Romania’s Craiova unveils €55m stadium design for Universitatea
By Jaroslaw Adamowski
October 24 – Romanian government authorities have unveiled the design of a planned stadium for top tier football club CS Universitatea Craiova.
Court overturns Nigerian elections, Giwa is back, FIFA ban looms
By Mark Baber
October 24 – The Nigerian High Court sitting in Jos on Thursday held that the disputed September 30 elections for the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) Board, in which Amaju Pinnick was elected President, were invalid, upholding the disputed August 26 election in which Chris Giwa was elected President.
Garber says Miami stadium is a must-have if MLS is to grant Becks franchise
October 24 – Major League Soccer commissioner Don Garber says an apparent lack of political will is hindering David Beckham’s bid to set up a new franchise in Miami.
Both sanctioned as Serbia vs Albania walk-off row keeps running
By Andrew Warshaw
October 24 – In one of the most scrutinised judgments handed down in recent years, UEFA have effectively punished both parties for the politically-fuelled mayhem that caused last week’s Euro 2016 qualifier between Balkan rivals Serbia and Albania to be abandoned while goalless on 41 minutes after descending into chaos.
Powar slams Russian anti-racism efforts and raises spectre of 2018 walk offs
October 24 – Piara Powar (pictured), executive director or Football Against Racism in Europe and a member of FIFA’s anti-discrimination task force, has added his voice to growing calls that Russia needs to stop paying lip-service to racism in the country and to tackle the problem head-on rather than from the current position of denial.
Hoeness’ Swiss banker feels long reach of the law in Poland
By Andrew Warshaw
October 24 – A Swiss banker has been arrested for his alleged involvement in the €28.5 million tax evasion case that sent former Bayern Munich president Uli Hoeness, one of Germany’s most venerated footballing figures, to jail.
Massimo Cecchini: Stade Sicuri? I Club Paghino
Vuoi vedere che la combinazione tra violenza negli stadi e crisi economica potrebbe provocare novità impreviste?
US Olympic official ‘very supportive’ of Qatari investment in sport
By David Owen
October 24 – A top United States Olympic official has offered encouragement for Qatar’s emergence as a host of sports events, provided climate issues are adequately managed.
Lee Wellings: Who can manage footballers who can’t be bothered?
Who are three biggest names in the Premier League? The three stars, the three headline makers? You’re not thinking of footballers are you? As if they are still important. It’s all about managers now. Wenger this, Mourinho that, Van Gaal the other.
Temperatures overheat in Ebola row
By Andrew Warshaw
October 23- An unsavoury tit-for-tat spat between the respective leaders of European and African football appears to have been resolved after threatening to get out of hand.
Uefa president Michel Platini reportedly demanded an apology after the Confederation of African Football, led by Issa Hayatou, criticised the Frenchman for interfering in the debate over whether to stage the Africa Cup of Nations because of the Ebola virus.
Bayer Leverkusen ordered to repay €16m sponsorship money
By Mark Baber
October 23 – Wednesday was a great day on the pitch for Bayer Leverkusen as they topped UEFA Champions League Group C after defeating FC Zenit 2-0 in the BayArena. Off the pitch, however, things were not so good as a court ordered the club to repay €16 million of sponsorship money received from electricity company Teldafax which went bust in 2011.
IFA storms Berlin and readies for IFA Zurich at FIFA House
By Paul Nicholson
October 23 – Marcel Schmid, the boss of boutique conference organiser International Football Arena, is feeling uncharacteristically happy. His Berlin conference taking place October 30, titled Football’s Digital Transformation, is now full and closed to registrations. His main conference, IFA Zurich, which takes place December 3 at the House of FIFA, is rapidly gathering momentum.
Premier League lifestyle fraud lands Kakuta imposter in court
October 23 – In a bizarre case of deliberate mistaken identity, an English lower-league professional footballer who fraudulently posed as a Premier League star in order to live a glitzy celebrity lifestyle has wound up in jail.
Medi Abalimba, a court in Manchester heard, went on a £20,000 shopping spree, stayed at exclusive hotels and even hired a helicopter.
UEFA opens doors to closed stadium sanction rethink
By Andrew Warshaw
October 23 – UEFA are to review their policy of handing out behind-closed-doors sanctions to clubs guilty of misbehaviour following complaints that innocent away fans were unfairly penalised in Tuesday’s Champions League clash between CSKA Moscow and Manchester City.
Greece’s Irodotos heavily sanctioned after Ethnikos fan death
October 23 – A Greek third division club has been heavily sanctioned following the death of a rival fan last month after being attacked.