Sulley Muntari as an “inspiration” for walking off the pitch in protest after complaining about racist chanting.
By Andrew Warshaw
May 2 – Former CONCACAF president Jeffrey Webb, one of the first arrests in the burgeoning FifaGate scandal and still the highest profile figure to be indicted, has had his sentencing date put off for the fourth time since he pleaded guilty to racketeering and money laundering.
By Andrew Warshaw
May 1 – FIFA president Gianni Infantino is reported to be under fresh scrutiny over potential ethics breaches – at a particularly sensitive time.
By Andrew Warshaw
May 1 – Asian influence at the top table of FIFA has been thrown into uncertainty following the resignation of arguably the biggest figure in Asian sport, Kuwait’s Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Ahmed Al-Sabah, from all his footballing roles, most notably membership of FIFA’s ruling Council.
By Andrew Warshaw
April 28 – World football’s corruption scandal has snared yet another high-profile culprit after Guam’s Richard Lai, a standing member of FIFA’s audit and compliance committee, pleaded guilty in the United States in the latest twist to the ongoing probe.
April 28 – France has become the third country after the United States and Switzerland to investigate the bidding process for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups.
By Paul Nicholson
April 27 – The African race for a position on the FIFA Council has a new competitor. Former FIFA senior development manager for Africa, Zelkifili Ngoufonja (better known in football circles as Zul), has put himself and is campaigning on a platform of transparency, youth development and a good deal for Africa at FIFA.
April 27 – In a move that seems sure to receive widespread support even though it is not technically a unilateral decision, FIFA president Gianni Infantino has confirmed that video replays will be used at the 2018 World Cup.
By Andrew Warshaw
April 26 – FIFA has rejected German accusations that it is restricting press freedom during this summer’s Confederations Cup in Russia, the traditional World Cup warm-up tournament.
By Andrew Warshaw
April 24 – The FIFA committee charged with resolving the increasingly intractable Israeli-Palestinian issue looks set to postpone a final ruling once again by giving Israel six months to discontinue playing matches in the occupied West Bank – or face possible sanctions.
By Andrew Warshaw
April 24 – Sepp Blatter’s colourful and controversial career may be over as a result of his six-year ethics ban but despite speculation to the contrary, the 81-year-old insists he will not end up facing prosecution at the hands of either US or Swiss justice authorities.
By Andrew Warshaw
April 24 – After the net had seemingly closed in on him once and for all, former FIFA Executive Committee member Worawi Makudi could be about to stage a shock comeback.
By Andrew Warshaw
April 21 – Israel is stepping up its diplomatic efforts to foil another Palestinian motion within FIFA for severe sanctions to be applied on its Middle East neighbour.
April 21 – As expected, FIFA has dismissed a call by a US senator to strip Russia of hosting the World Cup because of its alleged complicity with the recent chemical weapons attack in Syria.