Race to replace Blatter sees pre-start jostling for position
By Andrew Warshaw
June 4 – The race to replace Sepp Blatter as FIFA president is picking up pace after South Korea’s Chung Mong-joon announced he is considering making a comeback.
South Africa confronts FBI saying the $10m was ‘no bribe’ for 2010 vote
By Andrew Warshaw
June 3 – South Africa’s government has issued a powerful denial of paying bribes to secure the 2010 World Cup, denouncing accusations that the infamous $10 million payment cited in the US indictment into widespread football corruption was linked in any way to buying votes.
David Owen: Blatter’s long goodbye
Not for the first time, he wrong-footed us all. When the invitation to a FIFA press conference thudded into our inboxes on Tuesday at 3.36pm UK time, I don’t think anyone seriously expected two hours later to be listening to Sepp Blatter, one of the great survivors of our world, setting out how he proposed to “lay down my mandate” as FIFA President.
Mixed reactions to Blatter resignation, as global battle lines start to be drawn
By Andrew Warshaw
June 3 – Sepp Blatter’s shock resignation as FIFA president has prompted mixed global reaction, with England leading western relief over his departure after 17 years but African federations ruing the loss of the man who helped the continent grow and many of its nations to stay afloat.
India enters partnership with French federation
By Mark Baber
June 3 – The new partnership was agreed in Zurich with President of the AIFF Praful Patel signing on behalf of the Indian side, with Kushal Das the AIFF’s General Secretary also present.
Crisis, what crisis? UEFA cancel Berlin meeting, Gill pleads to rejoin the gang
By Andrew Warshaw
June 3 – No more World Cup boycott threats. No more breaking away from FIFA. Or so it seems. UEFA have cancelled a proposed emergency meeting of their top brass scheduled for Saturday in the wake of Sepp Blatter’s resignation.
Bidding war escalates for Ekstraklasa €34 million TV rights deal
By Jaroslaw Adamowski
June 3 – A new competitor has reportedly entered the ongoing race to secure the broadcasting rights for Poland’s Ekstraklasa, with Polish direct-to-home platform nc+ and Eurosport competing against a new broadcaster, Eleven.
Qatar urge Dyke to focus on his promise of winning 2022, not hosting it
By Andrew Warshaw
June 3 – As the FIFA corruption scandal continues to snowball, Qatar’s World Cup organisers, whose recent statements when facing criticism over staging the tournament have been relatively diplomatic, have clearly lost their patience with outspoken English FA boss Greg Dyke.
Gracenote enters sports with $54m buy of data giants Infostrada and SportsDirect
By Paul Nicholson
June 3 – The sports data business has a new powerplaying corporate entrant in the form of world leading data and technology provider Gracenote, which has acquired Europe’s Infostrada Sports and Canada-based SportsDirect for $54 million.
Andrew Warshaw: The king is dead, but not quite buried
What tipped him over the edge? Did he walk or was he pushed? Is the net tightening around him in the United States as is being reported? Or was it simply that the sheer weight of pressure and the almost daily dose of bombshell allegations into systemic corruption simply became too much to bear – even for the great survivor?
End of an era: Sepp Blatter resigns FIFA presidency
By Paul Nicholson and Andrew Warshaw
June 2 – FIFA president Sepp Blatter has sensationally announced he is to resign. Just four days after triumphantly being elected president for a fifth term at the FIFA Congress last week.
Leoz under house arrest as US seek 86 year old’s extradition
By Andrew Warshaw
June 2 – Former CONMEBOL powerbroker Nicolas Leoz has been placed under house arrest in his native Paraguay as the FIFA corruption scandal snares yet another alleged culprit.
Rabbatts quits anti-discrimination Task Force
By Andrew Warshaw
June 2 – Heather Rabbatts, a member of FIFA’s anti-discrimination Task Force that was hailed when it was established as a key bridging block in FIFA’s reform programme, has stepped down following the arrest of the body’s chairman, Jeffrey Webb, as part of the US-orchestrated investigation into FIFA corruption.
Bulgaria’s Sofia teams lose battle to keep club licenses for next season
By Alexander Krassimirov
June 2 – Bulgarian CSKA Sofia and Lokomotiv Sofia finally lost their professional status after the Appeals Committee of the Bulgarian Football Union confirmed the decision of its Licensing committee to refuse playing licenses to both clubs.
Aussies fear AFC backlash and a return to Oceania
By Andrew Warshaw
June 2 – Australia’s decision to reject a recommendation from the Asian Football Confederation to support Sepp Blatter in last week’s FIFA presidential election has intensified fears that the country may be sent back to Oceania.