FIFA World Football Museum on schedule for 2016 opening
September 22 – FIFA reports that construction at it’s FIFA World Football Museum in Zurich is running according to plan and that the museum will open in the first quarter of 2016.
Singaporean match-fixer ‘extradordinaire’ handed 4 year jail term
By Mark Baber
September 22 – Singaporean Rajendran R Kurusamy (pictured), the mastermind behind a conspiracy to fix a Southeast Asian (SEA) Games football match between Timor Leste and Malaysia, was sentenced to four years’ jail in Singapore on Monday.
Andrew Warshaw: Can FIFA find life after yet another death?
It was never intended to end up like this. Jerome Valcke always expected to step down after eight years as FIFA’s number two once his boss, Sepp Blatter, announced he was calling it a day next February.
Former Romanian mayor investigated for illegally funding Politehnica Timisoara
By Jaroslaw Adamowski
September 22 – Romania’s National Anticorruption Directorate (DNA) has launched an investigation to determine whether Gheorghe Ciuhandu, the former mayor of Timisoara, and two other local officials illegally funded local football club Politehnica Timisoara, which was privately-owned, between 2008 and 2011.
FIFA ethics body requests more leeway to disclose investigation details
By Andrew Warshaw
September 22 – FIFA’s ethics investigators have tabled a request to this week’s executive committee meeting calling for greater powers to explain precise reasons for punishing officials in order to offset constant media speculation and speed up the reform process.
Last resort for Warner as US closes in and Trinidad agrees extradition
By Andrew Warshaw
September 22 – The net appears to be finally closing in on former FIFA vice-president and CONCACAF supremo Jack Warner after extradition proceedings to the United States on corruption charges were approved by Trinidad’s attorney general.
Matt Scott: Debts are no longer a taxing issue for the big clubs
“If you owe your bank a hundred pounds, you have a problem. But if you owe a million, it has.” John Maynard Keynes
Like him or loathe him – and he splits opinion as surely as Marmite – John Maynard Keynes was one of history’s greatest minds. His writing has formed the basis of the modern economic system. (Although what he taught has been treated as a piecemeal buffet from which to pick and choose according to political expediency,
French build stadia for Euro2016 and legacy for their youth
By Samindra Kunti
September 22 – French organisers of the Euro2016 tournament have said that it is their intention that the tournament will galvanise more of the French youth into playing football and that through improved facilities the tournament will leave a sustainable legacy. To that end they have launched a number of social programmes.
Spurs’ Korean Son makes an immediate impact
September 22 – The arrival of South Korea international Heung-Min Son at English Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur has spurred the club’s social media team to start creating localised Korean language content across its Facebook, Instagram, Youtube and web platforms.
Testosterone-filled UEFA says there is no problem with doping
By Andrew Warshaw
September 21 – UEFA has been quick to play down reports in Germany and England that it has unearthed a potentially serious doping issue in its competitions.
Jordaan and Oliphant face demands for criminal prosecution in South Africa
By Paul Nicholson
September 21 – South African FA president Danny Jordaan (pictured) and former SAFA president Molefi Oliphant face increased likelihood of criminal prosecution in South Africa following the Democratic Alliance (DA) political party’s laying of criminal charges against them concerning the $10 million that was sent to CONCACAF.
Prince Ali uses Valcke fiasco to demand Blatter quits now; Romario dances with glee
By Andrew Warshaw
September 21 – FIFA presidential candidate Prince Ali bin al-Hussein has been quick to seize on the suspension of the organisation’s secretary general Jerome Valcke.
NFF scuppers Nigerian FIFA presidential hopefuls with tough bid ‘conditions’
By Mark Baber
September 21 – With at least two Nigerians considering standing for the post of FIFA President, President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Amaju Pinnick (pictured), has reiterated that anyone from Nigeria wishing to stand must meet the conditions laid out by the NFF Executive Committee.
Premier League fans kick rugby into touch as they fill their grounds
By Paul Nicholson
September 21 – The start of the Rugby World Cup in England has not dampened enthusiasm for Premier League soccer with the league recording the highest capacity percentage (96.07%) overall since the opening day of the season.
Argentines ‘negotiate’ the courts as Warner to get extradition decision today
By Paul Nicholson
September 21 – The South American marketers accused of offering bribes to secure commercial rights for major regional tournaments took the next steps along the judicial process in New York and Argentina. Meanwhile in Trinidad, Jack Warner is scheduled to get a ruling on his potential extradition to the US today.