Inside World Football - Page 1528 of 2179 - For the Business of Football

Blatter wins fifth term as FIFA’s boss after Prince Ali pulls out

Blatter and world cup

By Andrew Warshaw in Zurich
May 29 – Sepp Blatter clinched victory over Prince Ali bin al-Hussein of Jordan today, moving into a fifth four-year term of office at the age of 79 but not quite with the two-thirds majority many had predicted. In dramatic scenes Prince Ali announced his withdrawal from the contest. He received a standing ovation as he left the platform while Blatter was cheered as he once again took centre stage

Archive

Palestine drop motion to suspend Israel amid impassioned scenes

FIFA-free-palestine

By Andrew Warshaw in Zurich
May 29 – Amidst high drama and under pressure from football federations across the world, Palestine withdrew its proposal today to throw Israel out of FIFA – at the eleventh hour.

Matt Scott

Matt Scott: Time to shine a light on FIFA auditor KPMG

“How many internal auditors does it take to change a light bulb? None! They’re not allowed to under Health & Safety legislation. Process notes should have been written referring the incident to Facilities.” Old accountancy joke

They are a dry old bunch, auditors. But what they lack in humour, as can be seen from that old accountancy gag, they make up for in money. It might be dull, but as the saying goes,

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Nike ‘cooperating with authorities’ over Brazil bribery scandal

w10503 nike-premier-team-fifa ball wvo detail

By Mark Baber
May 29 – Multinational US-based sportswear company Nike is reported to be the company at the centre of the bribery scandal over the Brazil shirt deal with the company claiming it is ‘cooperating with the authorities.’
Allegations over Nike’s 1996 contract with the Brazilian Football Federation (CBF) are long-standing, with major questions over the final destination of the money received.

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Blatter calls for calmer waters, unity and trust, Scala for culture change

Sepp Blatter 16

By Andrew Warshaw and Paul Nicholson in Zurich
May 29 – Sepp Blatter used the most important presidential address of his 17-year reign today by suggesting the brutal scrutiny he and his organisation have come under would not have occurred had Russia and Qatar had not been chosen to stage the 2018 and 2022 World Cups.

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Manchester United deny link corrupt sports management firm Traffic

Torben-Aakjaer

By Mark Baber
May 29 – Manchester United have denied being linked to Traffic, the sports management form central to the corruption in South America and CONCACAF uncovered in recent days, whose academy they signed a deal with in 2008.

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Palestine/Israel crisis: last ditch plan proposed at congress as vote nears

Football Politics pic 1

By Andrew Warshaw
May 29 – Insideworldfootball has learned that a last-ditch compromise may have been reached to prevent Palestine’s highly contentious proposal to suspend Israel from world football from being put to the vote at today’s FIFA congress in Zurich. Israel are believed to have proposed a last minute multi-point plan.

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Heysel remembered: 30 years on, FIFA Congress pays tribute

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By Samindra Kunti and Paul Nicholson
May 29 – The 30th anniversary of the Heysel disaster was remembered at the FIFA Congress today in Zurich by FIFA president Sepp Blatter, sitting two places away from UEFA president Michel Platini, who scored the winning goal on the fateful night that saw 39 Italians killed on the terraces of the Heysel stadium in Brussels, Belgium.

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Blatter calls for unity, as rumour mill grinds ahead of the vote

FIFA Congress 2

By Andrew Warshaw in Zurich
May 29 – Sepp Blatter looked poised to win a fifth term as FIFA president today – but perhaps not with the landslide victory many have predicted.

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Brazil’s Del Nero flees Zurich ahead of Congress

Marco Polo del Nero

By Andrew Warshaw in Zurich
May 28 – The most dramatic election build-up in FIFA history has taken yet another unexpected twist when the head of Brazil’s national federation and a senior FIFA official fled Switzerland a few hours before the ballot.

Africa

Kenya: leaks, sponsor problems and grassroots rebellion

Sam Nyamweya

By Mark Baber
May 29 – As Sam Nyamweya, whose survival as head of the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) is something of a miracle, prepares to vote in the FIFA Presidential election, he faces growing problems at home where letters to and from commercial rights agency MP & Silva are being published in the local press and a mounting campaign to put an end to his controversial reign appears to be gathering steam.

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KGHM put Zaglebie Lubin on sale after Ekstraklasa promotion

Zaglebie Lubin

By Jaroslaw Adamowski
May 28 – Poland’s copper and silver miner KGHM has sais it plans to put Zaglebie Lubin up for sale following the club’s promotion to the country’s top tier Ekstraklasa.

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New boy Gill says he won’t come out to play if Blatter re-elected

David Gill2

By Andrew Warshaw in Zurich
May 28 – Britain’s incoming FIFA vice-president David Gill will refuse to take up his new position if Sepp Blatter is re-elected FIFA president on Friday in the latest startling development to envelop world football’s governing body.

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Blatter pledges to put FIFA right, Platini promises FBI help

FIFA Congress opening

By Andrew Warshaw in Zurich
May 28 – A defiant Sepp Blatter opened arguably the most tension-filled congress of his 17 years in charge of FIFA with a rallying cry clearly designed to sway any wavering voters his way after a tumultuous 48 hours in the history or world football’s governing body.

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Greek match-fixing crisis escalates with 41 now charged

Vangelis Marinakis

By Mark Baber
May 28 – The match-fixing crisis in Greek football rumbles on with a further six players facing additional charges (making a total of 41 players, managers and referees to date), with the owner of Olympiakos being questioned and the vice-president of the Central Refereeing Committee resigning.