Exclusive: Euro chiefs in emergency powwow over FIFA candidates
By Andrew Warshaw
October 26 – European football chiefs hold last-ditch talks on Monday aimed at averting the risk being left in the political wilderness for years.
News
FIFPro calls for a ‘clean’ break when FIFA elects its new president
October 23 – International players’ union FIFPro has published a checklist which it says all contenders for the job of FIFA president should meet, notably “social wellbeing, fairness, democratic values and human rights.”
Spanish whistleblower claims he was pressured to favour Real in El Clasico
By Mark Baber
October 23 – Dark hints that forces behind the scenes will ensure Real Madrid win this season’s La Liga were given a considerable boost on Thursday as a referee’s assistant, who wishes to remain anonymous, claimed he had been pressurised to favour Los Blancos if he was picked to officiate in the forthcoming El Clasico.
Niersbach short on answers as FIFA opens 2006 payment probe
By Andrew Warshaw
October 23 – Despite attempts to distance himself from the FIFA corruption scandal, German football boss Wolfgang Niersbach’s standing as one of the game’s most respected voices and a prospective future UEFA president are being increasingly questioned as the alleged 2006 World Cup cash-for-votes saga refuses to die down.
Schweinsteiger bullets look-a-like Chinese nazi doll
October 23 – German captain Bastian Schweinsteiger is reported to be considering taking legal action against a Hong Kong company making Nazi dolls that bear a striking resemblance to him.
Champagne uncorks FIFA bid with manifesto and ‘restoration’ promises
By Andrew Warshaw
October 23 – In a strategic move now that his nemesis faces being out of contention, former FIFA deputy general secretary Jerome Champagne is having a second crack at the presidency – and this time says has the required level of support.
Pay TV misses out in UK as BBC and ITV to share Euros
October 23 – UK football pay tv broadcast giants Sky Sports and BT Sport have missed out on upcoming European summer TV football festival in France as the BBC and ITV have jointly secured the media rights to EURO 2016.
Scala to speak at IFA Conference in Zurich, November 19
By Paul Nicholson
October 23 – Domenico Scala, chairman of FIFA’s audit and compliance committee and ad hoc election committee, and the man behind the key set of reform recommendations that the February FIFA Congress will vote on, will be a speaker at the 17th edition of the International Football Arena (IFA) conference in Zurich, November 19.
Nine Romanian clubs face points losses and relegation for breaking money rules
By Jaroslaw Adamowski
October 23 – As many as nine out of the 14 clubs which compete in Romania’s top tier Liga 1 risk relegation due to their desperate financial positions, according to Viorel Duru (pictured), the director of the department of licencing at the Romanian Football Federation (FRF).
Russia 2018: October Island stadium gets OK but World Cup budgets kept tight
By Paul Nicholson
October 23 – Russia’s Ministry of Sports has agreed on the cost of construction for the Kalinigrad stadium, one of the last to start building. According to the Deputy Prime Minister of Kaliningrad region, Russia’s Ministry of Sports has agreed on the cost of construction for the Kalinigrad stadium, one of the last to start building. According to the Deputy Prime Minister of Kaliningrad region, Alexander Rolbinov, the cost should not exceed Ruble18.5 billion ($296 million).,
Man City face sanctions after fans reported for booing Champions League anthem
By Mark Baber
October 22 – Disciplinary proceedings have been opened over Manchester City fans booing of the Champions League anthem ahead of their 2-1 win over Sevilla on Wednesday evening.
Dutch pass the ball to Henk Ten Cate after Euro2016 disaster
By Samindra Kunti
October 22 – The Dutch FA KNVB have appointed Henk Ten Cate as a special advisor to consider the future of Dutch football after a disastrous EURO2016 qualifying campaign that saw them fail to qualify for UEFA’s continental flagship event in France. They secured neither a top two finish or a play-off spot in their qualifying group.
Former Mons president faces prison over alleged misuse of cash subsidies
By Samindra Kunti
October 22 – The former president of Belgian club RAEC Mons, Domenico Leone, is facing criminal prosecution as justice suspect him of misappropriating subsidies from the local authorities of up €1.2 million.
Exclusive: Villar was lone voice opposing FIFA’s ‘name and shame’ vote
By Andrew Warshaw
October 22 – Angel Villar Llona, the controversial FIFA vice-president on a new list of prominent officials facing possible sanction for corruption or wrongdoing, tried to block this week’s ground-breaking move that gave ethics investigators freedom to publish the names of those being probed.
CONCACAF axes Datisa smoothing path for Copa America 2016 in the US
By Paul Nicholson
October 22 – The day after CONCACAF announced their new Partner Code of Conduct to regulate and set protocols for working with outside partners, the confederation has revealed it is ending its relationship with Datisa, one of the sports marketing agencies at the centre of the bribery and money laundering scandals that have rocked football in the Americas.