Inside World Football - Page 1645 of 2202 - For the Business of Football

Politics and football: A Brazilian love affair

Ronaldo and Neves

By Ricardo Setyon
Ocotber 27 – A pornstar called Stick Kid. The only ever Brazilian astronaut. A series of sexy women that adopted artisitic nicknames of fruits (Pear Maria, little strawberry), all linked to their body formats. A Hollywood-based plastic surgeon, born in Brazil. A blind comedian. Three Big Brother reality TV Show winners. Five or six local country singers. A Volleyball World Champion and a famous boxer. And 12 ex-football players and coaches. They all have two things in common: they are famous and they all failed to get enough votes to be winners in the recent elections in Brazil.

Africa

South African captain shot dead by intruders at home

Senso Meyiwa

By Andrew Warshaw
October 27 – South African football has been plunged into mourning after national team captain Senzo Meyiwa was shot dead by intruders at his girlfriend’s home.

Andrew Warshaw: Platini’s grand Euro plan dumbfounds critics

When UEFA president Michel Platini decided to expand the European Championship finals from 16 to 24 countries, starting in 2016 in his homeland, the purists threw their collective arms up in the air, screamed “Zut alors” – or far worse – and accused the Frenchman of being seriously misguided.

Archive

Broadcast: Ekstraklasa launches free live app, Liverpool go HD

Screen-Android-telefon

October 24 – Poland’s Ekstraklasa has launched a free app that will broadcast coverage of the matches as well as latest news and personalised updates from the league. The app is available on IOS and Android devices.

Archive

Romania’s Craiova unveils €55m stadium design for Universitatea

CS Universitatea Craiova

By Jaroslaw Adamowski
October 24 – Romanian government authorities have unveiled the design of a planned stadium for top tier football club CS Universitatea Craiova.

Africa

Court overturns Nigerian elections, Giwa is back, FIFA ban looms

By Mark Baber
October 24 – The Nigerian High Court sitting in Jos on Thursday held that the disputed September 30 elections for the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) Board, in which Amaju Pinnick was elected President, were invalid, upholding the disputed August 26 election in which Chris Giwa was elected President.

Archive

Garber says Miami stadium is a must-have if MLS is to grant Becks franchise

don garber

October 24 – Major League Soccer commissioner Don Garber says an apparent lack of political will is hindering David Beckham’s bid to set up a new franchise in Miami.

Archive

Both sanctioned as Serbia vs Albania walk-off row keeps running

Serbia vs Albania

By Andrew Warshaw
October 24 – In one of the most scrutinised judgments handed down in recent years, UEFA have effectively punished both parties for the politically-fuelled mayhem that caused last week’s Euro 2016 qualifier between Balkan rivals Serbia and Albania to be abandoned while goalless on 41 minutes after descending into chaos.

Archive

Powar slams Russian anti-racism efforts and raises spectre of 2018 walk offs

Piara Powar

October 24 – Piara Powar (pictured), executive director or Football Against Racism in Europe and a member of FIFA’s anti-discrimination task force, has added his voice to growing calls that Russia needs to stop paying lip-service to racism in the country and to tackle the problem head-on rather than from the current position of denial.

Archive

Hoeness’ Swiss banker feels long reach of the law in Poland

By Andrew Warshaw
October 24 – A Swiss banker has been arrested for his alleged involvement in the €28.5 million tax evasion case that sent former Bayern Munich president Uli Hoeness, one of Germany’s most venerated footballing figures, to jail.

Massimo Cecchini

Massimo Cecchini: Stade Sicuri? I Club Paghino

Vuoi vedere che la combinazione tra violenza negli stadi e crisi economica potrebbe provocare novità impreviste?

Archive

US Olympic official ‘very supportive’ of Qatari investment in sport

Scott Blackmun

By David Owen
October 24 – A top United States Olympic official has offered encouragement for Qatar’s emergence as a host of sports events, provided climate issues are adequately managed.

Lee Wellings

Lee Wellings: Who can manage footballers who can’t be bothered?

Who are three biggest names in the Premier League? The three stars, the three headline makers? You’re not thinking of footballers are you? As if they are still important. It’s all about managers now. Wenger this, Mourinho that, Van Gaal the other.

Archive

Temperatures overheat in Ebola row

foot platini hayatou

By Andrew Warshaw
October 23- An unsavoury tit-for-tat spat between the respective leaders of European and African football appears to have been resolved after threatening to get out of hand.
Uefa president Michel Platini reportedly demanded an apology after the Confederation of African Football, led by Issa Hayatou, criticised the Frenchman for interfering in the debate over whether to stage the Africa Cup of Nations because of the Ebola virus.

Archive

Bayer Leverkusen ordered to repay €16m sponsorship money

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By Mark Baber
October 23 – Wednesday was a great day on the pitch for Bayer Leverkusen as they topped UEFA Champions League Group C after defeating FC Zenit 2-0 in the BayArena. Off the pitch, however, things were not so good as a court ordered the club to repay €16 million of sponsorship money received from electricity company Teldafax which went bust in 2011.