March 12 – The police commander in charge during the 1989 Hillsborough stadium disaster at which 96 Liverpool fans died says he will regret lying about the tragedy until his dying day.
Mark Baber
March 11 – Whilst the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) worries that its 2015 government grant of N1.2 billion ($60 million) is insufficient, its belated appearance before parliament on Tuesday proved a disaster as the Sports Committee insisted the federation provide full disclosure of its accounts – including how money from FIFA and sponsors has been spent.
By Mark Baber
March 11 – Although FIFA have reportedly ordered the Kenyan Football Federation (FKF) to withdraw their court case against the Kenyan Premier League (KPL), at the time of writing Bob Munro, the founder of two-time Nobel Peace Prize nominated Mathare Youth Sports Association (MYSA) and his colleagues on the board of the KPL still face a possible 6 months in jail, if FKF President Sam Nyamweya does not relent.
By Andrew Warshaw
March 11 – The full scale of corruption in Cypriot football has been exposed by a referee whistleblower who claims officials are regularly deciding the outcome of games on orders from above.
March 10 – City Football Group – owner of Manchester City, New York City FC and Melbourne City FC – has announced a £400,000 football charity initiative through its Cityzens Giving programme.
Brazilian superstar Zico, often referred to as the ‘White Pelé’, was not only a fantastic player, but he has become a respected and a successful professional coach. Having coached in Iran, Japan and Brazil, more recently he has become an idol in India’s Goa.
By Andrew Warshaw
March 10 – Just over a week before Fifa is expected to announce the dates for the 2022 winter World Cup in Qatar, the official who analyzed the credentials of all nine canddiates for 2018 and 2022 has presented what he believes is a workable timetable – but only if significant tweaks are made.
March 10 – Former Cameroon star Samuel Eto’o was honoured on Monday for his “inspiring” stand against racism as he became the third recipient of the European Medal of Tolerance awarded by a leading anti-discrimination group.
March 10 – The South African government has accused FIFA of not acting decisively enough over match-fixing investigations, notably regarding a series of warm-up games that preceded the 2010 World Cup.
March 10 – A report into a swathe of alleged rigged Ligue 2 games in France last season has concluded that one match was subject to “an understanding” between the two clubs concerned.
March 10 – The Gulf region has struck yet another blow for staging major tournaments with the news that The United Arab Emirates has been awarded hosting rights to the 2019 Asian Cup.
March 10 – New data from the CIES, the Swiss-based Centre for Sports Studies, finds that €1.072 billion has been generated from sales of academy players by clubs in Europe’s Big 5 leagues. Topping the chart is Premier League club Southampton earning €90.2 million from sales since July 2012.
By Mark Baber
March 9 – China’s domestic league kicked off this weekend, with the clubs having spent twice as much as ever before during the winter transfer window, with a major infusion of foreign talent and with the country’s political leadership committed to a reform programme to achieve the triple aims expressed by Chinese President Xi Jinping in 2011: for the People’s Republic to qualify for, host and finally win the World Cup.
March 9 – Russian national team manager Fabio Capello and his compatriot Oreste Cinquini, the team’s general manager, have at last been paid the outstanding salaries owed to them going back to June of last year. Reports are that the Russian Football Union (RFU) has now paid the outstanding $5.96 million up to February.
By Paul Nicholson
March 9 – Rangers’ new board had a slow start to their tenancy with a lifeless 0-0 draw away to Cowdenbeath on Saturday. Now the directors are hoping their promised revolution will get a kick start with a packed Ibrox this Tuesday in their first home Championship match under the new regime against Queen of the South.