FIFA postpones Kosovo decision
By Andrew Warshaw
July 18 – Kosovo will have to wait at least until the end of September before it finds out whether it can, after all, play international friendlies.
English FA chairman will not support 2015 election bid by Blatter
By David Gold in Westminster in London
July 17 – English Football Association (FA) chairman David Bernstein will not support a bid by Sepp Blatter to stand for election again in 2015, he said here today.
Half a million London 2012 football tickets withdrawn from sale
By Andrew Warshaw
July 17 – Despite constant assurances that the tournament would be packed out and a huge success, London 2012 organisers were forced to retreat today when they announced that half a million Olympic football tickets for men and women combined are to be removed from sale.
Under fire Blatter names new FIFA Ethics Committee chairmen
By Andrew Warshaw
July 17 – FIFA President Sepp Blatter today defiantly shrugged off calls for his resignation in the wake of the ISL bribery affair as world football’s governing body appointed two new independent supremos in the war against corruption – notably among its own officials.
“Small” public parties of fans to watch 2014 World Cup on TV for free
By David Gold
July 17 – FIFA and Brazil’s largest public television network, Globo, has confirmed that there will be free access to small public gatherings showing matches during the World Cup in 2014.
David Gold: Video technology is unlikely to work as well in football as it does in tennis because of grey areas in the rulebook
Last Sunday the merits of video technology in sport were there for all to see as Roger Federer swept his way to equalling Pete Sampras’ Wimbledon record of seven titles at the expense of Andy Murray. Two players, both with three challenges during each set of a tennis game, with an extra one in the event of a tie-break.
To football fans watching, it must have begged the question, “Why can we not do this in football?”
Giggs hopeful of future Team GB Olympic squads following London 2012
By Andrew Warshaw at the Main Press Centre on the Olympic Park in London
July 17 – Ryan Giggs, captain of the first all-British team to take part in the Olympic football tournament in the modern era, hopes London 2012 can act as a springboard for future participation in the Games.
Bin Hammam hit with AFC ban over financial wrongdoing
By Andrew Warshaw
July 17 – Former Asian football supremo Mohamed Bin Hammam’s hopes of restoring his power base have been effectively dashed after he was sanctioned by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) when an audit of AFC accounts revealed allegations of financial wrongdoing.
Sturridge must be fully fit to compete at London 2012, insists British coach
By Andrew Warshaw at the Main Press Centre on the Olympic Park in London
July 16 – Team GB head coach Stuart Pearce says he will not take a chance on his main striker Daniel Sturridge – unless he is 100 per cent convinced of the player’s fitness ahead of the country’s opening London 2012 fixture against Senegal at Old Trafford on July 26.
Dundee step up to Scottish Premier League to replace demoted Glasgow Rangers
By Andrew Warshaw
July 16 – Dundee, who finished runners-up in the Scottish First Division last season, seem certain to replace ailing Scottish giants Glasgow Rangers in the Scottish Premier League (SPL) next term.
Brazil embraces Football for Health programme based around 2014 World Cup
By David Gold
July 16 – The Confederation of Brazilian Football (CBF), FIFA and the Organising Committee for Brazil 2014 have joined together to launch a Football for Health programme.
Eltham College transformed for Team GB’s London 2012 football squad
By Sara Evans
July 16 – Sports Turf Research Institute (STRI) have overhauled the pitches at London’s Eltham College in preparation of the arrival of Team GB’s Olympic football squad.
Philip Barker: How Britain’s footballers’ bid for 1968 Olympic glory was scuppered by the Spanish
Stuart Pearce’s Great Britain squad begin their Olympic preparations in Spain with a behind closed doors friendly against Mexico. For the only previous British Olympic team to play on Spanish soil, a place at the 1968 Olympics IN Mexico was at stake.
The Great Britain manager at the time was Football Association staff coach Charles Hughes, much later vilified for his long ball theories.
“The training was really professionally run. It was stuff that we hadn’t been used to,”
Germany “appalled” by ISL affair as calls come in for Blatter to quit
By Andrew Warshaw
July 16 – The pressure on FIFA President Sepp Blatter over the ISL bribery affair shows no sign of relenting after German football officials said they were “appalled” and one of them suggested he step down.
Blatter wants Havelange stripped of honorary FIFA Presidency
By Andrew Warshaw
July 15 – FIFA President Sepp Blatter wants his predecessor, Joao Havelange, stripped of his honorary Presidency because of his role in the ISL bribery scandal.