Parma hit with fine and point loss after falling foul of money rules
December 10 – Italian Serie A strugglers Parma have been handed a one-point deduction for financial irregularities last season.
World Football
Hungary’s MTK picks new stadium design
By Jaroslaw Adamowski
December 10 – A jury composed of members of the Hungarian architects’ association Magyar Epiteszek Hazabanhas have picked the winning design for the planned new stadium for Budapest-based side MTK. The project is estimated to cost about HUF 6.5 billion (€21.3 million).
Bastia president arrested over irregular club payments
December 12 – The president of French Ligue 1 side Bastia, Pierre-Marie Geronimi (pictured), has been arrested and placed in police custody as part of an investigation into the club’s finances.
Platini keeps up his hunt to find a FIFA presidential challenger
By Andrew Warshaw
December 10 – UEFA president Michel Platini has given another strong hint that moves are going on behind the scenes to find a suitable challenger for Europe to back at next year’s FIFA presidential election.
Monaco face more FFP scrutiny as UEFA also pressure Lyon
By Samindra Kunti
December 10 – European football’s governing body UEFA has announced that it will continue to investigate Monaco under the Financial Fair Play Regulations, while Olympique Lyon has been asked to submit additional information.
Scotiabank joins the CONCACAF revolution as first official partner
By Paul Nicholson
December 9 – CONCACAF has announced Scotiabank as the first official partner of its revamped sponsorship programme. In an initial four-year deal, the bank will become the title sponsor of the CONCACAF Champions League, the official bank of the confederation, and a main sponsor of the Gold Cup.
Romanian court strips Steaua Bucharest of name, logo and colours
December 9 – Romania’s most famous club Steaua Bucharest, founded in 1947, have been stripped of their name, colours and emblem after losing a long legal battle with the country’s defence ministry over their trademark.
On-line retail giant takes control at J-League’s Vissel Kobe
By Paul Nicholson
December 9 – J-League club Vissel Kobe has been bought by Japanese e-commerce giant Rakuten, the club’s shirt sponsor, for an undisclosed amount.
Real crackdown with stadium ban for anti-Barca chanters
December 9 – One of the world’s great footballing rivalries has turned ugly after Real Madrid banned 17 of their own supporters for abusive chants about Lionel Messi and Barcelona.
Malaysian minister apologies to Vietnamese fans for Suzuki Cup violence
December 9 – Malaysia’s minister of youth and sports, Khairy Jamaluddin, has apologised to Vietnam supporters after they were attacked during the semi-final of the Suzuki Cup in at Malaysia’s Shah Alam stadium.
Nigerian crisis needs application of law, but who’s law?
By Mark Baber
December 8 – In the wake of Barrister Okey Ajunwa’s Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) Appeals Committee 80-page report which concluded the election of Amaju Pinnick was flawed and should be rerun, and the refusal of the NFF to accept that report, FIFA is now faced with a choice.
Al Ahly fans storm stadium but leave to allow team to take CAF Cup win
December 8 – About 2,000 fans stormed Cairo’s main stadium at the weekend ahead of a rare match that supporters were allowed to attend. Egyptian fans have been barred from attending domestic league matches for the past four seasons after political violence by organised fan groups have led to riots and deaths.
Exclusive: Proposed AFC shake-up looks bad for women as power base shifts west
By Andrew Warshaw
December 8 – In another contentious shake-up within its hierarchy, Asian football looks set to scrap its automatic female vice-presidency, held by Australia’s Moya Dodd, a move that is bound to lay the region open to accusations of gender discrimination just when it has been making all manner of noises about inclusion and reform.
Le Coq Sportif lines up Fiorentina, Saint-Etienne kit deals
By Jaroslaw Adamowski
December 5 – In a bid to boost its position in the European football market, French sports apparel maker Le Coq Sportif is reportedly planning to become the kit supplier of French club AS Saint-Etienne and Italy’s ACF Fiorentina.
Nigerian chaos as now Pinnick is stripped of presidency but refuses to go
By Mark Baber
December 5 – The day after members of the Nigerian Football Federation Electoral Appeals Committee (NFF) broke ranks with their own chairmen to issue “decisions” purportedly upholding the legitimacy of the disputed September 30 elections which produced the current Amaju Pinnick-led (pictured) executive, the committee chairman, Okechukwu Ajunwa, has ruled that those same elections are nullified and Amaju Pinnick should cease to parade himself as NFF president.