By Mark Baber
January 11 – Iraq’s Essam al-Diwan, undersecretary for the Ministry of Youth and Sports Affairs, giving a presentation in Manama, said Iraq will be ready to host the Gulf Cup in the southern city of Basra in 2015.
By Andrew Warshaw, Chief Correspondent
January 11 – Yet another racism controversy has hit the headlines – this time in Germany where Ghanaian-born former international Gerald Asamoah has criticised his ex-teammates, including skipper Michael Ballack, for failing to back him and speak out against abuse.
By Andrew Warshaw, Chief Correspondent
January 11 – A week after the AC Milan anti-racism walk-off led by Kevin-Prince Boateng, an Italian government watchdog has given the green light for future matches to be halted – but not by players or referees.
By Mark Baber
January 10 – Nigerian fans might not be able to watch the Africa Cup of Nations after the Malam Abubakar Jijiwa, Chairman of the Broadcasting Organisations of Nigeria (BON), a coalition of electronic media companies, held a press conference on Wednesday to announce it had failed to acquire the broadcast rights.
By Andrew Warshaw, Chief Correspondent
January 10 – Issa Hayatou’s (pictured) bid to carry on running African football without having to fight off a challenge for the leadership looks a lot stronger after the Liberian FA failed in a second appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) over the Confederation of African Football’s (CAF) decision to suddenly change its rules over presidential elections.
By Mark Baber
January 10 – The Hungarian Football Federation (MLSZ) is to appeal the January 8 sanction imposed by the FIFA Disciplinary Committee which will see the national team play its next home World Cup qualifier against Romania behind closed doors.
By Mark Baber
January 10 – President Vladimir Putin submitted a draft law to the Russian parliament on Wednesday containing a raft of measures to stamp out football match-fixing.
By Andrew Warshaw
January 10 – The scourge of global match-fixing has once again come under the spotlight with FIFA extending worldwide the life bans of 41 South Korean players.
By Andrew Warshaw
January 10 – No sooner have plans been announced to revolutionise Scottish football’s league structure than one of the country’s two most famous names has poured scorn on the new proposals.
By Andrew Warshaw, Chief Correspondent
January 9 – FIFA has made further progress in a move to help clubs deal directly with each other during transfers rather than employ agents.
By David Owen
January 9 – David Bernstein, the English Football Association (FA) chairman, is to step up his involvement with Ted Baker, the well-regarded fashion group.
Let us get this right. Luis Suarez is no more a cheat than most football players. I agree with those that argue that the moral spasm his handball goal has evoked is way over the top if not a touch hypocritical. I wonder if the critics have been to many football matches or if they have perhaps been too busy with other things to concentrate on what they are seeing.
If we are saying Suarez was cheating,
By Andrew Warshaw
January 9 – Saudi investors have pulled out of a plan to take a majority stake in Panathinaikos following opposition from shareholders of the stricken Greek giants.
By Mark Baber
January 9 – North Korean striker Jong Tae-Se (pictured) is moving from 1. FC Köln to South Korean K-League club Suwon Samsung Bluewings. He has reportedly signed a contract worth 400 million won and the Koreans have paid 1. FC Köln €300,000.
By Mark Baber
January 9 – The Africa Cup of Nations (ACON), which kicks off in 10 days time, is struggling to meet ticket sales targets, but organisers say sales are picking up as the tournament nears.