By Mark Baber
May 30 – The European Sports Security Association (ESSA), the betting industry’s ‘integrity’ body, published its annual integrity report Tuesday, claiming the evidence shows the battle against match-fixers from defrauding Europe’s licenced bookmakers is being won, The organisation argues the greatest threats to sporting integrity lie in poor governance and unregulated bookmakers outside Europe.
By Gareth Messenger
May 30 – It’s official, Emirates Airline has confirmed a four-year sponsorship deal with Spanish club Real Madrid believed to be in the region of around €120 million.
By Mark Baber
May 29 – A row has broken out between the football authorities of the UAE and Iran after the announcement that the UAE Pro League will be renamed the Arabian Gulf League from next season.
May 29 – The Qatar 2022 Supreme Committee has appointed Amsterdam Arena and IMG as the Stadium Operations Consultants for the 2022 FIFA World Cup Qatar.
May 28 – Al Hilal Bank, the Abu Dhabi bank, has renewed its sponsorship of the UAE’s premier club tournament, the UAE President’s Cup, for a fifth year. The other major sponsors are Etisalat and the Abu Dhabi Sports Channel.
By Mark Baber
May 28 – Qatar’s Barwa Real Estate Group has denied its proposed Oryx Island & Gulf Resort projects, widely reported as planned to house World Cup fans, are in any way related to projects for the 2022 World Cup.
By Mark Baber
May 28 – Just when it looked like everything was at last under control in Brazil in readiness for the Confedertion Cup which kicks off mid-June, another building disaster has sruck.
May 28 – UEFA have released a set Champions League numbers that show another year of impressive growth and making the final, says UEFA, “the world’s most-watched annual television sporting event on television and social media platforms”.
By Mark Baber
May 27 – Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard (pictured) has announced the broadcasting of live betting odds will be banned from sports coverage, with gambling advertising relegated to designated commercial breaks during quarter and half-times.
By Mark Baber
May 27 – The South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) has moved this year’s edition of the biannual SAFF Championship, to be held in Kathmandu, forward by two weeks.
By Andrew Warshaw, chief correspondent
May 24 – Playing politics in immaculate style, UEFA president Michel Platini gave a veiled hint for the first time today that his 53 members may not support FIFA’s reform process for cleaning up the game, due to reach its climax in Mauritius next week after two years of rhetoric and table thumping.
By Andrew Warshaw
May 24 – Gibraltar officially became the 54th member of UEFA today when delegates voted at their annual congress to give the tiny British colony full membership – with the Euro 2016 qualifying competition expected to be its first major tournament.
By Andrew Warshaw, chief correspondent
May 24 – UEFA president Michel Platini today stepped up his campaign to counter match-fixing by calling once again on governments and politicians to help tackle what he believes is the biggest crisis facing football.
May 24 – Borussia Dortmund has signed a one-year sponsorship deal with Lebara Mobile, a leading provider of mobile phone service to destinations outside Germany, in a deal put together by marketing agency Sportfive.
By Mark Baber
May 24 – The 2015 Champions League Final will be held in Berlin’s Olympiastadion, the UEFA Executive Committee decided on Thursday at its meeting in London. Warsaw’s National Stadium won the honour of hosting the Europa League Final 2015.