Rate of positive football anti-doping samples holds steady in 2019 at just over 3 per 1000
By David Owen
December 22 – Football remains anything but a doping blackspot, assuming official statistics offer a reliable guide.
Integrity
Why the impressive Marcus Rashford is almost making Man Utd lovable
December 21 – England international forward Marcus Rashford, who famously forced the British government into a u-turn with his calls for free school meals to children from low-income families, has collected a special individual honour as a result of his work to raise awareness.
UEFA warms to Green Deal sign-up and focus on carbon cutting Euro 2024
December 17 – UEFA and president Aleksander Ceferin have formally confirmed they will support the newly launched European climate pact.
Cristante to miss Serie A match for breaking Italian blasphemy law
December 16 – Italy’s international midfielder Bryan Cristante has been banned for one Serie A game for breaking the country’s strict blasphemy laws following his own goal in Roma’s 5-1 over win over Bologna on Sunday.
FIFPro marks social pioneering moments and 25 years since game-changing Bosman ruling
By Andrew Warshaw
December 15 – International players’ union FIFPro is celebrating exactly 25 years since the landmark Bosman ruling that changed the face of world football.
Haiti’s Jean-Bart, banned for sexual abuse, says there are no babies
December 15 – In a remarkable interview with the online version of Britain’s Daily Mail newspaper, the disgraced former head of Haiti’s football federation – banned for life for sexual abuse – has launched a passionate defence of his behaviour by accusing FIFA of being corrupt, declaring he is being used as a scapegoat and arguing that he was given only 10 minutes to respond to the sickening accusations against him.
Ukraine appeal to CAS over covid 3-pointer that forced relegation
December 14 – Ukraine have appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport against UEFA’s decision to award Switzerland a 3-0 walkover win in last month’s Nations League clash between the sides as a result of positive Covid-19 tests in the Ukrainian camp.
Brazil stays top of football’s drug violations table
By David Owen
December 14 – Footballers in Brazil were again more likely to pick up anti-doping rule violations (ADRVs) than those in any other country, according to statistics relating to samples collected in 2018 made public this month by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).
FIFA and Infantino fury at Swiss prosecutor’s referral of private jet flight for criminal probe
By Andrew Warshaw
December 11 – Gianni Infantino’s increasingly bitter war with the Swiss justice authorities over whether he is guilty of corruption has taken another significant twist with a special prosecutor recommending a criminal investigation against the FIFA President for using a private jet in 2017.
Greizmann cuts ties with Huawei over tech giant’s ‘Uighur alert’ face recognition weapon
December 11 – Barcelona’s French international forward and World Cup winner Antoine Griezmann, who has been an ambassador for tech giant Huawei, has cut commercial ties with the company citing China’s treatment of Uighur Muslims.
New day, new officials: PSG and Basaksehir show solidarity as game gets played
December 10 – Paris Saint-Germain and Istanbul Basaksehir players took a knee and wore ‘No to racism’ t-shirts before their rescheduled Champions League game on Wednesday, 24 hours after the original fixture was abandoned after 14 minutes when both teams walked off in protest after the Turkish club accused a match official of racism.
UEFA investigate PSG and Basaksehir walk-off after match official accused of racism
December 9 – UEFA have opened a disciplinary investigation into the disturbing scenes that marred Tuesday night’s Champions League fixture between Paris St Germain and Istanbul Basaksehir, abandoned after both teams walked off in protest at alleged racism, the first time that has happened in Europe’s elite club competition.
SIGA’s Frattini and de Medeiros call for action on International Anti-Corruption Day
December 9 – SIGA’s chairman Franco Frattini and CEO Emanuel Macedo de Medeiros have both issues powerful calls to action in the fight against sports corruption on International Anti-corruption Day.
UEFA goes green with new EC pact
December 4 – UEFA has gone green and it isn’t just about the greenbacks its top clubs and players so voraciously gobble up. Their ‘greenness’ this time is for the greater good.
SIGA launches Youth Forum webinars of Jan 27-28 as #StandWithSIGA gathers pace
December 4 – The Sport Integrity Global Alliance (SIGA) has launched its first SIGA Youth Forum that will take take place on January 27-28 next month.