Bach highlights IOC’s reform blueprint as way forward
By Andrew Warshaw
October 6 – Not for the first time, International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach has given FIFA a gentle reminder of how genuine reform can be achieved.
By Andrew Warshaw
October 6 – Not for the first time, International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach has given FIFA a gentle reminder of how genuine reform can be achieved.
By Andrew Warshaw
October 6 – Wherever he travels at present, Tokyo Sexwale is asked the same question. Will he be running for Fifa president? The South African human rights icon keeps giving the same diplomatic answer, that he has not yet made up his mind. But he only has until October 26 to do so.
By Andrew Warshaw
October 6 – In arguably the most explosive attack on FIFA and its judicial procedure, South Korean presidential candidate Chung Mong-joon has confirmed for the first time that he faces imminent suspension, possibly for 15 years, but not before laying bare what he claims are rampant double standards by FIFA’s ethics committee.
By Paul Nicholson
October 6 – Rafael Esquivel, one of the seven FIFA executives arrested in the dawn raids at the end of May and detained on US warrants for his extradition, has been refused release from custody on health grounds as the Swiss view him as a flight risk.
By Paul Nicholson
October 5 – US Ambassador to Switzerland Suzan LeVine (pictured) has emphasised that all those arrested in the corruption scandals engulfing FIFA had US links or US citizenship, seemingly offering an explanation to the Swiss public as to why the US justice authorities have acted so invasively in Swiss territory.
October 5 – Under-fire UEFA president Michel Platini has taken his innocence stance over a 2 million franc payment he received from president Sepp Blatter all the way to government level in his home country France.
By Andrew Warshaw
October 5 – South Korea’s heavyweight candidate Chung Mong-joon has staged a late u-turn and has decided to attend this week’s Leaders in Sport Business Summit in London despite rumours circulating about his FIFA presidential prospects.
By Andrew Warshaw
October 5 – Sepp Blatter’s daughter has expressed her inner fears about her father’s recent interrogation at the hands of Swiss authorities, saying she was worried they would “take him away in handcuffs.”
By Andrew Warshaw
October 4 – Sepp Blatter has rejected the demands of a string of FIFA’s front-line US sponsors to step down immediately in the wake of the deepening corruption crisis, saying to do so would not help the beleagured organisation.
By Paul Nicholson
October 2 – Speculation that Asian Football Confederation (AFC) president Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa could become a candidate in the race for FIFA’s presidency has been met with a statement from his office saying that his priority is to represent the AFC, and his “obligations are primarily to Asia”.
By Andrew Warshaw
October 2 – South Korea’s heavyweight candidate Chung Mong-joon faces the prospect of being forced to drop out of next February’s FIFA presidential election.
By Andrew Warshaw
October 2 – While the English FA are standing by their man for the time being, the Germans are not so sure whether Michel Platini is still the right man for the job of taking over from Sepp Blatter.
By Andrew Warshaw
October 1 – Michel Platini may have his mind very much on the FIFA presidential election and whether he will actually still eligible as a result of the already notorious and still not fully explained SFr2 million payment he received whilst working for Sepp Blatter several years ago.
October 1 – If ever proof were needed that all is not quite right at the top of FIFA and UEFA, tomorrow’s annual friendly game between the staff of both organisations has suddenly been postponed – relieving respective presidents Sepp Blatter and Michel Platini of coming face to face.
September 30 – Sepp Blatter is remaining calm and relaxed and has not been fazed by the furore over criminal proceedings being opened against him, according to his former public relations adviser Klaus Stoehlker.