12 Bulgarian players arrested for match-fixing allegations
By Andrew Warshaw
December 14 – Bulgarian police have detained 12 players and two alleged organisers in the first arrests of an ongoing investigation into match-fixing.
Europe
Cyprus FA President to hold meeting to reunite divided island
By Andrew Warshaw
December 14 – A hugely symbolic development in relations between the football authorities on both sides of the political divide in Cyprus will take place in the New Year when the President of the Cyprus Football Association (CFA), Costakis Koutsokoumnis, holds a formal meeting with representatives on the Turkish-controlled north of the island.
FA criticise UEFA’s Serbia racial abuse punishment
By Andrew Warshaw
December 14 – Despite UEFA President Michel Platini’s oft-quoted insistence that his organisation favoured a zero tolerance approach to racism, Serbian authorities were handed a series of less than drastic sanctions today in the wake of their fans’ behaviour at the now infamous under-21 fixture against England in October.
UEFA calls for ban on third party player ownership
By Andrew Warshaw
December 12 – European football’s governing body is clamping down hard on third party ownership – by which footballers are partly controlled by outside parties when it comes to access and transfer rights.
Attorney General makes new bid for Hillsborough inquests
By Tom Degun
December 11 – Attorney General Dominic Grieve has made an application to quash the original Hillsborough inquest verdicts.
Goal-line technology money could be better spent, insists Platini
By Andrew Warshaw
December 11 – UEFA President Michel Platini is sticking to his firm stance against goal-line technology – exactly at the time it is currently being used for the first time in official competition.
UEFA launches Youth League competition linked to Champions League
By Tom Degun
December 10 – UEFA has announced the launch of a new under-19 club competition for the 2013-2014 season which will have close ties to the Champions League.
TEAM marketing deal breaks new ground with UEFA
December 7 – UEFA has announced an extension of its long-term marketing partnership with TEAM Marketing.
Dutch youth players beat linesman to death
By Andrew Warshaw
December 5 – Dutch football and society in general has been left shocked and bewildered after a part-time volunteer linesman officiating in a youth league died from severe head injuries apparently sustained while being savagely beaten by a group of teenage players.
Football officials resume talks on divided Cyprus
By Andrew Warshaw
December 4 – Significant strides have been made to bridge the footballing divide in Cyprus following breakthrough talks between Greek and Turkish representatives – the first since early 2008.
Scottish leagues to be revamped to boost revenue and attendances
By Andrew Warshaw
December 4 – A revolutionary blueprint has been agreed to revive Scottish football and make it more meaningful and competitive.
Malaga face UEFA sanctions over unpaid players’ wages
By Andrew Warshaw
December 3 – Despite being owned by Qatari investors and performing impressively in the Champions League, Malaga are facing UEFA sanctions for failing to pay millions of euros of players’ wages on time.
Zenit St Petersburg take sanction appeal to CAS
By Andrew Warshaw
November 30 – In a rare move, Russian champions Zenit St Petersburg are going to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) after the Russian Football Union (RFU) turned down their appeal against being punished following serious crowd trouble at the recent domestic fixture at Dynamo Moscow.
Beckham tipped for move to Monaco
By Andrew Warshaw
November 30 – David Beckham, one of the icons of his generation, has been heavily linked with a career-ending move to French club Monaco as he prepares to round off his time with LA Galaxy in the United States.
Shakhtar’s Adriano hit with match ban after unsporting goal
By Andrew Warshaw
November 29 – One of the most bizarre instances of bad sportsmanship has been punished by UEFA with Shakhtar Donetsk’s Luiz Adriano handed a one-match ban.