Blazer to quit CONCACAF post
By David Gold
October 6 – Chuck Blazer will resign in December from his post as the General Secretary of CONCACAF, at the end of a tumultuous year for the confederation.
World Football
Collina shuns goalline technology over Platini’s AAR theory
By Andrew Warshaw at the Leaders in Football Conference in London
October 6 – Pierluigi Collina, widely regarded as the world’s most respected referee until his retirement six years ago, insists there is no need for goalline technology in football and that the use of two Additional Assistant Referees (AAR) is more than sufficient to deal with controversial incidents.
Rooney’s father and uncle arrested in SPL betting scam
By Emily Goddard and David Gold
October 6 – Wayne Rooney’s father (pictured) and uncle were among nine men, which included Motherwell midfielder Steve Jennings, held by police this morning following a series of arrests carried out across Liverpool and Glasgow over allegations of suspicious betting activity during a Scottish Premier League (SPL) match, before being bailed.
“The week of football” to come into play in 2014
By Andrew Warshaw at the Leaders in Football Conference in London
October 5 – International qualifiers, both for the European Championship and the World Cup, will be played across six days between Thursdays and Tuesdays from 2014 to maximise television coverage and broadcast income, as well as stopping other sports taking precedence, UEFA announced today.
Goal-line technology delayed due to ongoing testing
By Andrew Warshaw at the Leaders in Football Conference in London
October 5 – Goal-line technology could be put back a year because the accuracy of ongoing tests will not be ready on time, English Football Association general secretary Alex Horne revealed today.
Grondona apologises for contemptuous attack on FA
By Andrew Warshaw at the Leaders in Football Conference in London
October 5 – Argentina’s senior FIFA vice President Julio Grondona has officially apologised for his scathing attack on the way England are perceived the corridors of world football, English FA chairman David Bernstein revealed today.
Sheikh Mansour remains atop of football’s rich list
By Andrew Warshaw
October 6 – Manchester City owner Sheikh Mansour remains top of football’s rich list compiled by the magazine FourFourTwo, which estimated his worth at £20 billion ($31 billion/€23 billion).
Dick Pound slams FIFA’s will to reform
By David Gold
October 4 – International Olympic Committee (IOC) member Dick Pound has hit out at FIFA, saying that they lack the will to make the reforms necessary to restore faith in football.
Adamu makes final appeal to CAS against FIFA ban
By Andrew Warshaw
October 4 – Nigeria’s Amos Adamu, kicked out of FIFA for allegedly selling his World Cup vote, takes his case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) today in a final attempt to overturn his three-year ban.
Sion drop CAS appeal against Swiss League
By David Gold
October 3 – FC Sion has dropped an appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) that they had lodged against the Swiss Football League after the six players who they bought whilst under a FIFA transfer ban were made eligible to play in league matches.
Plans submitted for new multi-million pound Welsh National Football Centre
By David Gold
October 3 – Plans have been handed to Newport Council for a new multi-million pound National Football Centre in Wales after the Newport International Sports Village was named as the chosen site of the proposed new venue.
Bin Hammam loses battle to retain control of Asia
By Andrew Warshaw
October 3 – Mohamed Bin Hammam’s latest attempt to regain both his pride and his standing in world football has failed after the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) rejected his bid to be reinstated as head of Asian football.
Platini calls for tougher penalties on match fixing
By Andrew Warshaw
September 29 – UEFA President Michel Platini has urged all European countries to outlaw match fixing as a criminal offence warning it brings fears to the entire continent.
We will be reinstated to the Europa League, insist Sion
By Andrew Warshaw
September 28 – FC Sion have claimed again that they will soon be reinstated to the Europa League in their legal battle with UEFA.
South Sudan welcomed to CAF HQ ahead of FIFA admission
By David Gold
September 28 – Confederation of African Football (CAF) President Issa Hayatou (pictured left) has welcomed a delegation from South Sudan to his office in Cairo, as the two-month-old state looks to receive admission into the FIFA family.