Prosecutors stung as English spot-fixing case dropped due to lack of evidence
January 15 – Widely publicised allegations of spot-fixing involving 13 English-based footballers has been dropped due to “insufficient evidence”.
World Football
NSCAA opens world’s largest coaches convention in Philadelphia
By Sam Nicholson in Philadelphia
January 15 – The world’s largest coaches association is holding the world’s largest convention for coaches in Philadelphia, USA. The five-day National Soccer Coaches of America Association (NSCAA) opened yesterday with more than 4,000 coaches and 10,000 attendees from around the country expected to attend.
Cypriot ref faces police questions over match-fixing
January 14 – Police in Cyprus have reportedly detained the head of the country’s referees association Michalis Argyrou (pictured) over allegations that he tried to influence the outcome of a first-division match two years ago.
CIES report finds link between club squad instability and performance
By Mark Baber
January 14 – The International Centre for Sports Studies (CIES) Football Observatory has published its first monthly report aimed at illuminating the reasons for and consequences of club instability at European level.
Who has the cash? More Messi doubts as he speaks of uncertain future
January 14 – Intrigue over Lionel Messi’s future has been fuelled by the Barcelona maestro admitting he does not know where he will be playing next year.
Poland’s Polsat secures TV rights for Poland’s second tier
By Jaroslaw Adamowski
January 14 – Poland’s I Liga, the second tier of the country’s professional football league, has signed a new broadcasting rights deal for the 2015/2016 season with Polsat, the country’s leading privately-owned broadcaster.
Botched dope test leaves Jordanian striker ill at AFC Cup
By Andrew Warshaw
January 14 – The Asian Cup has burst into controversy after Jordan lodged a formal protest with organisers claiming a random dope test that went badly wrong resulted in one their players falling seriously ill.
Brazil conforms and sets date for ending TPO funding practices
By Andrew Warshaw
January 14 – In a major boost for the regulation of the international transfer market, third-party ownership of footballers will become illegal in Brazil from May 1, bringing the country into line with a global FIFA ban on the practice that comes into effect at the same time.
Report highlights eastern shift in world football economy
January 14 – Middle Eastern countries have changed the face of football sponsorship over the past 10 years, not by the number of deals that have originated from the region but the amount of money spent.
VIVO connects to Brazil for further 8-year sponsorship
January 12 – Telecom brand VIVO, part of Telefônica Brasil, has renewed its sponsorship with the Brazilian national teams for another eight years. The partnership has existed since 2004 and incorporates both male and female teams.
NFF faces melt-down as infighting re-ignites after arbitration panel refused
By Mark Baber
January 13 – The refusal of the current Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) Executive Committee to set up an arbitration panel in order to bring a sense of legitimacy to football governance in the country, following the disputed elections of September 30, has returned Nigerian football to a full-blown crisis – this time with influential opponents of the Warri-elected NFF President Amaju Pinnick promising to take action simultaneously.
CONCACAF opens Russia 2018 qualification process with Miami draw
January 13 – The 2014 World Cup in Brazil is fading into the distance as CONCACAF gathers in Miami, Florida on Thursday, January 15 for the preliminary draw for the qualification rounds for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. Games will be played March 23-31.
Fan group says end to Lokomotiv Provdiv crisis is coming with new owners
By Alexander Krassimirov
January 13 – Bulgaria’s Lokomotiv Plovdiv will come under new ownership in the next few days according to a representative of the group running the club, ‘Alliance for Lokomotiv’s Future’. Dian Kolev (pictured with club legend Hristo Bonev) made the announcement before the start of winter training camp of the team.
Belgians invest in women’s game from grassroots up, targeting EURO2017
By Samindra Kunti
January 13 – The Belgian FA, the KBVB, has presented a roadmap to stimulate the growth of its women’s football. The KBVB wants 35,000 active members by 2016 and qualification for EURO2017.
Howard Wells: Why the Brussels summit flails in the face of FIFA basics
Last week a group led by British politicians announced a one-day forum to be hosted at the European Parliament in Brussels, titled ‘A New FIFA Now’, and promising uncompromising talk of effecting change. In a guest column, Howard Wells, a former national federation CEO and former FIFA insider, argues the meeting is a political vanity project that clouds the debate rather than contributes to it. In the real politik of international football the talk-shop falls at the very first hurdle of failing to understand the basic structure of how football is governed worldwide.