News Analysis: FIFA’s Villar Llona insanity

Scales of justice

By James Dostoyevsky

July 27 – UEFA is finally moving to replace Michel Platini as its president. In mid-September, the European football’s governing body, which organises some of football’s financially most profitable competitions, will have to chose between three men from three different backgrounds.

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Niersbach hit with FIFA ban, but fiercely denies World Cup 2006 cover-up

Wolfgang Niersbach

By Andrew Warshaw

July 26 – The career of German football supremo Wolfgang Niersbach (pictured), not so long ago touted as a possible UEFA president in succession to Michel Platini, has been halted firmly in its tracks after he was banned for one year by FIFA’s ethics committee in the first sanction resulting from the investigation into Germany’s 2006 World Cup bid, throwing into question his position on the top tables of both FIFA and UEFA.

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Lobbying or observing? The thin FIFA line in UEFA politics

FIFA sign

By Andrew Warshaw

July 21 – As Gianni Infantino awaits the most important verdict to date in his brief FIFA tenure, the FIFA president has come under yet more scrutiny over alleged dirty tricks – this time over accusations that he tried to influence the outcome of September’s UEFA presidential election.

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FIFA Ethics poised to rule on Niersbach 2006 World Cup case

Niersbach-Beckenbauer

By Andrew Warshaw

July 18 – While the focus is all on whether FIFA president Gianni Infantino is to be formally investigated, another ethics ruling is also apparently imminent– on former German FA chief and one-time prospective UEFA presidential candidate Wolfgang Niersbach (pictured left with Franz Beckenbauer).

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