Inside World Football - Page 1373 of 2022 - For the Business of Football

Zurich arrests and Swiss World Cup probe turn FIFA Congress into mayhem

FIFA signage

By Andrew Warshaw and Paul Nicholson in Zurich
May 27 – Dawn raids at a Zurich hotel have plunged FIFA into crisis with the reported arrest of six officials by Swiss law enforcement authorities. No sooner had news of the arrests been made than FIFA was hit by a second bombshell within a few hours when the Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland (OAG) announced it has opened criminal proceedings in connection with the award of the 2018 and 2022 World Cups “against persons unknown on suspicion of criminal mismanagement and money laundering”.

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World Cup tickets sales boom as women ready for Canadian showcase

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By Paul Nicholson in Zurich
May 27 – The FIFA Women’s World Cup 2015 that kicks off in Canada in 12 days time is poised to break ticket sales records and fulfill predictions that this will be the breakthrough competition that unequivocally establishes the women’s game in world football.

Africa

Ebola-free Liberia to host international football again

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By Mark Baber
May 26 – Liberia have been given the go ahead by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) to play international matches on home soil following the 9 May declaration by the World Health Organisation (WHO) that the country is officially “Ebola Free.”

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Norwich City win promotion through the world’s most valuable game.

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By Mark Baber
May 26 – Two first half goals within three minutes, scored by Cameron Jerome and Nathan Redmond, ensured that Norwich City beat Middlesbrough in the “£120 million” Wembley Championship play-off final – just a year after suffering the shock of relegation.

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Player turns on BFU in Facebook rant over CSKA’s lost license

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By Alexander Krassimirov
May 26 – With rumoured investors about to step in to save Bulgaria’s CSKA Sofia from financial ruin, Croatian defender Tonci Kukoc (pictured) has stepped into the dispute attacking the Bulgarian Football Union for it failure to award his club a license to operate.

Martin Volkmar: From hero to zero. Di Matteo departs a lifeless Schalke

He came as a man of the world and left as a loser: Roberto Di Matteo was the man brought in to kick start a new era at Schalke 04, but instead, the former Chelsea coach’s time in the Bundesliga has expired after only seven months.

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Heart attack kills Argentinia’s Christian Gomez during match

Christian Gomez heart attack

May 26 – Football has been rocked by yet another tragic incident of a young player unexpectedly losing his life after collapsing during a game, this time in Argentina.

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NTV Plus poised to extend Russian Premier League pay TV deal

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By Jaroslaw Adamowski
May 25 – Russian broadcaster NTV Plus has reportedly agreed the terms for extending its current broadcasting deal with Russia’s Premier League (RPL). The new contract is for a three-year period, and it is estimated to be worth at least RUB 5.6 billion (€101 million).

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Platini turns the election personal with stunning attack on Blatter

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By Andrew Warshaw
May 26 – Michel Platini has launched arguably his most strongly-worded attack on Sepp Blatter’s FIFA tenure with a remarkable outburst, including accusing the veteran Swiss of lying about standing again, that has cranked up the tension and divisions ahead of Friday’s presidential election.

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Barca to open academies in Saudi Arabia and UAE with Fitness Time

Barcelona announces links with Fitness Time

By Mark Baber
May 26 – A month after first becoming a sponsor of Barcelona, Saudi based Fitness Time has been chosen as the official partner of FC Barcelona in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates under a partnership agreement which will see Barcelona establish seven football academies for the Fitness Time in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

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FIFA to visit Nepal to evaluate post-quake assistance

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By David Owen
May 26 – FIFA is to conduct an inspection in earthquake-stricken Nepal to better evaluate the assistance to be given in the wake of the two devastating quakes in three weeks that have left more than 8,000 people dead.

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Saudi tunnel assault earns Estoyanoff AFC ban and fine

Fabian Estoyanoff

May 25 – Former Uruguay international Fabian Estoyanoff, now playing in Saudi Arabia, has been banned for six matches by the Asian Football Confederation for assaulting a South Korean opponent following an AFC Champions League game earlier this month.

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Israel-Palestine dispute flares as border incident fuels row

Israel vs Palestine flags

By Andrew Warshaw
May 25 – As the behind-the-scenes diplomacy to halt Palestine’s call for Israel to be suspended from FIFA enters its final phase, the head of the Palestine Football Association has provided FIFA with a timely example of why his controversial proposal remains on the table at the forthcoming FIFA Congress.

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Italian Women’s Cup Final goes ahead as football boss sacked for ‘lesbians’ comment

Felice Belloli

By Mark Baber
May 25 – The Italian Women’s FA Cup final went ahead as originally scheduled after the President of the National Amateur League, Felice Belloli (pictured), was sacked following the uproar over his sexist and homophobic comments which had sparked a player’s boycott.

Andrew Warshaw: Final showdown of a suicide mission

‘Meet the new boss. Same as the old boss.’ Chances are, Sepp Blatter will not be familiar with the lyric. Unless, that is, he is an avid follower of rock music.