Birmingham granted permission to play in Europe next season
By David Gold
May 6 – The FA and Premier League have given Birmingham City the green light to play in Europe next season amid concern over their financial stability.
Silva promises improvement in Brazil’s 2014 World Cup preparations
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By David Gold
May 6 – Brazil’s preparations for the 2014 World Cup will speed up towards the end of this year, according to the country’s Sports Minister Orlando Silva, who is seeking to improve the country’s image amid sluggish preparations for the tournament.
Whyte completes Rangers takeover for £1
By David Gold
May 6 – Craig Whyte (pictured) has completed his takeover of Glasgow Rangers after paying £1 ($1.63) for Sir David Murray’s stake in the Ibrox club.
UEFA chiefs back Blatter to carry on as FIFA President
By Andrew Warshaw
May 6 – The inner sanctum of European football’s governing body has pledged its “unanimous support” to Sepp Blatter in the upcoming FIFA Presidential elections.
Royal family deny reports of Leoz wedding invitation
By Andrew Warshaw
May 5 – Claims that England’s 2018 World Cup bid team invited a prominent FIFA member to last week’s royal wedding to entice his vote have been denied.
David Owen: Could CONCACAF’s support for Blatter be on the wane?
The voice came through crackly but clear on my phone as I trundled between two German cities.
“I backed [Sepp Blatter] in 1998 against [Lennart] Johansson and he won.
“I backed him in 2002 against [Issa] Hayatou and he won.
“At this point in time, I don’t see any reason why I shouldn’t back him.”
Adamu takes FIFA ban to CAS
By Andrew Warshaw
May 5 – Amos Adamu, the Nigerian football powerbroker suspended by FIFA for alleged involvement in bribery and corruption, is taking his case to the sport’s highest court to overturn his three-year ban.
Exclusive: Visa mix-up has affected my chances of beating Blatter admits Bin Hammam
By Andrew Warshaw
May 5 – New details have emerged over how Mohamed Bin Hammam, the challenger for the biggest job in world football, was unexpectedly denied a visa to the United States for the all-important CONCACAF Congress earlier this week.
Sepp Blatter: I am committed to weeding out corruption but our critics must act in a proper manner too
We live in a world where perception has become the new reality.
Largely depending on our own ability to project what we know to be fact, we are perceived as good (corporate) citizens or an amalgam of “bad men”. The negative perception is a direct result of our inability to get our message across. It is of course also the result of improper conduct by a few who tarnish the image of many.
Triesman and Lee to give evidence on England World Cup bid to Parliamentary inquiry
By Andrew Warshaw
May 5 – Mike Lee, the arch-strategist behind a series of successful World Cup and Olympic bids, is to give evidence at the latest session of the ongoing Parliamentary inquiry into football governance.
Kroenke takes Arsenal shareholding to 46.1 per cent
By David Gold
May 5 – Stan Kroenke has increased his stake in Arsenal to 46.1% after officially announcing the purchase of 10,025 shares from Danny Fiszman, the former board member of the Premier League club who passed away last month.
Blatter receives election boost from Warner
By Andrew Warshaw
May 4 – FIFA vice-president Jack Warner has confirmed that his CONCACAF Confederation will not officially announce which candidate they are supporting for the FIFA Presidency on June 1 until just before the election.
Source of French ethnic quota leak revealed
By David Gold
May 4 – The French Football Federation (FFF) chief community officer, Mohamed Belkacemi, is reportedly the source of the leak which revealed secret plans by senior French football officials to implement a quota restricting the number of black and north African players in the country’s academies.
UEFA officials watch as football fans run rampage after Polish Cup Final
By David Gold
May 4 – Hooligans went on the rampage as UEFA officials looked on after Legia Warsaw defeated Lech Poznan on penalties in the Polish Cup Final, much to the embarrassment of local authorities.
Sorokin confirmed as speaker for Inside World Football Moscow Forum
By David Gold
May 4 – Alexei Sorokin, who was recently appointed the chief executive of the Local Organising Committee responsible for delivering the Russia 2018 World Cup, has been confirmed as a speaker for the Inside World Football Moscow Forum next month.