New Leeds owners promise to build not buy
By Andrew Warshaw
December 24 – The new Middle Eastern owners of iconic English club Leeds United have promised not to spend recklessly as they attempt to restore past glories.
Pallotta: He came, he saw, he promised Roma a new stadium
By Mark Baber
December 24 – American entrepreneur Jim Pallotta, (pictured) who became president of AS Roma on August 27, attended his club’s 4-2 conquest of AC Milan on Saturday. After the game he reinforced his commitment towards building a new stadium.
Football Federation Australia and Adelaide United ban racist fan
December 24 – An unnamed man who racially abused Paul Ifill (pictured), the former Barbados striker, has been banned by Football Federation Australia (FFA) from A-league matches for two years.
UAE loses Asian Champions League automatic qualification place
By Mark Baber
December 24 – The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has re-worked the qualification requirements for the 2013 Asian Champions League Group Stage resulting in the UAE losing a spot as Saudi Arabia and Iran each gain one.
Kiwi Triathlon chief to head 2015 FIFA Under-20 World Cup
By Duncan Mackay
December 23 – Dave Beeche (pictured), who organised the ITU World Triathlon Series Grand Final in Auckland earlier this year, has been named chief executive for the 2015 FIFA Under-20 World Cup, which New Zealand is staging.
Aussies hire PSV coach to head Matildas
By Duncan Mackay
December 23 – Hesterine de Reus has been appointed as the new head coach of Australia’s women’s football team to replace Tom Sermanni, who has left to take over the United States women’s team.
Clubs feel the force of UEFA Financial Fair Play crack down
By Andrew Warshaw
December 22 – In one of their strictest sanctions since pledging to crack down on clubs who don’t comply with financial rules, UEFA have slapped a one-season European ban on high-flying Spanish club Malaga because of unpaid bills.
Croatian match fixers’ day of final judgement delayed in German court
By Mark Baber
December 21 – The Bundesgerichthof (German Federal Court of Justice) yesterday ordered a partial retrial for Ante Sapina (left with an unsuspecting Lionel Messi) and Marijo Cvrtak who were found guilty of deception and sentenced to 5 1/2 years in prison in May 2011.
Paris St Germain detail multi-million contract to promote Qatar
By Mark Baber
December 21 – PSG, owned by the Qatar Investment Authority, has reportedly agreed a deal with the Qatar Tourism Authority (QTA) worth between €150 million and €200 million a season.
EXCLUSIVE: Prince Ali calls for an end to infighting and for the AFC to heal itself, for the good of the game
By Andrew Warshaw
December 21 – Asia’s Fifa vice-president Prince Ali Bin Al-Hussein (pictured) has called for an end to disunity in the region and has urged the various factions to bury their differences and set the Asian Football Confederation on a new path of reconciliation.
Now Interpol join the SAFA match-fixing investigation
By Andrew Warshaw
December 21 – Interpol has been drafted in to help with the investigation into the match-fixing scandal that has sent shock waves through South African football.
Mihir Bose: Winter whisperers must not knock Qataris from their core 2022 message
So what has Qatar in common with South Africa? On the face of it you would think this is an absurd, Christmas quiz, question. But it is not.
In footballing terms they have a lot in common. The common factor is both countries are pioneers for the world’s most popular game, staging the World Cup in their part of the world for the first time. And both countries have had the need to convince the world they are worthy of having this honour.
Sunset+Vine wins BT Sport Premier League TV contract
By Mark Baber
December 21 – BT Sport, which surprisingly landed £738m of rights for Premier League football this summer, has named Sunset+Vine, part of the Tinopolis Group, as production company for their 38 live Premier League games for the next three seasons.
La Coruña still have a sporting chance to avoid administration, but situation rapidly worsening in Bucharest
By Mark Baber
December 19 – Spanish club Deportivo de La Coruña are in imminent danger of entering administration.
Anti-corruption body urges Council of Europe to push for “urgent reform” at FIFA
By Andrew Warshaw
December 20 – An anti-corruption panel advising FIFA has called on the Council of Europe to push for “urgent” reform at football’s world governing body after suggesting its own efforts to bring about change were being blocked.