Havelange “seriously ill” in Rio de Janeiro hospital
By Duncan Mackay
March 20 – Former FIFA President João Havelange is seriously ill while undergoing treatment for an infection, a Brazilian hospital has announced.
Teixeira quits as member of FIFA Executive Committee
By Duncan Mackay
March 20 – Ricardo Teixeira has resigned as a member of FIFA’s ruling Executive Committee, a week after he quit as the President of the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) and Brazil 2014.
D-Day looms for Indonesian football with no resolution in place
By David Gold
March 19 – D-day for Indonesia’s embattled Football Association (PSSI) is looming with no sign in sight of a resolution to its conflict with the breakaway domestic league.
Andrew Warshaw: Incidents like Saturday’s remind us that football is not more important than life or death
It was one of those dramatic “I was there” occasions – but for tragic reasons. The day when football took a back seat and the fragility of human life took over.
Anyone who was at Tottenham’s White Hart Lane stadium on Saturday cannot fail to have been emotionally moved by the harrowing scenes of Bolton Wanderers midfielder Fabrice Muamba collapsing with heart failure.
Never in all my years of covering the game have I seen so much collective shock and distress among players,
Brazil 2014 won’t be the greatest and we’ll be embarrassed, says Romário
By Andrew Warshaw
March 19 – Romário (pictured), the former Brazilian striker turned Congressman, has once again criticised 2014 World Cup preparations, suggesting his country will be “embarrassed” by poor organisation.
UEFA President and Turkish Prime Minister meet for match fixing talks
By Andrew Warshaw
March 18 – UEFA President Michel Platini is set to meet Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan (pictured)tomorrow for an update on the match fixing scandal that has rocked Turkish football.
Fabrice Muamba fights for life after collapse at Tottenham v Bolton game
By David Gold
March 17 – Bolton Wanderers midfielder Fabrice Muamba (pictured) is in a North London hospital tonight after collapsing during an FA Cup tie with Tottenham Hotspur at White Hart Lane.
ESPN awarded Euro 2012 and 2016 media rights in Caribbean
By David Gold
March 16 – UEFA has confirmed the appointment of ESPN as the Caribbean’s official broadcaster of the European Championships in 2012 and 2016.
Man behind Roberto Carlos “banana incident” identified
By David Gold
March 16 – A man has admitted throwing a banana at Anzhi Makhachkala’s Brazilian star Roberto Carlos (pictured) during a league match in Samara, but will not be punished.
Blatter’s meeting with Brazilian President heals Valcke comments rift
By Andrew Warshaw
March 16 – FIFA President Sepp Blatter (pictured left) emerged from his 2014 World Cup summit meeting with Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff (right) today pledging to work more closely together to keep preparations for the tournament on track.
Russian Football Union boss threatens to close unkempt stadiums
By David Gold
March 16 – Sergei Fursenko, the head of the Russian Football Union (RFU), has threatened to close the stadia of clubs who do not look after their pitches.
Egyptian Premier League faces an uncertain future
By David Gold
March 16 – The Egyptian Football Association (EFA) chairman Anwar Saleh (pictured) says that they are as yet undecided on the future direction of football in the country.
FIFA vice-president Prince Ali clears the air after Premier League chair’s embarrassing outburst
By Andrew Warshaw
March 16 – Jordan’s FIFA vice-president Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein (pictured left) has sought to diffuse any tension with English football authorities by playing down Premier League chairman Sir Dave Richards’ (right) outburst at this week’s International Sport Security Conference in Doha.
Seventy five charged in Egypt following Port Said massacre
By Andrew Warshaw
March 16 – Egyptian authorities have reacted to the Port Said massacre by charging 75 people – including nine policemen – with murder and/or negligence.
FIFA’s reforms body calls for investigation into “unsatisfactory” voting processes
By Andrew Warshaw
March 16 – The voting process that led to Russia and Qatar being selected as hosts for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups has again come under the spotlight, this time as part of FIFA’s own anti-corruption reform programme.