By Andrew Warshaw
June 19 – UEFA President Michel Platini insists the next European Championship finals in France will not suffer from a drop in quality when the tournament expands to 24 teams – and says Euro 2012 has been one of the best ever, from a footballing standpoint at least.
By Tom Degun
June 19 – Former Scotland striker Kevin Gallacher, who scored nine goals in 53 appearances for his country, said he is hopeful that at least four Scottish players will represent the Team GB men’s team at the London 2012 Olympics.
By Andrew Warshaw
June 18 – UEFA’s strict rules against any suggestion of ambush marketing were made starkly clear today when Denmark striker Nicklas Bendtner was banned for one competitive match and fined €100,000 (£80,000/$126,000) for his goal celebration in the 2012 European Championship game against Portugal.
By Andrew Warshaw
June 18 – The English Football Association is to fight its corner over disciplinary proceedings issued by UEFA relating to England fans’ behaviour during the 3-2 win over Sweden at the 2012 European Championship.
The latest Premier League television deal may have given some BT and British Sky Broadcasting shareholders the jitters.
But the alarm-bells will have been ringing much, much louder in non-English citadels of European footballing excellence from Barcelona to Munich.
The new tide of money that the £3 billion ($4.7 billion/€3.7 billion) settlement will send flooding into English Premier League club coffers from the 2013-2014 season should do much to restore the competitive advantage of English clubs in the top European competitions.
By Andrew Warshaw in Warsaw
June 18 – The tournament director of the 2012 European Championship insists he is satisfied with the finals so far despite constant UEFA sanctions, fan violence and logistical snafus.
By David Owen
June 17 – Television viewership of the early stages of 2012 European Championships suggests that football may be gaining popularity in one of the few parts of the world it has still to conquer: India.
By Andrew Warshaw in Warsaw
June 16 – In its clearest message to date of zero tolerance when it comes to discrimination, UEFA made its first formal charges of racism at Euro 2012 today, opening a case against the Croatian Football Association after receiving reports that fans made monkey chants directed at Manchester City’s Italian striker Mario Balotelli.
By Andrew Warshaw in Warsaw
June 15 – UEFA have fined the Croatian Football Federation (HNS) €25,000 (£20,000/$32,000) after fans let off a series of flares during their European Championship 3-1 victory over the Republic of Ireland on Sunday (June 10).
Some spread themselves out on restaurant seats, in shop doorways or on any piece of concrete they could find a spot to catnap. Others sat quietly, frequently yawning, peering longingly at their watches, drinking countless cups of coffee. The younger ones, faces still painted, scarves still brazenly hanging from their necks, continued the revelry of the previous few hours, laughing and joking, laden with cans of beer and dried sandwiches.
Welcome to Poznan railway station as we waited,
By Duncan Mackay
June 15 – An unsuccessful last-minute attempt by former manager Walter Smith to buy Rangers is hampering new owner Charles Green’s attempts to win over the supporters at Ibrox, he has admitted.
By Tom Degun
June 15 – Pasha Insurance has signed a deal with Azerbaijan 2012 for the FIFA Under-17 Women’s World Cup to become a National Supporter of the prestigious event which will see 16 teams battle it out for ultimate glory.
By David Owen
June 15 – Intense interest in the 2014 World Cup has ratcheted up official hospitality sales to record levels with two years still to go before kick-off.
By Andrew Warshaw in Warsaw
June 15 – Germany and Portugal became the latest countries sanctioned by UEFA over various misdemeanours at the 2012 European Championship.
By Andrew Warshaw
June 14 – Tributes poured in today for former Syrian Football Association (SFA) head Marwan Arafat who was shot dead as the country’s bloody conflict claimed its first reported prominent sports official.