Romania’s Cluj seeks investment partner for next push
By David Owen
June 20 – The majority owner of CFR Cluj-Napoca, the Romanian champions, is looking for a financial partner to help consolidate the club’s place among the European elite.
World Football
Goalkeeper somehow plays on despite being shot in the head
By Tom Parsons
June 19 – Dusko Krtalica, an amateur goalkeeper from Bosnia, was shot in the head by a stray bullet during a match — only to finish the contest by brushing off the pain as a routine knock he’d taken!
Online bookies denounced for encouraging compulsive gambling
By Mark Baber
June 19 – Sporting Chance, the charity set up by former England and Arsenal defender Tony Adams to support players with addiction problems, says the majority of its referrals are now gambling-related and that on-line bookies are actively targeting players with their aggressive marketing techniques.
Benzema and Ribery sex trial postponed in France
June 19 – The trial of French football stars Franck Ribery and Karim Benzema over claims they paid for sex with an under-age call girl has been adjourned for procedural reasons until next year.
Compeán says Caribbean still main challenge for new regime
By Paul Nicholson in Rio de Janeiro
June 19 – Justino Compeán, Mexican vice-president of Concacaf, says the biggest challenge facing his confederation still lies in the Caribbean – two years after the cash-for-votes scandal that rocked CONCACAF to the core. But, he says, the organisation is in safer hands than ever under its increasingly influential president Jeffrey Webb.
Ethiopia and Togo points deductions ever closer over player ineligibility gaffe
By Andrew Warshaw
June 19 – Ethiopia look resigned to having their hopes of qualifying for next year’s World Cup jeopardised after admitting fielding an ineligible player in a recent qualifier.
Platini witnesses how Asian development project is helping Syria’s refugees
By Andrew Warshaw
June 18 – Asian football, so often embroiled in negative politics, is doing its best to support thousands of Syrian refugees who have been streaming over the Jordanian border.
Valcke backs Brazilian infrastructure spend and reports all is now on track
By Paul Nicholson in Rio
Against a backdrop of persistent public protests over the expense of staging the 2014 World Cup, FIFA general secretary Jerome Valcke has defended Brazil’s investment by saying it will be of benefit long after the event.
Blatter welcomes the money men with a warning
By Paul Nicholson in Rio
June 18 – FIFA president Sepp Blatter has warned that football cannot be just about profit and that with so much money coming into the game, also comes risks and responsibility.
World Cup leaders discuss issues for Brazil, Russia and Qatar
By Paul Nicholson in Rio
June 17 – The respective leaders of the next three World Cup organising committees had the rare experience of sharing the same panel on Monday as they described the challenges that lay ahead for Brazil, Russia and Qatar, respectively.
Turkish clubs await their fate before deciding on new coaches
By Andrew Warshaw
June 18 – Turkish giants Fenerbahce and Besiktas have put their respective searches for a new head coach on hold pending the outcome of match-fixing hearings conducted by Uefa next week.
Dutch court hands out spate of punishments after killing of linesman
By Andrew Warshaw
June 18 – Six teenage footballers and one of their fathers have been found guilty by a Dutch court of beating an amateur linesman to death in an incident that shocked the nation and even prompted the intervention of Fifa President Sepp Blatter.
Quebec turban ban reversed following FIFA clarification
By Mark Baber
June 17 – A dispute in French-speaking Quebec over whether to allow male footballers to wear turbans appears to have been resolved after Fifa clarified the rules and the suspension of Quebec from the Canadian Soccer Association was lifted.
Fifa says protests being monitored but authorities will cope
By Andrew Warshaw
June 17 – FIFA officials are “monitoring the situation” in Brazil after violent protests broke out two days running to coincide with the start of the Confederations Cup.
Resentment still lingers over Nigerian payments dispute
By Andrew Warshaw
June 17 – A dispute over player bonuses that threatened Nigeria’s participation in the Confederations Cup still appears to be festering, with claims and counter-claims from players and officials.