Honduran Peralta gunned down in home town
December 11 – Honduran international Arnold Peralta was tragically shot dead in a parking lot on Thursday by unknown assailants while on holiday in his hometown.
News
Olympic leaders fear for impact on sport of US investigations into football
By David Owen
December 10 – The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has added its support to the package of reform proposals approved last week by FIFA’s ruling Executive Committee, while expressing concern about the “ongoing criminal procedures” in the United States and Switzerland.
Putin orders football reforms, World Cup speed up, and a team play with ‘dignity’
By Mark Baber
December 10 – Russian president Vladimir Putin called for an overhaul of the current system of administration of Russian football, for a speeding up of work on infrastructure projects for the 2018 World Cup and for the national squad to represent the country with dignity. He made his comments at president’s council for sports and the 2018 World Cup organising committee.
Money makes money: Champions League bias perpetuates big leagues and big clubs
By Paul Nicholson
December 10 – Benchmark Sport’s latest report looks at the UEFA Champions league and the spread of representation of nations and clubs. The findings are that the competition has been increasingly – and perhaps worryingly – centralised around the big leagues and the big clubs.
CAS readies for Platini verdict, evidence against Blatter questioned
By Andrew Warshaw
December 10 – The Court of Arbitration for Sport will announce its verdict into Michel Platini’s appeal against his provisional suspension at 10am tomorrow local time, giving the UEFA president just enough time to speed his way to chair the last session this year of his executive committee – provided he is cleared.
World Football Forum announces July 2016 date in Paris
December 10 – The World Football Forum conference will hold its 2016 event on July 7-8 in Paris, France. The past two years the event has been held in Moscow, Russia, with strong Russian themes.
Cayman FA ejects Webb and battles with government over funds
By Andrew Warshaw
December 10 – Former FIFA vice-president Jeffrey Webb, the official who swept to prominence promising to clean up the organisation but fooled all those who viewed him as the new white knight of transparency and tolerance, has been formally ousted from running football in his native Cayman Islands.
Chelsea, Man Utd, Arsenal, Swansea and Stoke top 99% mark
By Paul Nicholson
December 10 – Christmas is coming early for the Premier League clubs in terms of attendances. With more than 400,000 tickets available for the last weekend of Premier League fixtures, just 14,190 seats were left unfilled.
‘FIFA, we’re coming to get you’ – is warning from US and Lynch
December 10 – Loretta Lynch, the US attorney general whose stunning raft of corruption-linked indictments has plunged world football into disgrace, has indicated her organisation will show no let-up in its pursuit of FIFA and its six confederations.
US round-up begins with El Salvador to hand over Vasquez, Mesnier hands himself in
December 10 – El Salvador’s Supreme Court has approved the extradition of the country’s former football federation president Reynaldo Vasquez (pictured), one of those wanted in the United States in connection with the widespread racketeering and bribery scandal.
Swiss MP asks parliament if country is working with US to shut FIFA down
By Paul Nicholson
December 9 – The battle over who controls world football and the looming spectre of continued and deeper intervention into the business of FIFA by the US justice authorities will become a question in the Swiss parliament on Monday.
Alibaba drives to FIFA’s aid with Club World Cup deal
By David Owen
December 9 – Jack Ma, the Chinese internet entrepreneur behind the Alibaba Group, has come to FIFA’s aid at this time of crisis for world football’s governing body. An Alibaba Group brand – Alibaba E-auto – has agreed an eight-year sponsorship deal for FIFA’s Club World Cup.
Want a playing career? Then make sure you are born in first three months of the year
By Mark Baber
December 9 – The latest monthly report produced by the CIES looks at the issue of birth date bias finding that “players born in the first months of the year are strongly over-represented” in 30 top divisions in Europe – the exception being England where the bias is towards the period September- December as the age classes are based on September 1 rather than January 1.
Three strikes and they’re out. No new CONCACAF boss till May
By Andrew Warshaw
December 9 – Having lost three presidents in quick succession as a result of the FIFA corruption scandal, CONCACAF is not taking the same risk again and has decided against putting someone else in place until its next congress in May.
Early Christmas for Platini and Blatter, but bets are Scrooge will spoil the party
By Andrew Warshaw
December 9 – The final verdicts into alleged ethics violations by Sepp Blatter and Michel Platini will almost certainly be handed down on December 21 or 22, potentially handing them the worst possible Christmas present.