Amnesty pressures FIFA to stay focussed on Qatar workers’ rights, despite progress made
March 22 – Amnesty International has called on FIFA to put more pressure on 2022 World Cup hosts Qatar to improve conditions for migrant workers.
Integrity
Rangers fury at Kamara racial abuse as UEFA launches probe
March 22 – UEFA have stepped in to investigate claims that a player from Scottish champions Rangers was racially abused by a Slavia Prague opponent during their Europa League match last week as both sides continue to blame the other for the incident.
Rangers boss Gerrard furious over racist jibe as Slavia Prague claim assault
March 19 – Scottish champions Rangers, bundled out of the Europa League by Slavia Prague on Thursday, have accused one of the Czech defenders of racist abuse in the latest incident of discrimination to hit the game.
Platini to give witness evidence in Infantino criminal case
March 17 – Former UEFA president Michel Platini spent six hours in front of a Swiss prosecutor as a suspect on Monday – but today was due to appear as a witness in a separate case against his nemesis, FIFA president Gianni Infantino.
Dinamo Zagreb coach Mamic quits after Croatian court confirms jail term for fraud
March 16 – The coach of Dinamo Zagreb, who play Tottenham Hotspur in the Europa League on Thursday, has resigned after having a prison sentence for fraud and tax evasion confirmed by Croatia’s supreme court.
Russian doping: FIFA opens cases against three players for alleged 2013 offences
March 16 – FIFA has opened disciplinary cases against three Russian footballers for suspected doping violations that happened in 2013.
French league hopes court win against Canal+ will put TV rights re-sale back on track
March 15 – France’s Professional Football League (LFP) has won a legal battle against Canal+ with a French commercial court ruling that the LFP was within its rights to tender only the TV rights abandoned by Mediapro following the collapse of the rights deal with the Spanish-sino agency.
Gianni’s jet: Federal court rules out witness evidence but criminal case not grounded
March 12 – After a series of legal losses in his battle against criminal prosecution in Switzerland, FIFA president Gianni Infantino had a win yesterday when the Swiss Federal Criminal Court ruled in favour of one of four complaints Infantino’s legal team had made in December 2020.
Europol leads cross-border swoop that shuts down pirate streamers Mobdro
March 12 – A major illegal streaming network that had over 100 million downloads of its app and had made profits estimated at €5 million has been shut shutdown following raids by Europol and the Spanish National Police.
Leaders warn that as women’s game returns more needs to be done
By Paul Nicholson
March 11 – Women should not be left out of football’s rebuilding programme and that although positive steps have been taken by men for the women’s game, more can be done. These were two clear messages coming out of the just concluded Female Leadership webinars organised by sports integrity body SIGA.
Sala’s family start legal action against Cardiff City
March 11 – The family of late Argentine footballer Emiliano Sala is taking legal action against English Championship club Cardiff City more than two years after his death in a plane crash.
Swiss refuse, again, release of investigation file to Infantino before his criminal hearing
March 9 – FIFA president Gianni Infantino was struck another legal blow in the criminal case against him in Switzerland with the Swiss Federal Criminal Court ruling he can’t have access to the investigation file into his case.
Samoura opens Female Leadership summit with call to challenge and innovate
March 9 – FIFA general secretary Fatma Samoura opened the Female Leadership in Sport Summit yesterday with a message that the world governing body has at its a heart a “mission to transform FIFA into an egalitarian organisation”.
Romanian official suspended for ‘inappropriate comment’ in PSG-Basaksehir case
March 9 – UEFA have suspended Romanian fourth official Sebastian Coltescu until the end of the season for his role in a racism case last December.
Ahmad has ban and fine reduced at CAF but is remains out of presidential race
March 8 – Disgraced Confederation of African Football president Ahmad Ahmad has lost his appeal against his FIFA ban for corruption but has won a reduction in the length of that ban from five years to two.