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.
Europe
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.”
Tour de France rights holder ASO gears up for World Cup
By David Owen
July 31 – The company that promotes the Tour de France bicycle race has been appointed an authorised sales agent for official 2014 FIFA World Cup hospitality packages in Belgium and Luxemburg.
Dinamo fined and forced to part-close stadium for fans’ racist chanting
By Mark Baber
July 31 – Dinamo Zagreb have been fined €25,000 and ordered to close the east section of their stadium for their European home game against FC Sheriff for their fans’ racist chanting during a recent qualifier against Luxembourg’s CS Fola Esch.
English PFA boss says money-grabbing football is losing its soul
By Mark Baber
July 31 – Gordon Taylor, of the Professional Footballers’ Association, speaking at an event to celebrate the first goal in the Football League scored by Kenny Davenport 125 years ago, argued football is in danger of “losing its soul” due to an overemphasis on money.
Bayern boss Hoeness officially charged with tax evasion
July 30 – Bayern Munich president Uli Hoeness has been formally charged with tax evasion by German prosecutors today. The high profile tax evasion case that has become a political football in Germany in election year, is refusing to be settled quietly. A statement by the Superior Court in Munich said that the decision on whether to go to trial will take place at the end of September. Hoeness’ legal advisors had asked for a month to respond to the charges.
UEFA auctions Super Cup final tickets for charity
July 30 – UEFA has launched a charity ticket auction for 20 Category 1 UEFA Super Cup tickets for the match between FC Bayern München and Chelsea FC at the Stadion Eden in Prague, August 30.
Kick It Out launches racism reporting app
By Mark Baber
July 30 – Kick It Out, a campaign is supported and funded by the Professional Footballers Association (PFA), the Premier League and The Football Association to encourage equality and inclusion has today launched a new free mobile app which allows players and fans to directly report racist or homophobic abuse to Kick It Out which will then follow up with football authorities and if necessary the police.
Scottish crisis: Hearts and Dunfermline running out of time to agree finance deals
July 30 – Crisis Scottish club Hearts are teetering on the brink just days before the start of the domestic season while a fans group are attempting to save another Scottish club Dunfermline Athletic.
Europol turns its focus on Russian mafia over alleged match-fixing
July 29 – Europol is spreading its football wings and has announced today it is to conduct an investigation into alleged football match fixing by the Russian mafia. The investigation will also look at organised crime groups in the Balkans. Rob Wainwright, the head of the EU police intelligence agency, told the Sunday Times said that in addition to the 380 matches that have been investigated since February, a further 300 were now considered suspicious.
Sky ‘loves competition’ ahead of BT football launch
By Mark Baber
July 29 – With BT shortly launching it new sports channels showing Premier League football, Sky, which has managed to see off previous major rivals, has been talking up the benefits of competition and has released new figures showing increased revenues and profits.
Celtic fireworks spark UEFA investigation
July 29 – Celtic are to be investigated by UEFA after supporters set off fireworks during last week’s Champions League qualifier against Northern Irish club Cliftonville.
Tribunal shows little mercy and rejects Italian match fixing appeals
By Andrew Warshaw
July 29 – Torino’s Belgian international goalkeeper Jean Francois Gillet (pictured) has failed with his appeal against a 43-month match-fixing ban imposed by the Italian football federation (FIGC).
Bwin adds Anderlecht to its roster of European club partners
By Mark Baber
July 26 – In November last year, the Chief Executive Officer of Bwin.Party Digital Entertainment, Norbert Teufelberger (pictured), was arrested by Belgian authorities at the airport after he attended a business conference. On Thursday, his company become the online gaming and betting partner of Belgium’s most successful club and current Pro League champions RSC Anderlecht.