By Duncan Mackay
January 4 – Some of South Africa’s former players, led by Shaun Bartlett (pictured), have launched a series of “boot camps” for teenagers as part of a new scheme bankrolled by Nike to try to find new young talent.
January 3 - FIFA has appointed General Seyi Memene (pictured), a veteran Togolese football administrator, as interim head of the Togo Football Federation (TFF).
December 29 – Staff at the South African Football Association (SAFA) have been warned that many of them could lose their jobs in the New Year following a staff audit undertaken by new President Kirsten Nematandani (pictured).
November 18 - South Africa’s Premier Soccer League (PSL) recorded a loss of R8.3 million (£660,000) after rising costs and a failure to secure sponsorship for the First Division plunged the company into the red, it was announced today.
September 29 – FIFA officials will meet in Rio de Janeiro today to discuss possible changes on the age limit for players at the men’s Olympic football tournament at London 2012, the final of which is due to be held at Wembley.
September 1 – Nigeria’s Government has offered companies the incentive of tax-cuts if they support the country’s bid to qualify for next year’s World Cup in South Africa, they have announced.
August 31 - Bone tests will be performed on soccer players at the Under-17 World Cup in Nigeria to catch teams with over-age players, FIFA confirmed today, as first reported on insidethegames.
AUGUST 4 – FIFA PRESIDENT Sepp Blatter (pictured) today announced he planned to launch a review into the Olympic 2012 football tournament as he again urged Britain to field a team of Englishman in the event to avoid the fear of the Home Countries losing their independence.
June 13 – The Olympic football tournament at London 2012 seems set to retain its current format, leaving the door open for players like Wayne Rooney (pictured) to represent Britain.
Jacques Rogge, the President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), said today that he has warned world governing body FIFA that the sport risks elimination if it adopts controversial proposals to make the tournament an event only open to under-21 players.
Rogge said he has made clear to FIFA President Sepp Blatter that the IOC will reduce the number of teams if FIFA goes through with the change.
FEBRUARY 1 – FIFA PRESIDENT Sepp Blatter (pictured) wants to lower the age limit for the Olympic soccer tournament and ban the addition of three over-23 players, he said today.
FIFA today agreed to adopt the World Anti-Doping Agency’s (WADA) revised drug testing code, thus avoiding another potential row over football’s future in the Olympics.
MAY 11 – FOOTBALL has been warned again that it faces being dropped from the 2012 London Olympics unless it agrees to implement a worldwide code on doping that has been ratified by nearly every other major sport and Government.
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July 31- FIFA have again warned Nigeria that they are risking suspension from international football if the Government intervene in the upcoming Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) elections.