Adamu battling to save seat on FIFA Executive Committee
By David Owen
January 13 – Amos Adamu (pictured) is attempting to retain a seat on FIFA’s ruling 24-member Executive Committee for another four years.
Spurs admit: We would demolish Olympic Stadium
By Andrew Warshaw
January 13 – Tottenham Hotspur have admitted they would demolish most of the Olympic Stadium and make it more football friendly if they win the bid to move there after the 2012 London Games.
Platini hopes Qatar World Cup will be hosted by “entire Gulf region”
From Andrew Warshaw in Nyon
January 12 – The controversial decision to host the 2022 World Cup in Qatar has taken yet another unexpected twist with UEFA President Michel Platini suggesting it could be expanded to include other Gulf nations.
Backing for Blatter from suspended FIFA Executive
By Duncan Mackay
British Sports Internet Writer of the Year
January 12 – Sepp Blatter today received backing for his campaign to continue as President of FIFA from an unexpected quarter – Reynald Temarii, one of the two FIFA Executive Committee members banned after they were linked to corruption allegations in the build-up to last month’s World Cup vote.
Head of IOC Athletes Commission joins call for Olympic Stadium to keep track after London 2012
By Duncan Mackay in Lausanne
British Sports Internet Writer of the Year
January 12 – Frankie Fredericks, the chairman of the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) Athletes’ Commission, today added his voice to the growing chorus for London 2012 to honour its bid promise and retain the running track at the Olympic Stadium after the Games.
Mihir Bose: Blatter courting danger as he enjoys watching Bin Hammam squirm
It was entirely predictable that Sepp Blatter’s comments on the 2022 World Cup in Qatar being played in January raised a howl of protest.
Not only does it seem extraordinary that after the game is over, the rules of the game are changed, but the near-revolution this would cause to the European game is incalculable.
But what has been missed in all this is that Blatter, the most consummate of sports politicians –
Clubs who recklessly overspend face tough sanctions as Platini calls for end to “devilish spiral”
By Andrew Warshaw in Nyon
January 11 – UEFA President Michel Platini (pictured) today issued his strongest warning to date that clubs who recklessly overspend risk being heavily sanctioned until and unless they get their houses in order.
League Managers Association calls on English game to stop “scapegoating” bosses
By Mike Rowbottom
January 11 – The League Managers Association has rung the alarm bell over the subject of short-term hiring and firing policies which “scapegoat” managers, increasingly damaging the fabric of the English game.
England 2018 chief of staff rewarded with new high-profile role with Rupert Murdoch
By Duncan Mackay
British Sports Internet Writer of the Year
January 11 – Simon Greenberg, chief of staff during England’s disastrous bid to host the 2018 World Cup, has taken up a new role as the first director of corporate affairs at Rupert Murdoch’s News International.
Coca-Cola appoints PROSKE|sports to handle Euro 2012 hospitality and ticketing
January 11 – One of the world’s leading full-service hospitality agencies has been appointed by Coca-Cola to support its hospitality and ticketing programmes at Euro 2012 in Poland and Ukraine.
David Owen: Drilling deep into FA’s accounts could signal clue to Bernstein appointment
.jpg)
The imminent arrival of Wembley chairman David Bernstein in the same post at the English Football Association (FA) has sent me scurrying to the FA’s accounts.
New kid on the block aims to bring transparency to FIFA
By Andrew Warshaw in Doha
January 10 – He is young, he is dedicated and he insists he will not be influenced by politics or petty feuds.
New Zealand candidates take on Chung in battle to replace Temarii as Oceania head
January 9 – Three candidates are standing to replace suspended FIFA vice president Reynald Temarii as leader of the Oceania Football Confederation (OFC), it has been announced.
Spurs’ bid to sign Beckham “cynical ploy” to get Olympic Stadium, claims Brady
By Duncan Mackay
British Sports Internet Writer of the Year
January 8 – Spurs’ plan to sign former England captain David Beckham on loan from Major League Soccer team Los Angeles Galaxy is to try to help them win their bid to take over the Olympic Stadium after London 2012, it has been claimed by Karren Brady, the chair of rivals West Ham United.
FIFA more transparent than International Olympic Committee, claims Blatter
By Andrew Warshaw in Doha
January 8 – The International Olympic Committee (IOC) handles its finances “like a housewife”, FIFA President Sepp Blatter has claimed in a bitter attack on the organisation he has been a member of since 1999.