Jailed Lebanese ‘sex’ ref back in court to testify against match fixer
By Andrew Warshaw
July 18 – The Lebanese referee jailed for six months after pleading guilty to accepting sexual favours in exchange for match-fixing has been back in court to give evidence in the trial of a Singaporean businessman accused of being behind the affair.
Heineken’s Road to the Final ad is banned in the UK
By Mark Baber
July 18 – UEFA Champions League Sponsor, Heineken on Wednesday had its “Road to the Final” advertisement banned by the UK’s Advertising Standards Authority as “socially irresponsible, because it condoned or encouraged behaviour that was either illegal or not permitted.”
Italian match-fixing bans increase in severity as Gillet’s career looks over
By Andrew Warshaw
July 18 – The Italian match-fixing scandal has snared one of its most high-profile figures to date, with Belgium’s national goalkeeper Jean Francois Gillet among 20 individuals punished by the Italian football federation over two matches involving Bari in Serie B in 2008 and 2009.
Blatter adds voice to lobby for switching Qatar 2022 to winter
By Andrew Warshaw, chief correspondent
July 18 – After months of strong hints and tactical manoeuvring, FIFA president Sepp Blatter has finally come out and supported the growing calls to switch the 2022 Qatar to the winter.
Lee Wellings: It’s Women’s Euros…Not a debate on the Euro
Are you watching the women’s European football championships?
If you have access to it why not? It’s a question that interests me but, more importantly, it will tax those who have been trying to increase interest in Europe and beyond.
In revisiting this subject, first let me give you the good news. The quality of the football has been pleasing. Not life changing, not Brazil 82, not Barcelona or Bayern no,
Jean Francois Tanda: “The world has gone mad, football is even crazier”
In European football, off-season is high season for football agents trying to sell their players to clubs for loads of money. So far, this year’s high season has been a successful one. Falcao left Atlético Madrid for €60 million to join new French First League Club Monaco. Neymar left his home country Brazil to continue his career with Barcelona. The Catalans paid €57 million. In the last few days, Paris St-Germain confirmed the transfer of Uruguay’s international player Edinson Cavani from Naples.
Nigerian prostitution scandal raises tempers as minister demands change
By Mark Baber
July 17 – With President Goodluck Jonathan due to inaugurate the Football House, the new headquarters of the Nigeria Football Federation, on Thursday, the crisis of football administration in the country, revealed by the FCT Queens scandal, has led to calls from the country’s Sports Minister for clubs unable or unwilling to pay the backlog in players’ salaries to be barred from competing in the coming season.
Zurich: Euro politicos meet football politicos in a ‘fruitful’ exchange
By Andrew Warshaw
July 17 – Fifteen months after an aggressive report into the way FIFA operates, the Council of Europe appears to have softened its stance towards football’s world governing body.
Premier League wins landmark case banning streaming on First Row Sports
By Mark Baber
July 17 – The Premier League, supported by UEFA and other sports organisations, secured a landmark judgment in the High Court on Tuesday requiring the six main UK-based Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to block access to live streaming site First Row Sports.
Online gambler bwin.party signs sponsor deal with Juve
July 17 – Online gambling company Bwin.party has agreed a three-year digital sponsorship deal with Italian champions Juventus, its fourth partnership with a top European team.
Indian clubs resist IPL-style franchised league plans
By Andrew Warshaw
July 17 – Leading football clubs in India have hit out against moves to stage a rival tournament to the national league inspired by cricket’s cash-rich IPL that attracts top international names.
Brazil’s FIFA Law challenged by federal prosecutor over tax liability
By Andrew Warshaw
July 17 – Brazil’s controversial World Cup law, which gives FIFA the guarantees it needs to stage the tournament next year but has constantly plagued preparations, has again fallen into the spotlight with the country’s federal prosecutor challenging the legality of the legislation.
Mihir Bose: English football – where the American Dream is alive and kicking
A foreign owner jetting in to buy a club always produces the same response. The fans hope he will be another Roman Abramovich or Sheikh Mansour. Then reality sets in and the fans, who so enthusiastically welcomed the new owner, act like jilted lovers and cannot contain their anger. So how should the Fulham fans treat Florida-based Shahid Khan’s purchase of Fulham?
The first thing to be said is the sale was no surprise.
Shaktar Donetsk owner says joint Russian league must benefit Ukraine
By Mark Baber
July 16 – President of FC Shakhtar Donetsk, Rinat Akhmetov (pictured) has declared that a possible Ukrainian-Russian joint football league should be advantageous, first and foremost, to Ukrainian football.