Hearn can look to Europe for help on Olympic Stadium battle

Barry Hearn

By Paul Nicholson
October 4 – Leyton Orient owner Barry Hearn (pictured)may have lost his £750,000 legal battle to allow the club to ground share London’s Olympic Stadium with Premier League club West Ham United, but he hasn’t given up hope and he could be handed a lifeline by the EC.

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Benin elects Ahouanvoébla on platform of revival and promise of new era

Augustin Ahouanvoébla

By Mark Baber
October 2 – Augustin Ahouanvoébla has been elected President of the Benin Football Federation (FEBEFOOT) for a four-year tenure, as his ‘Revival of Football’ list (of candidates for office) beat Bruno Arthur Didavi’s ‘Renewal’ list narrowly by 23 votes to 21, with two votes declared invalid in the final round of the elective General Assembly held on Monday September 30 at the Palais des Congres in Cotonou.

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Singapore enlists French help to develop next generation

Singapore and France sign MoU

By Mark Baber
October 2 – A wide-ranging Football Association of Singapore (FAS) – French Football Federation (FFF) Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) focusing on youth development was signed at the Jalan Besar Stadium in Singapore yesterday. In hailing the new MOU, representatives focused on the successes of the French youth system which was demonstrated as the France Under-20 side won the 2013 FIFA Under-20 World Cup title whilst the Under-19 side finished runners-up at the UEFA European Under-19 Championships.

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PAOK to appeal UEFA fan ban extension for Maccabi visit

PAOK empty stands

By Panos Bletsos
October 1 – Having not played an international home game in front of their fans for more than 13 months, Greek outfit PAOK are hoping to welcome Israel’s Maccabi Haifa to a packed Toumba ground on October 24, having lodged an appeal against UEFA’s decision to extend their home ban on fans to four matches following “irregularities” during the UEFA Champions League play-off clash against Schalke.

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