By Osasu Obayiuwana
July 31 – In a further twist to the controversy that has bedevilled last May’s abandoned African Champions League final in Tunis, between Esperance of Tunisia and Wydad Athletic Club of Morocco, the Court of Arbitration of Sport (CAS) has nullified the decision of CAF’s executive committee on June 5 in Paris, ordering a replay of the game.
By Paul Nicholson
July 31 – Musa Hassan Bility, the CAF executive committee member banned by FIFA less than 24 hours after filing a complaint to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), has written an Open Letter to the FIFA Council calling into question the governing body’s “weaponised” Ethics committee.
By Paul Nicholson
July 31 – Football’s most powerful governing bodies and rights holders have issued the largest combined statement to date condemning the theft of their broadcast rights by pirate broadcaster beoutQ and “requesting” the Saudi Arabian (KSA) government to immediately take “swift and decisive” action.
July 31 – Angry South Korean fans are seeking compensation after Cristiano Ronaldo stayed on the bench during a Juventus pre-season friendly in Seoul despite being contracted to appear.
July 31 – Portugal and Juventus star Cristiano Ronaldo is sport’s top earner on social media, according to new analysis by analytics firm HopperHQ.
July 31 – Jill Ellis is to step down as head coach of the US women’s football team after leading the country to back-to-back World Cup titles.
July 31 – Lionel Scaloni has extended his contract with Argentina until the end of the qualifying campaign for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, the Argentine Football Association (AFA) has announced.
July 31 – Supporters of Cardiff City and Welsh cyclist Geraint Thomas on the closing stages of the Tour de France last weekend, would have seen further inroads into the sports business by Ineos who debuted their shirt sponsorship of OGC Nice last weekend in a friendly in the Welsh capital.
July 30 – The festering row between the US women’s squad and the United States Soccer Federation over equal pay has intensified after the team ridiculed suggestions that they earn more than the men’s national side.
July 30 – FIFA wants to fast-track an expansion of the next Women’s World Cup to 32 teams and has reportedly asked council members to approve adding eight more teams within days and without a formal meeting.
July 30 – Twenty eight African teams learned who their first opposition would be on the road to Qatar after the draw for the preliminary round of Africa’s qualifying campaign for the 2022 World Cup was held on Monday.
July 30 – Police investigating rape allegations against Brazilian star Neymar say they have closed the case due to a lack of evidence.
By Andrew Warshaw
July 30 – Not so long ago he was the world’s most expensive footballer, now Gareth Bale could face the ludicrous situation of sitting on the Real Madrid bench for large chunks of the forthcoming season unless he is somehow snapped up before the summer transfer window closes at various times throughout Europe over the coming weeks.
July 30 – Inter Milan has added a new country to its Inter Academy outreach, opening up in Uruguay’s capital city Montevideo. The opening coincides with the arrival of central defender Diego Godin at the club from Atletico Madrid.
July 30 – AS Roma will issue €275 million in bonds to help restructure debt repayments, the Italian club has announced.