Ghana FA cash crisis could force Africa Cup pull out
By Mark Baber
January 2 – The Ghana FA is facing a possible cash crisis in the days before the start of the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations.
Future of Zimbabwe World Cup participation in jeopardy
By Mark Baber
January 2 – Zimbabwe Football Association (Zifa) vice president Ndumiso Gumede has said that Zimbabwe will no longer take part in any games unless all costs are sure to be covered.
Malaga to appeal to CAS over UEFA ban
By Andrew Warshaw
January 2 – Crisis Spanish club Malaga have announced their intention to appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in protest at UEFA’s move to ban them from future European competition for at least a season for allegedly flouting financial regulations.
Platini bangs drum for Winter World Cup, again, Gulf states to share 2022 and more club competition in Asia
By Andrew Warshaw
January 2 – UEFA president Michel Platini has re-iterated his call for the 2022 Qatar World Cup to be played in winter –making his latest stance at a sports conference in nearby Dubai.
Egyptians schedule Feb 1 start for league, after court rules on Port Said disaster
By Andrew Warshaw
January 2 – The eagerly awaited start of the Egyptian league this season, due to have taken place at the third time of asking on December 30, has been postponed yet again – this time until February 1 to allow for the necessary restructuring to be put in place.
Germans question accuracy of goal-line technology
By Andrew Warshaw
January 2 – Just a couple of weeks after goal-line technology was used in official competition for the first time – at the FIFA Club World Cup in Japan – Germany’s top refereeing administrator has questioned its accuracy.
Mutko enters controversy over potential CIS League as debate hots up
By Mark Baber
December 31 – The Russian Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko (pictured) has commented on plans to set up a new CIS League involving teams from Russia, Ukraine and other former Soviet states.
Zenit submits appeal to the CAS over pyro-penalties
By Mark Baber
December 31 – Zenit St Petersburg fans can’t keep the club out the news at moment. The club has submitted an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne, Switzerland, following violence at a league match against Dynamo Moscow.
EXCLUSIVE: Emirates back FIFA’s reforms after sponsor review
By Andrew Warshaw
December 31 – Emirates Airlines, one of FIFA’s most important sponsors who only a few weeks ago disclosed they were concerned about the organisation’s image, say they are now satisfied that football’s world governing body is putting its house in order.
Blatter critical of US progress with domestic professional game
By Andrew Warshaw
December 31 – FIFA President Sepp Blatter (pictured) has criticized the progress of the professional game in the United States.
News analysis: Have foreign owners moved too soon too fast?
By Andrew Warshaw
December 31 – Getting the sack is one of football management’s occupational hazards but two sudden dismissals in the second tier of English football have brought into sharp focus the impatience of foreign ownership in domestic leagues.
Mihir Bose: Why the past will haunt the present in 2013
Those who forget the past, said the great American savant George Santayana, are condemned to repeat it. Football in 2013 runs the same risk. This is because many of the administrators who run the game seem to have forgotten the past. Or perhaps they never cared for the past despite their many references to it in public utterances.
This explains why 2013 will be for the world’s favourite game a question of dealing with issues many thought had long been settled.
Blatter ist mehr die Lösung als das Problem
Von Andi Gross
Europarat – Das Parlament befasste sich mit dem Fifa-Reformprozess – und der Rolle des Weltverbandspräsidenten.
Blatter is the solution rather than the problem
By Andi Gross
December 28 – The culture committee of the Council of Europe addressed the FIFA reform process and the role of the President of world football’s governing body at a Paris hearing this week.
Politics of war came close to pulling Brits out of 1982 World Cup
By Andrew Warshaw
December 28 – The British government at one point considered pulling its nations out of the 1982 World Cup because of the Falklands War with Argentina, it emerged today.