Aberdeen face UEFA sanction after team and fans lose the plot
August 8 – UEFA have opened disciplinary proceedings against Aberdeen and Apollon Limassol following crowd trouble at their recent Europa Cup tie.
World Football
Sierra Leone chaos as stakeholders demand emergency congress for this week
August 8 – Members of the Sierra Leone Football Association (SLFA), who are also referred to as football stakeholders, are demanding an emergency extraordinary congress within three days’ time amid the chaos and confusion engulfing the country’s warring footballing factions.
FIFA keeps Johansen in place as SLFA takes slow route to new elections
By Andrew Warshaw
August 7 – The bitter divisions within Sierra Leone football have taken an intriguing twist with FIFA giving Isha Johansen the green light to remain as interim federation president even though her mandate has expired.
Dutch deliver a golden tournament of record numbers for Women’s Euros
By Samindra Kunti
August 7 – Hosts the Netherlands provided their perfect ending to Euro 2017 defeating Denmark 4-2 in the final on Sunday to be crowned European champions for the first time. Star striker Vivianne Miedema scored twice.
Match abandoned as Burnley vs Hannover friendly turns nasty
August 7 – A police officer was forced to go to hospital with a head injury and a steward suffered a dislocated shoulder as a weekend pre-season fixture between an English and a German club was abandoned.
Liberia’s Bility accused of ‘callously feasting’ on FIFA money and leaving staff unpaid
By Paul Nicholson
August 4 – Liberia’s national team coaches have been unpaid for eight months, while its women’s football co-ordinator has not been paid for a year. This is despite FIFA having sent Liberia millions in grant money and FIFA having been repeatedly asked to conduct a forensic audit into the activities of controversial Liberian FA president Musa Bility (pictured) and the distribution of FIFA cash.
US club owners go to CAS demanding end to closed MLS league system
By Andrew Warshaw
August 4 – The closed shop system in the United States which prevents promotion and relegation has long been a source of controversy, but usually only outside the country where traditional fans are bemused by a practise that differs totally from the rest of the world.
Holland and Denmark progress to Women’s Euros final in Enschede
August 4 – Hosts the Netherlands sent England crashing out of Euro 2017 in the semi-finals with a 3-0 victory. In the final they face Denmark, who eliminated Austria after a penalty shoot out.
The ugly face of Polish football. Israeli team staff attacked in anti-semitic incident
August 4 – Masked hooligans attacked staff members travelling with an Israeli team following a friendly match in Poland on Wednesday in what the Israeli Embassy in Warsaw described as an “anti-Semitic incident.”
Slow burner? Del Nero, Marin, Teixeira and Hawilla targeted by Brazil’s Supreme court
By Samindra Kunti
August 3 – Brazil’s highest court the Federal Supreme Court, the STF, is to probe the corruption inquiry targeting CBF president Marco Polo Del Nero and his predecessors José Maria Marin and Ricardo Teixeira. José Hawilla, owner and founder of sports marketing agency Traffic, is also a defendant in the case.
Sierra Leone: Johansen clings on to power as stakeholders and FIFA line up against her
By Andrew Warshaw
August 3 – After years of bitter feuding and infighting, the war of words between Sierra Leone football chief Isha Johansen and her opponents has been stepped up – if that were possible – just as her highly controversial four-year term of office was due to expire today.
Beckham edges closer to Miami MLS franchise after Chicago powwow with Garber
August 3 – After almost four years in the making, David Beckham’s dream of heading a new MLS team in Miami has moved a vital step closer to reality.
Ivory Coast happy to host 24 teams at expanded AFCON 2021
August 1 – Whilst speculation intensifies over Cameroon’s ability to stage the 2019 African Cup of Nations without co-hosting, the Ivory Coast says it intends to go it alone for the 2021 finals.
Rope-a-dope: Man Utd, Jones and Blind all fined over Europa League final drug testing row
August 1 – Manchester United have been charged with breaching anti-doping regulations following the Europa League final against Ajax in May with two of the club’s international players also punished.
Critics continue to question rationale for AFCON expansion to 24 teams
By Andrew Warshaw
July 31 – One week after the overhaul of the African Cup of Nations, debate continues to rage over the wisdom, or otherwise, in expanding the competition to 24 teams and moving it to June.