By Jaroslaw Adamowski
August 15 – In a bid to boost attendance of football matches in Poland, the parliament’s Physical Culture and Sports commission has unveiled a legislative proposal to scrap supporters’ cards which are currently a prerequisite for attending Polish league matches. Under the plan, the cards will be cancelled in the 2015/2016 season.
August 15 – World players union FIFPro has questioned whether newly-elected Italian football federation (FIGC) president Carlo Tavecchio is suitable for the job following his racist comments about African players.
By Andrew Warshaw
August 15 – Legia Warsaw are to take their Champions League expulsion to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) as their usually mild-mannered coach Henning Berg accused UEFA of imposing a jail sentence-like penalty for a minor offense and ignoring their own policy over fair play.
By Matt Scott
August 15 – Manchester United’s approach for Marcos Rojo (pictured) has descended into open conflict between Sporting Clube de Portugal and the player-investment firm that claims a substantial financial interest in the Argentina international defender.
August 14 – Zlatan Ibrahimovic has donated £30,000 to the Swedish intellectually disabled team in order to get them to the 2015 Inas Football World Cup that has just kicked off. The tournament is for para-athletes with an intellectual disability and will be held in Sao Paolo, Brazil from August 13-23.
By Mark Baber
August 13 – The Crimean clubs of TSK Simferopol, SKChF Sevastopol and Zhemchuzhina Yalta played their first games in the Russian Cup last night, triggering calls from Ukraine’s football federation to FIFA and UEFA to sanction the Russian Football Union (RFU) for bringing Crimean clubs into its league structure.
August 13 – Today UEFA will hear Legia Warsaw’s appeal against the 3-0 sanction that turned their 6-1 Champions League qualifying round win over Celtic into a 4-4 draw, and the Scots going through on away goals. The sanction sparked mass comment with multiple emotions unleashed. Legia fans bombarded Celtic, UEFA and anyone who would listen with requests and then demands that Celtic should withdraw.
By Mark Baber
August 12 – Carlo Tavecchio has been elected as the new president of the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) despite having caused controversy with racist remarks during his election campaign and having spent 18 months in prison for offences including forgery, tax evasion, falsification of records and abuse of office.
By Jaroslaw Adamowski
August 12 – Betting operator Synot, title sponsor of the top tier of the Czech football league, has opened talks with clubs to implement a programme aimed at increasing match attendances.
August 12 – Hungary’s Ferencvaros took charge of their new stadium in Budapest this week, and inaugurated it with a friendly against English Premiership opposition Chelsea.
By Andrew Warshaw
August 11 – The international players’ union FIFPro has once again sprung to the defense of Luis Suarez, calling for the Uruguayan striker’s four-month ban for biting – plus nine competitive internationals – at the World Cup to be reduced.
By Andrew Warshaw
August 11 – Vanishing spray to ensure players do not encroach at freekicks outside the penalty area is to be used in UEFA club competitions this season following its successful implementation at the World Cup.
August 8 – The parlous financial state of much of Spanish football has been underlined yet again with Real Murcia demoted to the third tier of the league. It is huge fall from grace for Murcia, who finished fourth in the second division last season before being beaten in the promotion playoffs by Cordoba.
By Andrew Warshaw
August 8 – Despite being well beaten in both legs, Celtic were dramatically given a Champions League lifeline today after Legia Warsaw were kicked out for fielding an ineligible player – the second time in recent years that the Scots have earned a lucky reprieve.
August 8 – Luis Suarez’ appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has begun in Switzerland, the outcome determining whether the Uruguay international will have to serve a four-month ban for infamously biting an opponent at the World Cup.