Moscow region commits to rebuild 12 training centres
August 4 – Moscow’s regional governor Andrei Vorobyov has confirmed that 12 training sites will be upgraded for the 2018 World Cup in Russia.
Tavecchio’s latest gaffe turns more Italians against him in race for presidency
By Andrew Warshaw
August 4 – In what will be regarded as, at best, an unfortunate turn or phrase and at worst another disgraceful gaffe, the Italian official at the centre of the latest racism storm in European football says he believes he has suffered more pressure than even former US president John F Kennedy’s assassin.
Bulgarian U19 players arrested after match-fixing tip-off at Euros
By Alexander Krassimirov
August 4 – A Bulgarian national youth team player has been arrested on suspicion of manipulating U19 matches. Although the Bulgarian Football Union (BFU) has not released the name of the 20-year-old player it is known that he is plays in Bulgaria’s A Grupa.
Russian tensions take toll on Adidas plans and share price
By David Owen
August 1 – Shares of Adidas, the sportswear group that recently agreed a record £750 million 10-year kit deal with Manchester United, have been hit hard following a profit warning.
Mutko sticks by 12 venues in 11 cities for Russia 2018
By Paul Nicholson
August 1 – Russian sports minister Vitaly Mutko has said that the 2018 World Cup will be played in 12 stadiums across 11 cities, and that there is no need to reduce the number of venues.
Suarez will return hungrier than ever, reckons Barca star
August 1 – Barcelona defender Gerard Pique says Luis Suarez will be more motivated than ever when he completes his four-month ban for biting at the World Cup.
Man Utd needs Champions League return to hit top level of Adidas cash
By Andrew Warshaw
August 1 – The pressure on Manchester United to put in a strong season and get back to dominating the Premier League under new coach Louis van Gaal has been underlined with the revelation that the club must return to the Champions League before the end of the 2016-17 season or face the prospect of a 30% reduction in their world record £75 million-a-year kit deal with Adidas.
Moldovan businessman buys Romania’s Rapid Bucharest
By Jaroslaw Adamowski
August 1 – Moldovan businessman Valerii Moraru has acquired 94.72% of the shares in Romanian club Rapid Bucharest. The full cost of the club to Moraru has not been declared but it has been reported he paid between €2.7 million and €4 million for the 20% stake he purchased from Adrian Zamfir, one of the club’s former co-owners.
Crimean clubs to play in Russian second division from next season
By Mark Baber
August 1 – Meeting in the House of Football, the Russian Football Union (RFU) decided on Thursday to allow Crimean football clubs to play Russian league football from next season.
McCain chips in to fuel East vs West World Cup debate, calling for Brit support
By Andrew Warshaw
August 1 – Former US presidential candidate John McCain has added his voice to calls for Russia to be stripped of the 2018 World Cup finals because of the Malaysian Airlines disaster and Russian support for separatists in the east of Ukraine.
Glazers to pocket $150m after sale of Man Utd shares
Paul Nicholson
August 1 – The Glazer family are selling just under 5% of their shareholding in Manchester United. The sale of the eight million shares on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) will realise about $150 million for the family.
Ebola virus in Sierra Leone forces Seychelles to pull out of African Nations Cup
By Andrew Warshaw
August 1 – An outbreak of the deadly Ebola virus in Sierra Leone has led to the Seychelles forfeiting Saturday’s African Nations Cup qualifier rather than risk the disease spreading to the Indian Ocean island. Sierra Leone were due to travel to the Seychelles for a second-leg tie only for the game to be called off on the advice of the host authorities.
AFC bans Vietnamese match-fixers as police swoop again
August 1 – The Asian Football Confederation has extended the domestic ban on nine Vietnamese players to confederation level for their role in the country’s match-fixing scandal. The chairman of the AFC Disciplinary Committee took the move following a request from Vietnam’s own national federation.
WADA alludes to football ‘false positives’ from Rio lab
By David Owen
August 1 – Further details of alleged shortcomings at the Rio de Janeiro doping control laboratory whose accreditation was revoked last year by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), obliging FIFA to send blood and urine samples from the recent World Cup for analysis in Switzerland, have emerged in minutes of a WADA meeting in South Africa now available on the agency’s website.
Honduras to host regional U17s, as women set for World Cup qualifiers
July 31 – Honduras is to host the CONCACAF U17 boys championship in February next year. Meanwhile the confederation has announce that the crucial 2014 CONCACAF Women’s Championship, the regional qualifier for the FIFA Women’s World Cup in Canada next year will be played in four host cities in the United States: Chicago, Kansas City, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C.