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.
Integrity
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.
FIFA’s Samoura to give keynote opening Female Leadership in Sport Summit tomorrow
March 8 – FIFA general secretary Fatma Samoura (pictured) will open SIGA’s online female leadership in sport summit tomorrow.
Man Utd’s new Chinese-owned African TV partner in court for non-payment
By Andrew Warshaw
March 3 – The Chinese company appointed by Manchester United to broadcast its matches in some 30 African countries is alleged to owe millions of dollars to a range of stakeholders across the globe.
Court forces Fenerbahce to change channel over ‘abusive’ use of beFAIR logo
March 3 – Turkish Super Lig broadcaster beIN Sport has won an injunction against one of the league’s leading clubs to stop it breaching its intellectual property, preventing use of a beFAIR logo that has been used on club t-shirts, training bibs, LED stadium banners and even on 3D carpets on the pitch.
Police swoop on Barca as probe into 2020 social media smear campaign deepens
March 2 – In dire financial straits and with its presidential election looming, Barcelona have been rocked by another image-shattering setback after Catalan authorities raided their stadium on Monday and made four arrests.
CAF boss Ahmad’s CAS hearing starts as he seeks a route to stay in the game
By Andrew Warshaw
March 2 – Almost unnoticed amidst the ongoing shenanigans surrounding the four candidates vying to take over from him, the appeal of African football chief Ahmad Ahmad against his five-year FIFA ban was due to take place today.
Female leadership summit, March 8-10, releases speaker and webinar schedule
March 2 – The first-ever Web Summit on Female Leadership in Sport, March 8-10, has unveiled a speaker line-up of more than 70 global leaders and senior executives from all sides of the sports industry.
US Soccer ends no-kneel rule
March 1 – The United States Soccer Federation has voted to end a ban on players protesting racial inequality and police brutality from kneeling during the national anthem.
Forest Green Rovers owner tells football world to wake up and smell the coffee
February 24 – Forest Green Rovers, the English fourth-tier club that is powered by renewable energy, serves vegan food to players, staff and fans and prides itself on being the “greenest” club in the world, have launched a new team shirt partly made of coffee waste.
Real Madrid caught in alleged tax evasion scheme over on-line commercial rights
February 23 – Real Madrid have become embroiled in a new potential tax evasion scandal following unconfirmed reports that it allegedly tried to keep part of the proceeds from the sale of a commercial rights with the help of two companies, possibly fictitious, based in the tax haven of the Cayman Islands.
Female leadership summit, March 8-12, releases agenda and speakers
February 22 – With two weeks to go to the Web Summit on Female Leadership in Sport, SIGA has released details of the programme content and speakers.
Mali and RB Salzburg pair crash after altitude sickness pills land then with a doping ban
February 22 – Two Mali players with Austrian club Red Bull Salzburg have been handed three-month doping suspensions.
US women have trial date on gender discrimination case pushed back to June
February 22 – The trial date for the gender discrimination lawsuit brought by US women players against the US Soccer Federation has been pushed back from May 5 to June 16.
beIN’s Al-Khelaifi slams Swiss prosecutor’s appeal as a publicity stunt
By Andrew Warshaw
February 18 – Paris St Germain supremo Nasser Al-Khelaifi has hit back at the decision by Swiss prosecutors to appeal his acquittal on accusations of aggravated criminal mismanagement regarding the allocation of World Cup TV rights.