By Paul Nicholson and Andrew Warshaw
August 9 – FIFA’s ethics investigators have opened a formal investigation into the $80 million in pay rises and bonuses that former FIFA top brass Sepp Blatter, Jérôme Valcke and Markus Kattner awarded themselves over a five year period until they were suspended or fired by the governing body.
By Andrew Warshaw
September 8 – The deepening probe into Germany’s 2006 World Cup bid has taken yet another twist with the news that FIFA’s ethics watchdog is opening formal proceedings against former DFB secretary general Helmut Sandrock (pictured).
By Andrew Warshaw
September 7 – FIFA’s ethics watchdog has opened formal proceedings against one of the Qatari FA’s highest ranking officials, vice-president Saoud Al-Mohannadi, but much intrigue surrounds what he has specifically done wrong.
September 2 – Video replays, for years rejected by FIFA as too great a step to take in modernising the game, were used for the first time in an international fixture on Thursday and hailed by FIFA president Gianni Infantino as “football history”.
By Andrew Warshaw
September 1 – Despite continually protesting his innocence over any involvement in manipulating the vote that handed Germany the 2006 World Cup, Franz Beckenbauer, his country’s most revered footballing figurehead who led the bid process, is being investigated by Swiss prosecutors as part of a corruption probe.
By Andrew Warshaw
September 1 – He described his original $2 million pay offer as “insulting” yet now he is getting even less. Or is he? After six months in charge, and having failed to sign a contract that had been on the table since March, Gianni Infantino has now apparently agreed an annual salary of 1.5 million Swiss francs.
By Andrew Warshaw
August 30 – The thorny issue of FIFA president Gianni Infantino’s salary has burst into fresh controversy amid speculation that he is about to receive an improved pay deal after refusing to sign his original contract drawn up six months ago.
August 29 – The investigatory chamber of the FIFA Ethics committee has completed an investigation into Saoud Al-Mohannadi, Vice-President of the Qatar Football Association (QFA) and former general secretary of the QFA, and referred it to its adjudicatory body recommending a minimum two-year ban and a CHF20,000 fine.
By Andrew Warshaw
August 25 – Banned former FIFA president Sepp Blatter made his long-awaited appearance before sport’s highest tribunal, the Court of Arbitration of Sport (CAS), today in a last-ditch appeal to clear his name.
By Andrew Warshaw
August 22 – Former FIFA president Sepp Blatter says he is confident of winning this week’s last-ditch appeal against his ban from the game, but that if he fails, he will not allow the rest of his life to suffer unduly.
By Andrew Warshaw
August 19 – Former South African Football Association (SAFA) president Kirsten Nematandani has come out fighting over allegations of ethics violations related to the fixing of international friendlies in 2010 just weeks before South Africa hosted the World Cup.
August 18 – FIFA has rolled out its ‘FIFA 11+ Kids’ programme into Brazil, partnering with the Brazilian Football Association (CBF) and its association of football doctors (CNMF) as part of the World Cup legacy programme, but handily timed with the Olympic football events in the country.
August 16 – Former FIFA president Joao Havelange has passed away, aged 100. In hospital since July with respiratory problems, he died this morning of pneumonia in a Rio de Janeiro hospital.
By Paul Nicholson
August 16 – The Malaysian football federation has pulled out of hosting the 67th Annual FIFA Congress in Kuala Lumpur in May next year, citing security issues and on the advice of their government. The key issue appears to be the refusal of the Malaysian government to provide visas for Israeli delegates.
August 15 – Trials of the video assistant referee system (VAR)has continued in the US with the third tier USL league, working in collaboration with Major League Soccer (MLS).