February 20 – US president Donald Trump’s executive order barring those from Iraq, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen entering the country – now on hold – has nevertheless had its first high profile impact on a footballer.
February 17 – The eSports Integrity Coalition (ESIC) and International Centre for Sport Security Europe (ICSS EUROPE) have signed an agreement to work on match-fxing integrity issues facing the esports industry.
February 16 – FIFA’s ethics committee has opened formal proceedings against two former Central American officials after investigators recommended they be banned for life for alleged corruption.
February 14 – Following revelations about lack of drug testing in Spanish football, attention has now turned to the British domestic game with news that at least 39% of players who played in the English Football League last season – the three divisions below the premier League – were not tested by UK Anti-Doping (UKAD) authorities.
February 13 – World anti-doping officials have expressed their alarm at the lack of drug testing in Spanish football, saying there have been no tests carried out for the last 11 months.
February 10 – The Scottish FA is appealing against a CHF 20,000 fine imposed by FIFA after their players wore armbands featuring the poppy symbol as an act of remembrance during their Armistice Day match with England on November 11.
February 10 – The English Football Association has been warned “the clock is ticking fast” after a motion of no confidence into its ability to reform itself was passed during a British Parliamentary debate.
February 9 – In a hugely controversial judgement that has caused outrage amongst the Italian Jewish community, two Lazio fans have been acquitted by a judge despite being caught on camera singing explicitly anti-Semitic chants at rival Roma supporters.
By Paul Nicholson
February 7 – The various charges against Olympiacos owner Evangelos Marinakis – some legally and others through the media – are rapidly dropping away one by one. The latest charge to be reversed was by the Greek Administrative Court of Appeal in support of the positions of Olympiacos and Marinakis.
February 8 – English Football Association chairman Greg Clarke has threatened to quit if the government does not support his proposed reforms of the organisation.
February 7 – Two British-based gaming enthusiasts who ran a betting website connected to FIFA’s globally popular EA Sports video game have pleaded guilty to breaching Britain’s gambling laws in a landmark case.
By Paul Nicholson
February 7 – The rehabilitation of Uli Hoeness now looks complete. Having been re-elected as president of Bayern Munich last November, he has now reassumed the position of chairman of the Supervisory Board. In separate news the club are said to be close to launching a new TV channel with main sponsor Deutsche Telekom.
February 7 – The Cyprus Football Association (CFA) has fined two top flight teams €50,000 each after they were implicated in suspicious betting activity.
February 6 – David Beckham’s reputation as a globally respected icon has been called into question by a series of unsubstantiated and reportedly hacked emails alleged to have been acquired by Football Leaks, sport’s equivalent of WikiLeaks, which claim the motivation for his renowned humanitarian work was partly in order to obtain a knighthood.
February 6 – The English Football Association’s image as an anachronistic body of blazer-wearing conservative officials resistant to reform will come under renewed scrutiny this week when a group of parliamentarians debate a motion of ‘no confidence’ in the governing body.