UEFA suspends Armenian officials for Europa League match-fixing attempt
By Andrew Warshaw
August 9 – UEFA has suspended two Armenian officials who attempted to “manipulate the outcome” of a Europa League fixture last month.
Europe
Italians issue10-game ban for verbal racism in Cup match
By Andrew Warshaw
August 8 – Increasingly vigilant as a result of the notorious Kevin-Prince Boateng walkoff back in January, Italian football authorities have handed out a 10-match ban to a player from amateur club Matera for racially insulting an opponent.
Tebas says 9 Spanish matches are under match-fixing investigation
By Andrew Warshaw
August 8 – Spanish Football League (SFL) president Javier Tebas has revealed that nine domestic games are currently being investigated on suspicion of possible match-fixing, including three in the top division.
Bulgarian clubs demand a share of Levski deal with Gazprom
By Alexander Krassimirov
August 8 – Bulgaria’s top league clubs have joined together to protest to the government about a sponsorship agreement about to be signed between rival club Levski Sofia and Russian energy giant Gazprom. It is a remarkable move by the clubs who all sell their own sponsorships, but who feel that they have been excluded from sponsorship money they should be sharing.
Russia’s Anzhi fairy tale unravels as Kerimov slashes budgets
By Richard van Poortvliet
August 7 – The Anzhi project, to transform a side with little prior success from one of Russia’s poorest regions, into a European powerhouse happened almost overnight. However, this dream looks as though it could be unravelling just as quickly as it was formed with owner Suleiman Kerimov (pictured) taking an axe to the club’s budgets.
UEFA proceedings could end Metalist Kharkiv’s Champions League campaign
By Andrew Warshaw
August 7 – UEFA’s crackdown on match-fixing could seriously affect this season’s Champions League after Europe’s governing body opened urgent disciplinary proceedings against Metalist Kharkiv.
World’s priciest player Bale fails to make UEFA top 7 picks
August 7 – Gareth Bale may be the subject of a world record transfer bid from Real Madrid but the Tottenham Hotspur star has failed to make a significant enough impression to place him in the running for UEFA’s Best Player in Europe award.
West Germany’s doping programme may have included 1966 World Cup players
By Mark Baber
August 6 – More details were published of a suppressed report into the history of doping in West Germany, which includes evidence that three of West Germany’s 1966 World Cup stars may have been involved.
Anxiety deepens as Rangers legend Smith quits Chair after just 2 months
By Andrew Warshaw
August 6 – Fallen Scottish giants Rangers are once again embroiled in turmoil after chairman Walter Smith quit less than a week before the start of the new league season describing the boardroom as “highly dysfunctional” and lacking integrity.
Turks get the all-clear from FIFA after doping re-assessments
August 6 – FIFA have been quick to allay fears of a drugs problem in Turkish football following the announcement by the Turkish Athletics Association that 31 athletes have been banned for two years for doping violations.
Barca ‘peace tour’ builds a bridge across an uneasy divide
By Andrew Warshaw
August 4 – Israeli and Palestinian leaders have hailed Barcelona’s “peace tour” to the region as a vitally symbolic breakthrough but the visit also highlighted the deep-rooted distrust as Palestinian FA boss Jibril Rajoub, not for the first time, denounced Israel’s conduct towards his country’s athletes.
Bulgaria’s CSKA keeps promise and reveals players’ wages
By Alexander Krassimirov
August 4 – The new governing and executive body of Bulgarian clubs CSKA Sofia has kept its promise and revealed the monthly salaries of the team’s players and coaching staff. CSKA is the first club in Bulgaria to disclose the salaries of its employees to the public.
Lazio’s Mauri gets 6-month ban for failing to report match-fixing
August 2 – The Italian football federation has banned Lazio captain Stefano Mauri (pictured) for six months for his part in the 2011 Italian match-fixing scandal.
ICSS joins European body in fight against match-fixing
August 2 – The International Centre for Sport Security (ICSS) has been accepted as a member of the Enlarged Partial Agreement on Sport (EPAS) Consultative Committee.
FIFA monitors Italian racism, as minister likens her abuse to Balotelli’s
By Mark Baber
August 2 – Italy’s first black government minister Cécile Kyenge has likened the racism she has received – she recently had bananas thrown at her – to the racism that Mario Balotelli has received, saying that “a multi-ethnic nation is both inevitable and natural.”