Film fund tax avoidance schemes catch more English players in HMRC snares
April 11 – Scores of English professional footballers are facing huge fines for investing in a tax avoidance scheme, according to the country’s Daily Mirror newspaper.
Integrity
Serbian FA call in Genius Sports for data and integrity partnership
April 10 – Genius Sports has added the Football Association of Serbia (FSS) to its roster becoming the federation’s official data and integrity partner.
Exclusive: FIFA stocks up on anti-doping kits after Berlinger announces withdrawal
By David Owen
April 6 – FIFA has secured adequate supplies of anti-doping sample collection kits for this summer’s World Cup in Russia, in spite of the company which makes them announcing plans to exit the business.
UEFA warn Zenit after player misses doping test after Celtic clash
April 4 – Zenit St Petersburg have been cautioned by UEFA after one of their players failed to attend a routine doping test following Celtic’s 1-0 Europa League win over the Russian side in February.
Italian law enforcers probe €740m sale of AC Milan to Li Yonghong
March 22 – Italian prosecutors have opened an investigation into last year’s sale of AC Milan by Silvio Berlusconi’s holding company to a Chinese consortium, according to Reuters quoting a judicial source.
Spanish prosecutors hunt Xabi Alonso, calling for €4m tax repayment and 5-year jail term
March 22 – The crackdown by Spanish authorities to prevent elite footballers getting even richer by beating the tax system has struck again, with former Liverpool and Real Madrid star Xabi Alonso facing a possible five-year jail term after being accused of fraud.
McGill wins right to take FIFA to court in UK over unpaid Vivo sponsorship commission
By Andrew Warshaw
March 20 – A British football agent who claims he missed out on a lucrative World Cup sponsorship deal because of FIFA’s behaviour has finally won the right to take the organisation to court in the UK.
Seven postponements for seven sins. Webb sentencing delayed again
March 8 – Former FIFA vice-president Jeffrey Webb has had his sentence in the FIFA-gate scandal pushed back for a seventh time after submissions in court were accepted earlier this week.
9 months in, social media campaign starts for prison release of former Barca boss Rosell
March 8 – Colleagues of Sandro Rosell, once one of the most influential figures in European club football as the former president of Barcelona, have launched a social media campaign to request his release from jail after nine months of detention.
FA and Kick It Out slam lack of action over Brewster racism incident at Spartak
March 8 – UEFA’s decision to take no action into claims of racism towards Liverpool England Under-17 striker Rhian Brewster has caused an immediate backlash in the UK with footballing and anti-discrimination bodies slamming the ruling.
UEFA probe into Brewster racism claim draws a blank
March 7 – UEFA’s investigation into claims of racism towards Liverpool England Under-17 striker Rhian Brewster has failed to find any conclusive evidence.
‘Athens Principle’ gathers support as Real Madrid and Euroleague sign up
March 6 – Real Madrid president Florentino Pérez has signed up to the ‘Athens Principle for the right to play sport’. Pérez was on hand for a signing ceremony that also saw the Euroleague (basketball) president Jordi Bertomeu sign the accord.
Kanouté calls for Africa to be treated equally and for resource to help develop itself
By Samindra Kunti in Zurich
March 5 – Former Tottenham, West Ham United and Sevilla striker Frederick Kanouté has called for a level playing field in football by developing local African leagues.
SIGA to host special session in Paris focussing on gender equality, March 7
March 2 – The Sport Integrity Global Alliance (SIGA) is to hold a one-day conference focusing on gender equality on March 7 in Paris, the day before International Women’s Day.
Big issues: FIFA to stream key conference on equality and inclusion from Zurich
By Paul Nicholson
February 28 – Focus this weekend will inevitably be on the game changing decisions regarding video assistant referees at the meeting of FIFA’s rule making committee. But on Friday the governing body addresses arguably even more important and potentially life changing issues with its 4th Conference for Equality and Inclusion at FIFA House in Zurich.