Burga pleads not guilty to US corruption charges
December 7 – Manuel Burga, former president of the Peruvian Soccer Federation (FPF), has pleaded not guilty to corruption charges in a New York court after being extradited from his homeland.
Integrity
CAS slams door shut on Blatter after 41-years as a FIFA boss
By Andrew Warshaw
December 5 – Some will mourn his departure, others will rejoice. Sepp Blatter has finally lost his bid to clear his name over ethics violations after the Court of Arbitration for Sport today upheld the former FIFA president’s six-year ban from the game.
Exclusive: Whelan puts Brazil World Cup nightmare ordeal behind him
By Andrew Warshaw
December 5 – Ray Whelan (pictured), the British consultant for Match Services, FIFA’s service provider for accommodation, ticketing and IT solutions who was arrested and detained in Brazil during the 2014 World Cup after being wrongly accused of selling VIP tickets at inflated prices, has broken his long silence over his ordeal by accusing Brazilian authorities of attempting to stage a “TV reality show.”
Official: Brazil fabricated charges against Whelan of 2014 World Cup ticket touting
By Andrew Warshaw
December 5 – The “unwarranted criminal compliant” brought by Brazilian authorities during the latter stages of the 2014 World Cup against British ticket and hospitality consultant Ray Whelan has “officially closed in its entirety” according to his employers.
Chelsea sex scandal cover-up details released as more players come forward
December 2 – British football’s child abuse scandal has taken another unsavoury twist with reports that a former Chelsea player was paid £50,000 by the Premier League club not to go public with allegations that he was sexually abused by the club’s former chief scout Eddie Heath.
Swiss open criminal case against former FIFA boss Linsi over Germany 2006 bid cash
By Andrew Warshaw
December 1 – The Swiss criminal investigation into corruption allegations over the awarding of the 2006 World Cup to Germany has been broadened to include former FIFA general secretary Urs Linsi (pictured) who served under Sepp Blatter.
English FA in sexual abuse ‘crisis’ as cover-up suspicions grow
By Andrew Warshaw
November 30 – The chairman of the English Football has labelled the on-going child sex abuse scandal as one of the biggest crises in the history of the governing body.
English sexual abuse cases mount as FA opens investigation
November 28 – The English Football Association has confirmed it is investigating allegations of sexual abuse in youth football after more ex-professionals came forward with stories of their suffering.
Neymar faces more court time as prosecutor calls for 2-year jail term
By Samindra Kunti
November 23 – Spanish prosecutors have demanded a two-year prison sentence for FC Barcelona and Brazil forward Neymar for his part in a corruption case over his transfer from Brazilian club Santos in 2013.
Respect? FIFA go poppy crazy and charge Wales and NI over fans wearing poppies
By Andrew Warshaw
November 24 – Just how petty can you get? In what must surely rank as one of its most nonsensical decisions, verging on the autocratic, FIFA have opened disciplinary proceedings against Wales and Northern Ireland after fans were spotted wearing poppy symbols in the recent World Cup qualifying campaign.
Ecuador’s Chiriboga given 10 year jail sentence for money laundering
November 23 – The former president of the Ecuadorean FA has been convicted of money laundering in his own country and handed a 10-year sentence in the latest blow to CONEMBOL linked to the US-led case.
CAF publicly cracks down on failing refs as whispers of match-fixing increase
November 23 – Two referees and one linesman have been suspended for three months and publicly criticised by African football’s ruling body while another has been warned following their performances in recent World Cup qualifiers.
Belgian players face suspensions for betting on club matches
November 22 – The Belgian FA, the KBVB, is set to punish Olivier Deschacht (Anderlecht), Knowledge Musona (Ostende), Tuur Dierckx (Antwerp) and Laurent Henkinet (Beveren), for betting on Belgian club matches.
Plots thicken as Al-Mohannadi given FIFA ban. Who is closing ranks on who?
By Paul Nicholson and Andrew Warshaw
November 16 – Saoud Al-Mohannadi, the Qatari official who FIFA disqualified at the last moment from standing as an Asian member of its ruling Council, has now been banned by FIFA’s ethics committee for one year for failing to cooperate as a witness with a FIFA investigation.
AFF calls in Sportradar to police match-fixing threats at 2016 Suzuki Cup
November 17 – The ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) has renewed its deal with Sportradar to provide match-fixing detection and prevention services for its AFF Suzuki Cup.