Orient to challenge Hammers’ exclusive use of Olympic Stadium
By Andrew Warshaw
March 7 – Football’s use of the London 2012 Olympic stadium has been plunged into uncertainty once again – just when it seemed on the verge of being resolved.
Europe
Qatar Airways board Barça shirt in $45m per season deal
By Andrew Warshaw
March 6 – After more than a century without a commercial sponsor, Barcelona will break new ground next season by sporting the logo of Qatar Airways on its shirts – the starkest illustration yet of the club needing to embrace commercial reality as Qatar continues its drive to make inroads into European football.
Rangers renew call for admission to English leagues
By Andrew Warshaw
March 5 – The idea of the two Glasgow giants abandoning Scottish football and being integrated into the English league has once again been raised – this time by Rangers chief executive Charles Green.
Auxerre on edge of financial cliff staring relegation in the face
March 4 – Former French club giant Auxerre, currently in Ligue 2, is under scrutiny by French football’s financial watchdog and has until the end of the season to recapitalise or face possible relegation.
Benfica TV picks up Premier League rights
March 1 – In a world first, a club TV channel has bought the broadcast rights to an international football league. Benfica TV has been awarded exclusive audio visual broadcast rights for all Barclays Premier League matches per season for from 2013/14 – 2015/16 in Portugal.
Rangers keep their history but previous owners hit with fines
March 1 – Beleaguered Scottish giants Glasgow Rangers will not be stripped of any of their league titles over alleged undisclosed payments to players during the club’s former guise. But the company that used to run the club have been fined £250,000 by a commission appointed by the Scottish Premier League.
Barcelona in breach of FIFA child trafficking laws
By Mark Baber
February 27 – It appears Spanish giants FC Barcelona have breached FIFA regulations on the international transfer of players designed to stop child trafficking and exploitation.
UEFA crackdown puts Lazio behind closed doors, Fenerbahce too, but The Drog plays on
By Andrew Warshaw
February 28 – UEFA have run out of patience with Lazio and ordered the Italian club to play their next two home European games behind closed doors after their fans were found guilty of racist behaviour for the fourth time this season.
Russians earmark further $2.2 billion on the road to FIFA World Cup 2018
February 27 – A further 67.4 billion rubles ($2.2 billion) has been earmarked by the Russians in the new sports budget to spend on the infrastructure and preparations for hosting the FIFA Confederations Cup 2017 and the FIFA World Cup 2018.
Lazio fans land club back in UEFA disciplinary hell
February 27 – Lazio are awaiting their fate after being charged by UEFA yet again over racist behaviour by their fans – this time following the recent Europa League win over Borussia Moenchengladbach.
Roma wait nervously for sheikh’s cash for new stadium
February 27 – Serie A club AS Roma have announced a “preliminary agreement” with an Italian-based sheikh for a reported investment of between €50m and €100m– but doubts have been raised about his ability to raise the necessary funds.
Mutko critical of Russian-Ukrainian league proposal
February 26 – The forces against the formation of a unified CIS league are growing in strength as Russian Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko weighs in again with his belief that a Russian-Ukrainian championship is economically unprofitable and pointless.
Barça propose Tel Aviv peace match
By Andrew Warshaw
February 22 – Barcelona are trying to organise a symbolic peace match against a joint Israeli-Palestinian team to try and heal the wounds between two sides and promote the Middle East peace process.
Ukrainian FA goes cold on CIS league proposal
February 22 – The prospects for the return of a CIS regional league look more remote after the Ukranian FA distanced itself from the Russian club proposal.
Spurs fans attacked in Lyon before Europa League tie
By Andrew Warshaw
February 21 – In what appeared to be yet another unprovoked anti-Semitic ambush, Tottenham Hotspur fans have been attacked in a bar in the French city of Lyon on the eve of their side’s Europa League last-32 tie.