Libya pull out of AFCON 2017 leaving CAF looking for new host
By Andrew Warshaw
August 25 – Libya has been forced to pull out of hosting the 2017 African Cup of Nations in the latest blow to strike at the heart of African football.
David Owen: Liverpool and Balotelli: Why Reds set for a summer transfer profit despite £100m+ spree
Liverpool posted the biggest pre-tax loss in the Premier League in 2012-13. The previous year only Manchester City posted a bigger one. In such circumstances, you might have expected the Anfield club to be squirrelling away at least some of its Luis Suárez windfall; to be showing a modicum of restraint in this summer’s transfer market in the interests of its bottom-line. All the more so with UEFA’s Financial Fair Play (FFP) provisions hovering in the background.
Human growth hormone testing poised to resume
By David Owen
August 22 – The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has given clearance for anti-doping bodies to resume human growth hormonr (hGH) testing after a more than year-long hiatus.
Managerial spat develops into far more sordid saga
By Andrew Warshaw
August 22- What started out as an English top-flight club unexpectedly losing the manager voted the best in Premier League last season has developed into a sordid saga that has made back-page headlines and tarnished the integrity of the game.
Playing overseas would help future England stars, says Hodgson
By Andrew Warshaw
August 22- With so few-home grown players able to break into top-flight English clubs because of the foreign invasion, England manager Roy Hodgson feels more of them should chance their arm overseas as once used to be the case.
Whereas Premier League clubs import countless players from around the world, English footballers rarely any longer move the other way.
Agents protest to European Commission over FIFA crackdown plans
By Andrew Warshaw
August 22- FIFA plans to reform the status of agents have incurred the wrath of the UK-based Association of Football Agents who are taking their case the European Commission.
The proposals, designed to weed out rogue parties and make for a more transparent process, were approved in March and are due to come into effect on April 1 next year.
Ghana report uncovers series of broken promises and too many fans on Brazil trip
August 22 – Ghana’s investigation into their national team’s poor performance at the World Cup has uncovered discrepancies in the numbers of the supporter group that was officially sent to Brazil. Instead of the expected 612 fans, which had official seats on chartered flights, 696 found their way across.
Registrations open for World Football Forum in Moscow, November 13
22 August – With Russia rapidly putting in place preparations to host the world’s football community in 2018 for the FIFA World Cup, early movers can get a head start in the market at the World Football Forum that will be held at Ritz-Carlton in Moscow, November 13.
Mutko repeats that there is no shift in 2018 World Cup plan
August 22 – Speaking in Saransk, Russian sports minister Vitaly Mutko again repeated that there would be no change to the number of cities hosting the 2018 World Cup and that it would remain as 11, with a further 20 cities hosting national teams.
Bimbo bakes new 5-year $11m deal with Philadelphia Union
August 22 – MLS’ Philadelphia Union has renewed their deal with kit sponsor Bimbo Bakeries. The Bimbo logo will continue to appear on the front of their official shirts for the next five years, in a deal worth $11 million.
Botev stadium build to restart after new owners takes control
By Alexander Krassimirov
August 22 – The construction of Botev Plovdiv’s Hristo Botev stadium will restart next week after the club’s owner, Tsvetan Vasilev, decided to transfer his shares to his business partner Veselin Bushev.
No place like home for Sky Blues
By David Owen
August 21 – Coventry City, the English third-tier club, will resume playing their home games at home next month, after more than a season in residence at Northampton Town’s Sixfields Stadium, nearly 50km away.
Is posting goal videos online illegal? Premier League prepares for battle
By Mark Baber
August 22 – Last week the Premier League told BBC Newsbeat that they were going to clamp down on the sharing of goal videos online, claiming the tweeting of copyrighted material is illegal. However, experts on copyright law have challenged that assertion, pointing to a new provision in copyright law, due to take effect in October, which will provide a right under certain circumstances to quote from copyrighted materials.
Melbourne Knights take action to defend their Croatian identity
By Mark Baber
August 21 – Melbourne Knights have referred the Australian Football Federation’s (FFA) National Club Identity Policy to the Australian Human Rights commission after they were prevented from displaying three of their four kit sponsors for an FFA Cup match against Olympic FC.
Palestine rise up FIFA rankings despite Gazan player restrictions
August 21 – Despite the ongoing military crisis in Gaza, Palestinian football has managed to achieve its highest ever world ranking by surging to 85th.