ICSS announce new partnership with IfF
By David Gold
March 8 – The International Centre for Sport Security (ICSS) has announced a partnership with the Institute for Fan Culture (IfF) in Germany.
Brazil and FIFA make vital progress with 2014 World Cup Law
By Andrew Warshaw
March 8 – The World Cup beer battle between Brazil and FIFA has taken a vital step forward with officials finally recommending lifting the strict ban on the sale of alcohol at stadiums.
Council of Europe watchdog calls for investigation into FIFA President Blatter’s re-election
By Andrew Warshaw
March 8 – A key Council of Europe watchdog has questioned FIFA President Sepp Blatter’s (pictured) election victory last year and says more assurances need to be given that it was clean.
Mihir Bose: Abramovich is like a child with a shiny new train set and he certainly doesn’t want to share
The easiest way to understand Roman Abramovich, the owner of Chelsea, is to appreciate that he is like a child with a new toy train set. The child knows his shiny new train set is better than anything possessed by the other kids, and while he wants to show off, he does not want to share his toys with anyone else. All he wants is to show how clever and superior he is in possessing this set.
European Parliament urges UEFA to stamp out club sponsorship by organisations linked to owners
By David Gold
March 8 – A European Parliament report today called on UEFA to ensure that football clubs cannot be sponsored by organisations closely related to their owners, thus circumventing the new Financial Fair Play rules (FFP).
Georgia and Azerbaijan to come together in Euro 2020 co-host bid
By David Gold
March 8 – Georgia is planning to bid to host the European Championships in 2020 with neighbours Azerbaijan, their President, Mikheil Saakashvili, said on Wednesday.
FIFA send stark warning to Gambia after Government disbands GFA
By Andrew Warshaw
March 7 – Gambia is the latest country to risk being kicked out of world football after FIFA warned that the tiny West African country faces “severe sanctions” as a punishment for the Government dissolving the Gambia Football Association (GFA) following a 2013 African Nations Cup qualifying defeat to Algeria.
Blatter shames Valcke in written apology to Brazilian Sports Minister Rebelo
By Andrew Warshaw
March 7 – FIFA President Sepp Blatter (pictured right) has heaped even more embarrassment on his number two, Jérôme Valcke (left), by formally writing to Brazil’s Sports Minister, Aldo Rebelo, apologising for Valcke’s disparaging remarks over the country’s slow progress in organising the 2014 World Cup.
Plans for Euro 2012 Irish fan village scrapped
By David Gold
March 7 – A village which Irish football fans hoped to set up during the European Championships this summer in Poznań will not be going ahead as planned.
Qatari firm QSI buys remaining PSG shares from Colony
By David Gold
March 7 – Qatar Sports Investments (QSI), who bought 70 per cent of Ligue 1 leaders Paris St Germain last summer, has purchased the remaining shares in the company from Colony Capital.
Egyptian Professional Footballers’ Association President to speak at ICSS conference
By David Gold
March 6 – The International Centre for Sport Security (ICSS) has confirmed that Egyptian Professional Footballers’ Association President Magdy Abdel Ghany (pictured left) will be speaking at their annual conference in Doha on March 14 and 15.
Suseia named as Belgium’s hospitality sales agent for Brazil 2014 World Cup
By David Gold
March 6 – MATCH Hospitality has appointed Suseia as Belgium’s exclusive sales agent of FIFA hospitality packages for the 2014 World Cup, taking place in Brazil.
Ireland agree €2 million bonus deal for Euro 2012
By David Gold
March 6 – The Football Association of Ireland (FAI) has agreed a bonus deal with the national team squad for this summer’s European Championships in Poland and Ukraine – the first major international tournament the Republic of Ireland will have competed at since the 2002 World Cup.
Racism in football British Select Committee hearing postponed
By David Gold
March 6 – A British Select Committee which was due to be held today to look into whether enough is being done to combat racism in football has been postponed, with no future date as yet known.
Sports stars should show an example, insists French Presidential candidate as he defends 75 per cent tax rate
By David Gold
March 6 – French Presidential candidate François Hollande (pictured) has hit back at suggestions that his proposed 75 per cent tax on high earners could be the “death of French football”.