Poland’s Bańka elected to head WADA
By David Owen
November 8 – The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) formally elected the Pole, Witold Bańka, as its next president. He will succeed Scotland’s Sir Craig Reedie at the start of next year.
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US star Rapinoe says game must get tougher on racism
November 8 – US women’s football star Megan Rapinoe, who became a global icon after capturing the hearts of millions of fans worldwide during the women’s World Cup and who has led the campaign for gender equality, has accused football’s stakeholders of reacting insufficiently to the recent scourge of racist abuse.
Police officer charged with murder of troubled Villa and Man City star Atkinson
November 8 – A police constable has been charged with murdering Dalian Atkinson who died following a taser incident.
WADA’s new dopers code cuts bans for non-performance enhancing drugs; FIFPro push FIFA to follow
By Paul Nicholson
November 7 – The decision by WADA to amend their 2021 World Anti-Doping Agency Code to reduce disciplinary sanctions for athletes who test positive for substances that are unrelated to sports performance will doubtless come as a relief for players, but it is a ruling that could conceivably cover recreational drugs.
Gene testing may be used at Tokyo Olympics
By David Owen
November 6 – Gene testing may be utilised as part of the battle against drug cheats at next year’s Olympic Games in Tokyo, according to International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach.
Italian racism: Hellas Verona’s ultras leader banned for nationality jibe at Balotelli
November 6 – The head of Hellas Verona’s ultras group has been banned by the club for 11 years relating to the racist abuse aimed at Bescia striker Mario Balotelli last weekend.
Chelsea maintain transfer ban appeal at CAS, despite 150 breaches of FIFA regs
November 5 – The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) will hear Chelsea’s appeal against their two-window transfer ban on November 20.
Team-mates persuade Balotelli to play-on after more monkey chants in Italy
November 4 – As well as VAR making headlines after another weekend of top-flight action across Europe, racism was once again at the forefront of controversy – and yet again in Italy where striker Mario Balotelli kicked a ball into the stands and briefly walked off in protest at being targeted by Hellas Verona fans.
Premier League wins jail sentence for Singaporean seller of pirate TV boxes
November 1 – The fight against illegal streaming of English Premier League games has achieved a significant victory after a Singapore-based firm and its director were convicted of infringing copyright by providing pirated content via Android TV boxes
QPR boss says UEFA and FIFA treat racism complaints ‘like a broken seat in the stadium’
November 1 – English Championship club Queens Park Rangers have accused both FIFA and UEFA of brushing a racism complaint under the carpet as they wait to hear whether action will be taken over an incident that prompted their under-18 team to abandon a game in Spain.
Man Utd co-operating with sexual abuse investigation into former kit man
November 1 – Manchester United have said they are “cooperating fully” with a review into historical sex abuse by the English FA after allegations against former club employee Billy Watts, who died in 2009.
KAA Gent under fire as betting ad integrity issues focus Belgian regulators
October 31 – As Osasuna socios ask their board to rethink the club’s shirt sponsorship by Kirolbet, so betting company activity in football is also focussing minds in Belgium where the Belgium Gambling Commission (BGC) has opened an investigation into Jupiler Pro League club KAA Gent.
Charity Commission review critical of Kick It Out’s internal governance
October 31 – An independent review of one of English football’s most respected anti-discrimination organisations, Kick It Out, has found a series of governance shortcomings including “failures of communication” concerning how it handled an allegation of sexual assault made by a member of staff in 2017.
Anti-racism campaigners slam UEFA’s Bulgarian sanction as weak and ‘disheartening’
October 30 – English anti-discrimination campaigners have denounced UEFA for failing to throw Bulgaria out of the competition, or at least dock points, as punishment for their fans’ racist abuse of England players in the recent Euro 2020 qualifier between the sides.
Osasuna members force club to rethink Kirolbet shirt sponsorship
October 30 – LaLiga’s Osasuna will meet with betting firm Kirolbet who hold the club’s main shirt sponsorship to discuss the possibility of terminating the contract early. The current contract ends in 2021.