Alves denies assault but now admits he did have sex in Barcelona nightclub
April 18 – Dani Alves (pictured) has maintained his innocence over allegations of sexual assault, claiming he had consensual sex with the woman that accused him.
Integrity
French launch criminal probe into Belgian football agent Mogi Bayat
April 12 – Authorities in Rennes have launched a judicial investigation into Belgian-Iranian football agent Mogi Bayat on suspicion of “illegal exercise of the profession of players’ agent, money laundering and gang formation”.
Freedom of speech therapy: Lineker to return to BBC’s after suspension over asylum tweet
March 13 – The BBC staged a u-turn and reinstated its highest-paid tv presenter Gary Lineker today following a near-mutiny over its decision to take the former England captain off the air because of his criticism of the rhetoric around government migration policy.
Indonesian court jails match officials over 135 deaths in Kanjuruhan stadium disaster
March 9 – An Indonesian court has handed prison sentences to two match officials after finding them guilty of negligence over one of the world’s deadliest stadium disasters.
Barca to face prosecution over payments made to former referee boss, reports
March 8 – Prosecutors are poised to charge Barcelona over the club’s alleged payments to a company that belonged to the former the vice president of Spain’s refereeing committee, according to Spanish media.
Italian prosecutor Polcini takes chair of global integrity group SIGA
March 5 – The Sports Integrity Global Alliance (SIGA) has elected Italian magistrate Giovanni Tartaglia Polcini as the integrity body’s new independent and non-executive Chair. He replaces Franco Frattini who passed away on Christmas Eve.
PSG and Moroccan star Achraf Hakimi charged with rape
March 3 – Paris St Germain’s Moroccan international Achraf Hakimi is facing a criminal investigation in France following an allegation of rape, prosecutors have confirmed.
Russia remains out in the cold after Swiss court rejects appeal against CAS ruling
February 24 – The Russian Football Union’s (RFU) has had its appeal to the Swiss Supreme Court over the suspension of its national teams and clubs from international tournaments dismissed as it missed the deadline.
‘Flight risk’ Alves refused bail in Spain over sexual assault charges
February 22 – Brazil’s former Barcelona star Dani Alves has had a request to be released from jail on bail rejected by a Spanish court as the investigation into an alleged sexual assault continues.
Spurs, FA and Kick It Out demand action by social media firms after online abuse of Son
February 20 – Tottenham Hotspur have called for social media companies to take action after their South Korean forward Son Heung-min, captain of his national team, was subjected to “utterly reprehensible” racist abuse online.
Scots and Welsh FA’s dedicate Pinatar Cup clash to Football v Homophobia campaign
February 19 – The Scottish FA and the Football Association of Wales (FAW) have dedicated the February 21, Scotland v Wales match at the Pinatar Cup tournament to the Football v Homophobia campaign.
FIFA consider CAS appeal over lifting of ban on alleged serial sex abuser Jean-Bart
February 17 – FIFA is considering lodging a rare appeal against the shock ruling by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) to lift the lifetime ban on Yves Jean-Bart, former president of the Haitian Football Federation (FHF).
M&T Bank joins as sponsor of SIGA’s Summit on Female Leadership
February 7 – M&T Bank has become a partner of the upcoming Summit on Female Leadership in Sport, which will be hosted by Mastercard in New York on March 7, and which is organised by the Sport Integrity Global Alliance (SIGA).
CAS overturns former Haitian FA president Yves Jean-Bart’s life ban for sexual abuse
February 15 – Human rights bodies have reacted with stunned disbelief to the news that former Haitian FA president Yves Jean-Bart’s lifetime ban has been annulled by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
Jakub Jankto breaks men’s football’s biggest taboo saying he ‘no longer wants to hide’
February 14 – In a groundbreaking moment, Czech international Jakub Jankto has become the first active international men’s player to declare he is gay.