By Mark Baber
October 1 – The finalists for the UK’s 2013 Football Business Awards have been announced, throwing up a few surprises including the shortlisting of Newcastle Utd and Wonga for Sponsorship Deal/Partnership of the Year. Perhaps less surprisingly the award ceremony will be hosted by alternative comedienne, Jo Brand.
By Andrew Warshaw, chief correspondent
October 1 – FIFA’s leading corruption buster has admitted for the first time in several months that he is stepping up his investigation into the World Cup bidding process for 2018 and 2022. In the week when FIFA is due to decide whether to move the 2022 event in Qatar to winter, Michael Garcia, head of the investigatory arm of FIFA’s ethics committee, has revealed he plans to visit every 2018 and 2022 bidding candidate to see whether any campaign rules were broken.
By Andrew Warshaw
October 1 – British Sports Minister Hugh Robertson has waded into the debate over the 2022 World Cup by laying the blame for the “mess” over whether to switch the tournament to winter firmly at FIFA’s door – but says Qatar have every right to be hosts.
By Panos Bletsos
October 1 – Having not played an international home game in front of their fans for more than 13 months, Greek outfit PAOK are hoping to welcome Israel’s Maccabi Haifa to a packed Toumba ground on October 24, having lodged an appeal against UEFA’s decision to extend their home ban on fans to four matches following “irregularities” during the UEFA Champions League play-off clash against Schalke.
If “a week is a long time in politics”, as the oft-quoted remark of the late British Prime Minister Winston Churchill reminds us, 202 days is certainly an eternity.
That’s the period between March 10, when Danny Jordaan lost a second successive bid to earn a seat on the executive committee of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and September 28 when he won, by a landslide, the South African Football Association (SAFA) presidential poll.
By Mark Baber
September 30 – German football fans, polls reveal, want to see football taking a lead on social issues. Only 18% of German fans believe that the DFB is doing enough to combat homophobia, with 55% saying not enough is being done. Regarding racism, 40% are happy with the DFB’s commitment, whilst 46% see the need for more action.
By Gareth Messenger
September 30 – A court in Valencia has told Real Madrid attacking midfielder, Isco Alarcon, that he must pay €2.6 million to Eleven Sports.
In a resounding match, Guangzhou EverGrande defeated Kashiwa Reysol 4:1 at the Japanese club’s home pitch in the first round of the semi-final of Asian Champions League, a place for Guangzhou in the final is almost a certainty.
This would be regarded as a great breakthrough for Chinese football, some media even described it as the twilight of the dark age. A series of records will be broken if Guangzhou could make it to the final and win it,
By Andrew Warshaw
September 30 – Danny Jordaan, the public face of the 2010 South Africa World Cup, is finally back in high authority after winning a landslide victory to become the new president of the South African Football Association.
By Mark Baber
September 30 – Questions have been asked in the Malaysian parliament has about the £7.35 million sponsorship of Cardiff City by the Malaysian Culture and Tourism Ministry. Opposition MP Hee Loy Sian, revealed that the Malaysian taxpayer will stump up £3 million for the 2013/2014 Premier League season sponsorship of the Welsh club, owned by Malaysian businessman Vincent Tan (pictured).
By Andrew Warshaw
September 30 – As FIFA’s top brass gather in Zurich for this week’s landmark decision on whether to switch the 2022 World Cup from the tournament’s traditional summer slot, the new president of the International Olympic Committee says he doubts there will ultimately be a clash with the winter Olympics the same year.
September 30 – The tax evasion case involving Lionel Messi and his father Jorge “should not take long” to be resolved, according to the Spanish Superior Court. Both appeared in court last Friday to face charges of evading €4.2 million in tax by filing incomplete returns for the years 2006 to 2009, allegations they deny but which have caused widespread consternation in Spain where the Argentine superstar is currently out injured.
By Andrew Warshaw
September 30 – FIFA has ordered Ukraine to play next month’s potentially decisive World Cup qualifier against Poland in Kharkiv behind closed doors after fans hurled racial abuse during the win over San Marino earlier this month. The country has also been banned from playing in the Arena Lviv stadium for the whole of the 2018 World Cup qualification programme.
By Mark Baber
September 27 – Manchester City Football Club has expanded its global social media presence by launching ten new international Twitter accounts whilst, 27 miles away, Liverpool has outlined further plans to expand its global digital offering.
September 27 – Qatar has joined forces with the US to develop new food and water security solutions off the back of the technology and infrastructure developed for the 2022 World Cup.