Crimean football: a victim of political symbolism?

Crimean flags

By Mark Baber
April 30 – As Crimea becomes increasingly integrated into the Russian Federation, with its status within Russia apparently immutable and the large majority of Crimean residents becoming Russian citizens, the hold of the Ukrainian Football Federation over the fate of Crimean football appears increasingly iniquitous.

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Blatter keeps it low key but emphasises key role of Asia in FIFA’s future

Manama congress

By Andrew Warshaw in Manama, Bahrain
April 30 – There was no standing ovation and no prolonged clapping, rather warm and respectful applause. But that might have been because the FIFA president was preaching to the converted. In his final appearance before regional bodies ahead of next month’s presidential election, Sepp Blatter produced an uncharacteristically low-key address to the 47-nation Asian Football Confederation congress today, in contrast to some of the vibrant language delivered elsewhere on his travels over the past few weeks.

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