Match officials banned by FIFA in match-fixing scandal
By Andrew Warshaw
August 10 – Six match officials were banned for life by FIFA today in the latest move to clean up the game and stamp out corruption.
Six referees banned by FIFA for helping to manipulate international friendlies
By Andrew Warshaw
August 10 – Six match officials were banned for life by FIFA today in the latest move to clean up the game and stamp out corruption.
MLS agrees new deal with NBC Sports for live broadcasts
By David Gold
August 11 – America’s Major Soccer League (MLS) has agreed a three-year deal with NBC Sports to broadcast 45 live games a season, replacing the existing arrangement with Fox Soccer.
Argentina and Uruguay edge closer to 2030 World Cup bid
By David Gold
August 10 – Argentina and Uruguay moved a step closer to formalising a joint bid to host the World Cup in 2030 when the two countries’ respective Presidents formed a bilateral commission to promote the prospective bid.
Atalanta docked six points for their role in Italian match fixing affair
By David Gold
August 9 – Newly promoted Atalanta will start the Serie A season with a six point penalty for their role in the match fixing affair which has rocked Italy, the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) confirmed today.
Dutch friendly is off as safety of players cannot be guaranteed
By Andrew Warshaw
August 9 – England’s decision to postpone tomorrow night’s prestige friendly with the Netherlands because of the widespread rioting in London reverberated around the world as Football Association chairman David Bernstein (pictured) admitted he was not able to guarantee the safety of players.
Caribbean officials could face possible corruption charges
By Andrew Warshaw
August 8 – More than 10 Caribbean officials are reportedly to face possible corruption proceedings tomorrow by FIFA’s Ethics Committee for their role in the bribery scandal that brought down former Asian football chief Mohamed Bin Hammam (pictured).
Italian footballers threaten strike action if collective agreement is not signed
By David Gold
August 8 – A rift between the Italian league and players in Serie A has widened after all 20 captains of top flight teams signed a letter demanding that a dispute over a new collective player rights deal be resolved before the season starts, as the threat of a players strike increases.
Blow to Winter Olympics and World Cup legacies as FC Sochi fold
By David Gold
August 7 – Zhemchuzhina Sochi are the latest professional Russian league club to fold as a result of financial difficulties, and will now drop out of the first division.
FIFA accused of double standards by Bin Hammam
By Andrew Warshaw
August 5 – Mohamed Bin Hammam, banned for life for his role in the cash-for-votes bribery scandal, has hit out at the length of time it is taking FIFA to explain exactly what he has done wrong.
Domenech settles for under €1 million over France firing
By David Gold
August 5 – France’s former national team coach Raymond Domenech has agreed a €975,000 (£850,000/$1.4 million) compensation deal with the French Football Federation (FFF), bringing to an end the dispute following his sacking after the disastrous World Cup campaign in South Africa last year.
Is Blatter fit to run football? asks head of European Club Association
By Andrew Warshaw
August 4 – The war of words between club and country continued today when the head of the European Club Association (ECA), Karl Heinze Rummenigge (pictured), suggested Sepp Blatter was no longer fit to run FIFA.
Hayatou urges football officials to raise aid for Africa famine
By David Gold
August 4 – Issa Hayatou, President of the African Football Confederation (CAF), has urged football authorities across the continent to organise charity games in aid of the victims of the famine plaguing the Horn of Africa.
Blatter sends 50th Birthday wishes to Obama
By David Gold
August 4 – When Barack Obama gets around to opening his birthday cards, he will be finding a message of support from FIFA President Sepp Blatter, who wrote to the United States President, hailing him as a “visionary leader and unifier”.
PROSKE names account director for Coca-Cola ahead of Euro 2012
By Emily Goddard
August 4 – PROSKE sports has appointed Christian Fuchs as an account director for its client UEFA TOP sponsor Coca-Cola, with a primary focus on supporting the hospitality and ticketing management programmes at Euro 2012 in Poland and Ukraine.