By David Owen in Zurich
June 1 – Danny Jordaan, the President of the South African Football Association (SAFA) and former chief executive of the Local Organising Committee (LOC) for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, has confirmed that a $10 million payment referred to in this week’s United States Department of Justice (DoJ) indictment was indeed made, according to a South African media report.
By Samindra Kunti
June 1 – FIFA executive committee member Michel D’Hooghe from Belgium has added his voice to continued European criticism of Sepp Blatter following his re-election last week. Speaking on Belgian television D’Hooghe said “it’s high time for change” in FIFA and questioned his own future within the organisation.
By Paul Nicholson
June 1 – “If you are elected and don’t come to the first meeting that’s not taking responsibility.” And with these words Sepp Blatter abruptly ended the press conference following FIFA’s first executive committee after his dramatic election to a fifth term as FIFA president. Blatter exited the auditorium chased Keystone Kops-style by the media with the English press and their cameramen in the vanguard.
By Andrew Warshaw in Zurich
May 30 – A new twist emerged today over Sepp Blatter’s FIFA presidential victory when Michel Platini’s native France admitted it went against his wish for Europe to get behind vanquished challenger Prince Ali bin al-Hussein.
By Andrew Warshaw in Zurich
May 29 – Sepp Blatter clinched victory over Prince Ali bin al-Hussein of Jordan today, moving into a fifth four-year term of office at the age of 79 but not quite with the two-thirds majority many had predicted. In dramatic scenes Prince Ali announced his withdrawal from the contest. He received a standing ovation as he left the platform while Blatter was cheered as he once again took centre stage
By Andrew Warshaw in Zurich
May 29 – Amidst high drama and under pressure from football federations across the world, Palestine withdrew its proposal today to throw Israel out of FIFA – at the eleventh hour.
“How many internal auditors does it take to change a light bulb? None! They’re not allowed to under Health & Safety legislation. Process notes should have been written referring the incident to Facilities.” Old accountancy joke
They are a dry old bunch, auditors. But what they lack in humour, as can be seen from that old accountancy gag, they make up for in money. It might be dull, but as the saying goes,
By Mark Baber
May 29 – Multinational US-based sportswear company Nike is reported to be the company at the centre of the bribery scandal over the Brazil shirt deal with the company claiming it is ‘cooperating with the authorities.’
Allegations over Nike’s 1996 contract with the Brazilian Football Federation (CBF) are long-standing, with major questions over the final destination of the money received.
By Andrew Warshaw and Paul Nicholson in Zurich
May 29 – Sepp Blatter used the most important presidential address of his 17-year reign today by suggesting the brutal scrutiny he and his organisation have come under would not have occurred had Russia and Qatar had not been chosen to stage the 2018 and 2022 World Cups.
By Mark Baber
May 29 – Manchester United have denied being linked to Traffic, the sports management form central to the corruption in South America and CONCACAF uncovered in recent days, whose academy they signed a deal with in 2008.
By Andrew Warshaw
May 29 – Insideworldfootball has learned that a last-ditch compromise may have been reached to prevent Palestine’s highly contentious proposal to suspend Israel from world football from being put to the vote at today’s FIFA congress in Zurich. Israel are believed to have proposed a last minute multi-point plan.
By Samindra Kunti and Paul Nicholson
May 29 – The 30th anniversary of the Heysel disaster was remembered at the FIFA Congress today in Zurich by FIFA president Sepp Blatter, sitting two places away from UEFA president Michel Platini, who scored the winning goal on the fateful night that saw 39 Italians killed on the terraces of the Heysel stadium in Brussels, Belgium.
By Andrew Warshaw in Zurich
May 29 – Sepp Blatter looked poised to win a fifth term as FIFA president today – but perhaps not with the landslide victory many have predicted.
By Andrew Warshaw in Zurich
May 28 – The most dramatic election build-up in FIFA history has taken yet another unexpected twist when the head of Brazil’s national federation and a senior FIFA official fled Switzerland a few hours before the ballot.
By Mark Baber
May 29 – As Sam Nyamweya, whose survival as head of the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) is something of a miracle, prepares to vote in the FIFA Presidential election, he faces growing problems at home where letters to and from commercial rights agency MP & Silva are being published in the local press and a mounting campaign to put an end to his controversial reign appears to be gathering steam.