Russian court saves Romanov from trial in Lithuania
August 28 – Vladimir Romanov, a shareholder in failed Lithuanian bank Ukio Bankas and former owner of Scottish club Hearts, has been granted safe haven in Russia.
Inside Insight: Mackay has nothing to do with football
This publication has a solid track record of fiercely attacking racism in football and beyond and, once again, racism has reared its ugly head in England. And, most disappointingly, at the highest level of the game in terms of ‘mass’ influence. What would be wrong though, is to look at the Mackay case as a one-off, as a singular event that cries out for (meaningless) punishment in case the allegations are proven. Punishment that would be in line with the toothless fines FIFA and UEFA keep issuing in similar cases.
Day of turmoil and chaos as Nigerian football descends into political anarchy
By Mark Baber
August 27 – Just days after the burning down of the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) headquarters in Abuja in suspicious circumstances, August 26 will be remembered as the day when Nigerian football definitively failed to put aside its infighting for the common cause of Nigerian football.
European chiefs gather expectantly as Platini holds court in Monaco
By Andrew Warshaw, chief correspondent
August 27 – Will he or won’t he? After months of speculation amid an intriguing and inconclusive game of cat and mouse, UEFA boss Michel Platini is expected to reveal on Thursday whether he has decided to risk taking on Sepp Blatter next year for the top job in world football.
Indians fear government may pull its football funding
August 27 – Cricket-crazy India may be one of the great untapped football markets but the vast country could be at risk of losing government funding before they head to next month’s Asian Games following the recent demoralising defeat to arch-rivals Pakistan.
Ludogorets face stadium crisis if they qualify for CL group stages
By Alexander Krassimirov
August 27 – Bulgarian champions Ludogorets could be forced to play its matches in the group phase of the Champions League outside Bulgaria if they beat Romania’s Steaua in the playoffs. The second match against the Romanians is tonight in Sofia, with Steaua leading by a goal.
Sierra Leone struggles to fulfill AFCON fixtures as Ebola virus crisis deepens
August 27 – Another African Cup of Nations qualifier is in doubt because of the deadly Ebola virus after Ivory Coast’s football federation said it had been instructed by its government to cancel or move next month’s home game against Sierra Leone.
FIFA hands match-fixing probe back to Ghana but keeps watching brief
By Andrew Warshaw
August 27 – FIFA appears to have cleared the head of the Ghanaian Football Association of match-fixing allegations following reports in the British newspaper The Daily Telegraph and the Channel Four television station. The ruling is a huge boost for GFA president Kwesi Nyantakyi (pictured) who is reported to be considering legal action as a result of the claims that emerged during the World Cup and sparked an inquiry by the investigatory chamber of FIFA’s Ethics Committee.
Spartak open new stadium, budgets hiked up in Nizhny Novgorod and Volgograd
By Paul Nicholson
August 27 – Spartak Moscow’s new stadium will be opened today with Russia’s president Vladimir Putin and prime minister Dmitry Medvedev attending the opening ceremony. Putin will tour the stadium and discuss preparations for the 2018 World Cup.
UEFA Emergency Panel decision de-escalates Crimean club controversy
By Mark Baber
August 26 – On Friday, UEFA’s Emergency Panel issued a statement saying that “any football matches played by Crimean clubs organised under the auspices of the Russian Football Union will not be recognised by UEFA.” The decision has been welcomed as a wise one by Russian football authorities.
Simeone has ban doubled after protesting over head-case incident
August 26 – Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone has been handed an eight-match ban for his antics during the second leg of the Spanish Super Cup against rivals Real.
Broadcast rights row threatens Russian TV coverage of Euros
August 26 – A row has broken out with Russia over the cost of the TV rights to broadcast the EURO 2016 qualifiers and finals, forcing sports minister Vitaly Mutko to step in and seek a solution.
Italian FA says Tavecchio’s ‘banana-eater’ comments were OK, no racism case to answer
By Andrew Warshaw
August 26 – In a move that seems likely to cause considerable consternation, the Italian football federation (FIGC) has ruled that its new president Carlo Tavecchio has no case to answer over allegedly racist comments he made during the recent election campaign.
Algerian FA suspends all football following Ebosse death
By Andrew Warshaw
August 26 – The Algerian Football Federation (FAF) has postponed next weekend’s league fixtures following the death of Albert Ebosse, the 24-year-old Cameroon striker who was hit by a missile thrown from the crowd during a recent league game.
Valerenga set sights on €80m new stadium complex
By Jaroslaw Adamowski
August 26 – Municipal authorities in Oslo have approved a plan to build a new stadium for Valerenga. The new facility will allow the Norwegian side to move from Ullevaal, the country’s national stadium, where it currently plays its home matches.