Blatter heads home after ‘relaxing’ but promises he will return to fray
November 13 – Suspended FIFA president Sepp Blatter has been discharged from hospital after what was described as a “small emotional breakdown”.
Exclusive: FIFA electoral committee unanimous on vetting decisions
By Andrew Warshaw
November 13 – FIFA’s electoral committee were unanimous in allowing Asian football chief Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim al-Khalifa to run for the presidency and in banning Liberia’s Musa Bility from standing, Insideworldfootball has learned.
Carlsberg refreshes the Spurs deal other brewers can’t reach
November 13 – Premier League Tottenham Hotspur have extended their long-term deal with Carlsberg. The brewer will continue as the Club’s Official UK Beer Partner for another three seasons.
Paid patriotism. How MLS clubs earn off the stars and stripes
By Ben Nicholson
November 13 – While FIFA insist that sports and politics are separate, the US has been exposed as using sport to host patriotic displays honoring American soldiers. A government oversight report released information detailing that the Department of justice had paid $6.8 million to sports teams for military tributes.
LAFC head downtown, Spurs get MLS attention in San Antonio
By Ben Nicholson
November 13 – LAFC, the newly formed Californian MLS club that has picked up their berth from the now defunct Chivas USA, look poised to have sorted out a new-build stadium to play in. While in Texas, the city of San Antonio has put down a stadium marker in its bid to land a new MLS franchise.
Exclusive: Bahraini footballer Hubail backs Salman for FIFA job
By Paul Nicholson in Manama, Bahrain
November 12 – Bahrain’s most famous footballer and the national team’s top scorer Ala’a Hubail, has told Insideworldfootball that he hopes “Shaikh Salman becomes president because he would be the first arab president and that makes me very proud.” He also said that the allegations swirling around Shaikh Salman’s candidacy are not true, “it is not in his character”.
Record revenues but team-building cost weighs on Man Utd’s bottom-line
By David Owen
November 12 – Manchester United continue to show the financial effects of their attempts to restore their dominance of the English club game, in spite of scoring a near 40% jump in first quarter revenues. A hike in costs, plus a financial hit on transfer dealings as manager Louis van Gaal and colleagues attempt to create a team worthy of the United brand, meant that pre-tax profits in the three months to September 30 were down 36% on a year earlier at £5.2 million.
Swiss not decided on whether Figueredo sent to US or Uruguay
November 12 – Former FIFA vice-president Eugenio Figueredo, one of the ‘Zurich Seven’ arrested in May as part of the US-led probe into $150 million worth of financial corruption stretching back 24 years, has instigated a tug of war between the United States and his native Uruguay for his extradition.
FIFA clears five to go forward to election, Platini must wait
By Andrew Warshaw
November 12 – The race for the FIFA presidency will be contested by five candidates, pending Michel Platini’s appeal against suspension, after Liberia’s Musa Bility was unexpectedly ruled out following integrity checks into the potential contenders to take over from Sepp Blatter on February 26.
Rauball takes charge in Germany but warns crisis will take time to repair
By Andrew Warshaw
November 12 – Germany’s ‘s joint interim FA chief Reinhard Rauball has warned of a long road ahead to pull the country out of its off-the-field political crisis.
Three extends Irish deal through to Euro 2020, as team battles for Euro 2016 spot
By Mark Baber
November 12 – CK Hutchison Holdings Limited’s Three-branded Irish telecoms business announced on Wednesday the renewal of its partnership with the Republic of Ireland football team and the Football Association of Ireland (FAI), pledging support to Irish football until 2020 in a deal worth €8.9 million.
Maracanã to host men’s and women’s 2016 Olympic football finals
By David Owen
November 12 – FIFA has announced that the mythical Maracanã Stadium, spiritual home of the Brazilian football team, is to host both the men’s and the women’s Olympic football finals.
US avoids concussion lawsuit with ban on U10s heading the ball and education
By Ben Nicholson
November 12 – In response to a pending lawsuit regarding concussion protection amongst youth ‘soccer’ players, the United States Soccer Federation (USSF) has changed its practices so as to improve concussion awareness and education, and ban heading altogether for U10s.
WADA suspends Moscow anti-doping laboratory
By David Owen
November 12 – The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has moved immediately to suspend the accreditation of the anti-doping laboratory in the Russian capital, the Moscow Antidoping Center. The head of the laboratory, Grigory Rodchenkov, has also resigned.
Beckham’s Miami dreams falter as they refuse to play ‘stupid’
By Ben Nicholson
November 12 – David Beckham’s plan to build a stadium in Miami is again faltering following comments made by Tim Lieweke (pictured), who is leading negotiations for Beckham’s group. This time three private parties are holding out on selling their property and holding up Beckham’s MLS franchise dream.