By Andrew Warshaw
July 31 – The social networking site Twitter, already proving hugely controversial in the Olympic Games, has also landed Manchester United and former England defender Rio Ferdinand in hot water after he was charged with improper conduct by the Football Association (FA).
By David Gold
July 31 – Switzerland footballer Michel Morganella has been stripped of his Olympic accreditation after posting a racist message on social networking site Twitter.
By David Gold
July 30 – Bayern Munich President Karl-Heinz Rummenigge has issued a stinging rebuke to Paris Saint Germain (PSG), saying that the salary they are paying new signing Zlatan Ibrahimović “makes me sick”.
By Andrew Warshaw
July 28 – On a somewhat disappointing opening day of sport for the host nation, Team GB’s women’s team – playing in their first ever Olympics – bucked the trend by doing their country proud to reach the quarterfinals along with gold medal contenders Brazil, who they play for top spot in Group E on Tuesday (July 31).
By Andrew Warshaw
July 28 – Two weeks after being cleared of racial abuse in a criminal prosecution, former England captain John Terry was charged by the Football Association (FA) yesterday for virtually the same offence.
By David Gold
July 28 – Juventus coach Antonio Conte, centre back Leonardo Bonucci and winger Simone Pepe, will all have to respond to allegations of involvement in the betting scandal being investigated in Italy at a sporting tribunal.
By David Gold
July 28 – Samir Nasri has been banned for three matches by the French Football Federation (FFF) for his behaviour after the country’s exit from the 2012 European Championship.
By Andrew Warshaw
July 27 – FIFA’s two new corruption busters officially began their new roles today promising they will be totally independent and not open to accusations of bias.
By David Gold at Russia.Park in Kensington Gardens
July 27 – Vitaly Mutko, the Russian Sports Minister, has ruled himself out of contention to become the new President of the Russian Football Union (RFU).
By David Gold
July 27 – ESPN has made further inroads into the European football market after signing deals to broadcast Dutch, French, German, Italian and Russian top flight football.
When Ryan Giggs (pictured below) led the Great Britain team out against Senegal at Old Trafford yesterday, it was their first competitive Olympic match for 41 years.
In those days, the game in England was still divided between professionals and amateurs and Great Britain were drawn to play Bulgaria in their quest to reach the Olympic Games in Munich.
Charles Hughes, a coach at the Football Association (FA) and the manager of the England amateur team was put in charge.
By David Gold
July 27 – UEFA has cracked down on third party ownership after a successful campaign by the English Premier League and Ligue 1, the French Premier League.
By Andrew Warshaw
July 27 – British Olympic Association (BOA) chairman Colin Moynihan has played down suggestions by FIFA President Sepp Blatter that Tottenham Hotspur’s Gareth Bale could be banned for pulling out of the Olympics if there was an official complaint that he did so under false pretences.
By Andrew Warshaw
July 26 – Former England manager Fabio Capello as expected was named as Russia’s new head coach today on a two-year deal aimed qualifying for the Brazil 2014 World Cup finals – four years before the Russians host the event.
By Andrew Warshaw at Old Trafford in Manchester
July 26 – On the eve of the London 2012 Opening Ceremony and more than half a century after their last appearance at the Olympic football tournament, Britain’s men came within nine agonising minutes of pulling off an historic victory tonight but ultimately ran out of steam as party-poopers Senegal ruined Ryan Giggs’ special night.