Rangers deny Bury takeover
By Andrew Warshaw
June 21 – Debt-ridden Scottish giants Rangers have denied a report that they plan to re-emerge as an English club by taking over third-tier team Bury.
World Football
Drogba heads to Shanghai
By David Owen
June 21 – Didier Drogba, the Ivorian striker who starred in Chelsea’s recent European Champions League victory, has confirmed his long-expected move to Shanghai Shenhua of China.
Socceroos’ first captain honoured with retrospective awarding of cap number one
By Stuart Newman
June 21 – The first ever captain of Australia’s national football team, the late Alex Gibb, has been honoured in a special ceremony during the recent FIFA 2014 World Cup Asian qualifying match between the hosts and Japan in Brisbane, which ended 1-1.
Detained Palestinian player ends hunger strike in exchange for release
By Andrew Warshaw
June 21 – Palestinian footballer Mahmoud Sarsak, who has been on hunger strike in protest at being held in an Israeli jail without charge, has agreed to resume eating in exchange for early release, according to his lawyer.
Goal-line technology is no longer an alternative but a necessity, insists Blatter
By Andrew Warshaw
June 20 – FIFA President Sepp Blatter has renewed his call for the introduction of goal-line technology following Ukraine’s disallowed goal in the 1-0 defeat by England that saw the joint hosts tumbling out of the 2012 European Championship.
Italy hands out point deductions and five-year bans to match-fixers
By Andrew Warshaw
June 20 – Italy may have progressed to the last eight of the 2012 European Championship but off the field the image of the game has taken another damaging blow after the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) announced it had upheld newly promoted Pescara’s two-point deduction and banned four players for five years over the country’s match-fixing scandal.
Official Draw Ceremony date set for 2012 under-17 Women’s World Cup
By Tom Degun
June 20 – Azerbaijan 2012 has revealed that the Official Draw Ceremony for the FIFA Under-17 Women’s World Cup will take place on July 6 at the International Mugam Centre (pictured) in Baku.
FIFA extends worldwide match-fixing sanctions
By Andrew Warshaw
June 19 – FIFA today extended worldwide a series of sanctions meted out to 13 individuals from South Korea and Croatia related to match-fixing.
SPL clubs to decide fate of new Rangers
By Andrew Warshaw
June 19 – Scottish Premier League (SPL) clubs will vote on Wednesday, July 4 on whether to admit Glasgow giants Rangers into the top flight of domestic football under their new guise.
New owner does not have backing of Rangers fans, warns Walter Smith consortium
By Duncan Mackay
June 15 – An unsuccessful last-minute attempt by former manager Walter Smith to buy Rangers is hampering new owner Charles Green’s attempts to win over the supporters at Ibrox, he has admitted.
Pasha Insurance signs up as National Supporter of 2012 under-17 Women’s World Cup
By Tom Degun
June 15 – Pasha Insurance has signed a deal with Azerbaijan 2012 for the FIFA Under-17 Women’s World Cup to become a National Supporter of the prestigious event which will see 16 teams battle it out for ultimate glory.
Tributes flood in as former Syrian football boss is assassinated
By Andrew Warshaw
June 14 – Tributes poured in today for former Syrian Football Association (SFA) head Marwan Arafat who was shot dead as the country’s bloody conflict claimed its first reported prominent sports official.
Remove Israel as Under-21 European Championship host, demands Palestine
By Andrew Warshaw in Warsaw
June 14 – Palestinian football officials have called on UEFA to strip Israel of hosting the 2013 European Under-21 Championship over Palestine national team players being detained without trial.
Rangers condemned to liquidation after creditors’ deal is rejected
By Andrew Warshaw
June 12 – Crisis-torn Scottish giants Glasgow Rangers, one of the most iconic names in European football, seem certain to go out of business in their current guise after tax authorities rejected an offer to buy the ailing club by a consortium headed by former Sheffield United supremo Charles Green.
Sportfive reach agreement with SABC to screen Bafana matches
By Andrew Warshaw
June 12 – The French sports marketing rights company Sportfive has signed a 28 million rand (£2.1 million/$3.3 million/€2.7 million) three-deal deal with South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) to screen South Africa’s competitive away qualifiers until 2015.