Super Eagle Keshi wins AFCON cup and quits
By Andrew Warshaw
February 12 – The price of success appears to be resignation for Nigeria’s successful African Nations Cup coach Stephen Keshi (pictured).
World Football
Police ask for tapes of Sky Sports racism investigation
By Mark Baber
February 12 – A Special Report on the UK’s Sky Sports News broadcast yesterday (February 11) revealed how a 3 month investigation had filmed racist abuse by five white men at Millwall on November 18 aimed at Leeds forward and Senegal international El Hadj Diouf.
FIFA fines Brazilian agent over Gomes transfer to Spurs
By Andrew Warshaw
February 12 – FIFA’s determination to crack down on illegal activities by agents has been illustrated by Brazilian Renato de Moura Ricardo being fined SFR 7,000 by the world governing body’s Disciplinary Committee, the second time in two weeks FIFA has enforced its rules following last week’s sanctioning of CA Independiente of Argentina and Genoa CFC of Italy for misuse of the FIFA Transfer Matching System (TMS).
UEFA cuts price of Cat 4 Wembley final tickets
By Andrew Warshaw, chief correspondent
February 12 – Two years after its president Michel Platini admitted that inflated Champions League final tickets were a mistake, UEFA have cut the cost of the cheapest seats for this season’s showpiece finale.
AFC set May date for Congress and elections
By Andrew Warshaw, chief correspondent
February 11 – The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has selected May 2 for the date of its highly anticipated extraordinary Congress that will elect a new leader in succession to Mohamed bin Hammam and herald what officials hope will be the start of a new era of trust and credibility.
Match-fixing epidemic is a warning for English Premier League, says Eaton
By Andrew Warshaw
February 11 – FIFA’s former head of security, Chris Eaton (pictured), says the recent revelation of a virtual epidemic of match fixing should serve as a wake-up call for authorities across the world.
Hayatou to step down as CAF President…after his next term
By Mark Baber
February 11 – Confederation of African Football President Issa Hayatou says if he is re-elected in March it will be his last term as president.
Africa’s COSAFA Castle Cup to return in July
By Mark Baber
February 11 – The Cosafa Cup, suspended since 2010, will return this year with the re-launched tournament being held in Zambia in July, and Castle remaining on board as the main sponsor.
Blatter perplexed by UEFA’s reform statement
By Andrew Warshaw, Chief Correspondent
February 11 – FIFA president Sepp Blatter has hit back at criticism by UEFA of the reform process he instigated almost two years ago in the wake of widespread corruption. The reform process will reach its eagerly awaited conclusion at the FIFA Congress in May.
Tickets still on sale for Sunday’s AFCON final
By Mark Baber
February 8 – There are still 10,000 unsold tickets for Sunday’s AFCON final between Burkina Faso and Nigeria, according to Confederation of African Football (CAF) general secretary Hicham El Amrani.
EU report calls for reform of transfer system
By Mark Baber
February 8 – A European Commission study on the economic and legal aspects of player transfers says the transfer system has to change to bring it into line with the original rationale for sport to be alowed to differ from normal employment practices.
Pieth slams UEFA proposals as threatening FIFA’s reform process
February 7 – Swiss law professor and FIFA’s anti-corruption adviser Mark Pieth has warned that UEFA’s position on FIFA’s reform proposals will “basically try to cut half” of the modernising agenda.
Burundi: Football offers hope to street children
February 7 – FIFA has partnered with Terre des Hommes (TdH) and its local partner Giriyuja to establish a centre for street kids in Burundi’s capital Bujumbara.
DFB prepares coming-out guidance for clubs
By Mark Baber
February 7 – A working group under the direction of sports sociologist Gunter A. Pilz is developing guidelines for the German Football Association (DFB) to help German football clubs prepare for the potential outing of a gay player.
FIFA launches Footieleaks website for whistleblowers
February 7 – FIFA has launched a website where whistleblowers can report allegations of corruption, match-fixing and breaches of the FIFA Code of Conduct and the FIFA Code of Ethics.