Rummenigge counters Bayern fan protests over Qatar arguing for inclusion, not exclusion
November 12 – Former Bayern Munich CEO Karl Heinz Rummenigge has defended the club’s dealings with Qatar as fan protests continue.
Integrity
Lazio object to being branded facists in Amazon’s Maradona drama-doc
November 9 – Lazio have hit out at the makers of Amazon Prime’s dramatised ‘Maradona: Blessed Dream’ series for a scene in which the Rome-based club are branded fascists.
Playmaking the Wenger way: Integrity questions swirl around FIFA and its development chief
November 8 – FIFA’s chief of global football development Arsene Wenger, has come under renewed questions regarding his personal integrity over his involvement with sports technology startup PlayerMaker.
Chelsea fan is jailed in for anti-semitic tweets aimed at Spurs supporters
November 8 – A fanatical Chelsea fan who posted antisemitic and racist tweets aimed at supporters of rivals Tottenham Hotspur, a club with large Jewish following, has been jailed for eight weeks.
Louis Saha calls on Ronaldo to join sport integrity movement
November 5 – Former Fulham, Manchester United and France striker Louis Saha has called on former teammate Cristiano Ronaldo to engage with the sport integrity movement and use his profile to drive meaningful change across football from grassroots to boardroom.
English fan jailed for Facebook abuse of Rashford, Sancho and Saka after Euro final
November 4 – An English fan who racially abused Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho and Bukayo Saka after England lost the Euro 2020 final to Italy has been sentenced to 10 weeks in jail.
Blatter and Platini to face Swiss fraud trial over CHF2m payment
By Andrew Warshaw
November 3 – After an investigation lasting almost six years, the former heads of FIFA and UEFA, Sepp Blatter and Michel Platini, have been charged with fraud over the infamous “disloyal payment” that brought the careers of both powerbrokers crashing down.
Former Nigerian coach’ Siasia loses NY court attempt to overturn match-fixing ban
November 2 – FIFA has won the dismissal of a lawsuit by former Nigeria coach Samson Siasia in a New York court, after Siasia challenged his match-fixing ban.
Brazilian integrity dilemma as Tite’s son comes under fire for homophobic social media
November 1 – Brazil coach Tite has defended his son and national team backroom staff member Matheus Bachi (pictured sitting) after the latter liked anti-feminist and anti-LGBTQ posts on social media.
SIGA Media Partners Joint Statement on Sport Integrity
October 29 – The Sport Integrity Global Alliance (SIGA) and it global media partners – including Insideworldfootball – the gathered this week to address the current challenges facing the Integrity of Sport and establish the basis of their future cooperation. The group issued a joint statement.
Premier League to meet Amnesty over ‘sportswashing’ and club owner criteria
October 29 – English Premier League officials have agreed to meet with Amnesty International to discuss potential changes to the so-called owners and directors test following the recent controversial Saudi-led takeover of Newcastle United.
Sala death-flight operator found guilty of endangering safety
October 29 – The businessman who organised the flight that crashed into the English channel and killed Argentine footballer Emiliano Sala on his way to sign for Cardiff City from Nantes in France has been found guilty of endangering the safety of an aircraft.
Australian Cavallo breaks male football’s ‘gay’ silence
October 28 – Australia’s Josh Cavallo has become one of the world’s first active male professional footballers to publicly come out as gay, saying “he couldn’t be happier with his decision”.
Benzema faces jail if found guilty in Valbuena sex tape blackmail case
October 26 – France and Real Madrid star Karim Benzema faces sentencing on November 24 if he is found guilty of his involvement in an attempt to blackmail his former national teammate Matthieu Valbuena. His lawyers are demanding the case be thrown out but a potential prison sentence looming if he is found guilty.
Infantino backs controversial Lekjaa as he expands career into Moroccan politics
October 21 – FIFA president Gianni Infantino has shielded Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) president and FIFA Council member Fouzi Lekjaa over his new role in the Moroccan government, claiming that FIFA is politically neutral.