Brazilian customs have a lot of balls
February 21 – Brazilian customs announced Wednesday that they had seized 200,000 counterfeit Chinese balls which were being smuggled into the country.
Syrian footballer killed by mortar attack in Damascus
By Mark Baber
February 21 – Youssef Suleiman, a player from the Homs-based al-Wathbah club, was killed by a mortar attack on the Tishreen Sports Complex in Damascus on Wednesday.
Lee Wellings: Anti-racism’s new crusader
It has been a move so sharp, opportunistic and clinical any of the great strikers would have been proud of it.
Sepp Blatter moving into the space ahead of UEFA and putting himself and FIFA at the forefront of the fight against racism.
A set of apparently tough proposals from FIFA’s Strategic Committee are to be put in front of the Executive Committee late in March, and conceivably ratified by FIFA Congress in May.
Warring Indonesian factions to merge
By Andrew Warshaw
February 21 – The two rival football federations in Indonesia have agreed to merge to avoid stringent FIFA sanctions that would wreck the country’s entire international status.
Spurs fans attacked in Lyon before Europa League tie
By Andrew Warshaw
February 21 – In what appeared to be yet another unprovoked anti-Semitic ambush, Tottenham Hotspur fans have been attacked in a bar in the French city of Lyon on the eve of their side’s Europa League last-32 tie.
Gill to stand down at United and switch his focus to foreign fields
By Paul Nicholson
February 20 – David Gill, chief executive of Manchester United, is to stand down from the position he has held since 2003 but will remain on the board as a director of the club.
Maracana workers strike raises new Confederation Cup fears
By Mark Baber
February 20 – Fresh fears of whether Brazil will be ready in time to host the 2013 Confederations Cup Construction have arisen again, as workers refurbishing the Maracana stadium in Rio de Janeiro went on strike on Monday.
Match-fixing ‘pandemic’ needs a joint approach, says Zhang
By Andrew Warshaw
February 20 – The acting head of Asian football says stakeholders throughout the entire Continent must work together to eliminate the “cancer” of match-fixing which has its roots in illegal Asian gambling dens.
Kenya enters bidding ring for 2019 Africa Cup of Nations
February 20 – Kenya has confirmed its intention to bid to host the Africa Cup of Nations in 2019 as well as the 2017 Africa Youth Championships.
Fan groups unite to fight ‘draconian’ policing of tickets and travel
By Andrew Warshaw
February 20 – In a landmark fan protest that could have significant long-term consequences, supporters of two English clubs have joined forces to condemn what they claim are unlawful ticket and travel restrictions.
League hold firm on rejection of Harris bid in favour of Pompey fans
February 20 – The Football League has once again rebuffed a rival bid to take over stricken English club Portsmouth, re-iterating they will only consider a fans’ takeover.
[b]Osasu Obayiuwana:[/b] In Africa, the more you win the more you lose
The elation of winning the Africa Cup of Nations, being at the top of the continental football summit, is what matters for the ordinary fan; National team triumph, and the accompanying two-year bragging rights, mean everything to them.
But as football federation officials from Nigeria, the newly crowned champions – or the 28 previous winners of the trophy – will bluntly tell you, that is all a nation gets.
Uganda grants asylum to Eritreans who played and stayed
February 20 – Fifteen Eritrean footballers who disappeared whilst playing in a regional tournament in December have been granted asylum in Uganda.
FIFA open up tender for goal-line tech solutions
By Andrew Warshaw
February 20 – FIFA have confirmed once again that goal-line technology will be used at the 2014 World Cup, but which system will be employed in Brazil is now the main issue.
Kosovan fury at international exclusion
By Andrew Warshaw, Chief Correspondent
February 19 – Five years after celebrating their independence from Serbia, Kosovan football officials say they have been betrayed after being promised partial acceptance into the world game.