“I have a dream,” declares Hearn as he renews Olympic Stadium sharing mission
By Andrew Warshaw
July 19 – Leyton Orient chairman Barry Hearn has renewed his call for sharing the Olympic Stadium with West Ham United once London 2012 is over.
FIFA delay is “positive”, claims Kosovan football boss
By Andrew Warshaw
July 19 – Kosovan football authorities have reacted with cautious optimism to FIFA’s decision to postpone a decision on whether the Balkan province can play international friendlies.
Qatar loses appeal against point stripped during Olympic qualifier
By David Gold
July 18 – The Qatar Football Association (QFA) has lost an appeal against the decision to strip them of a point won in an Olympic men’s football qualifier against Oman.
Kewell named as Australia’s greatest ever player
By David Gold
July 18 – Australian forward Harry Kewell has been named the country’s greatest ever footballer at an event in Sydney.
I’m enjoying life with Team GB women’s squad, says Scottish star
By Tom Degun at Team GB House in London
July 18 – Scotland’s Ifeoma Dieke admits she is enjoying life with Team GB, despite being just one of two non-English players named in coach Hope Powell women’s football squad for the London 2012 Olympic Games.
FIFA postpones Kosovo decision
By Andrew Warshaw
July 18 – Kosovo will have to wait at least until the end of September before it finds out whether it can, after all, play international friendlies.
English FA chairman will not support 2015 election bid by Blatter
By David Gold in Westminster in London
July 17 – English Football Association (FA) chairman David Bernstein will not support a bid by Sepp Blatter to stand for election again in 2015, he said here today.
Half a million London 2012 football tickets withdrawn from sale
By Andrew Warshaw
July 17 – Despite constant assurances that the tournament would be packed out and a huge success, London 2012 organisers were forced to retreat today when they announced that half a million Olympic football tickets for men and women combined are to be removed from sale.
Under fire Blatter names new FIFA Ethics Committee chairmen
By Andrew Warshaw
July 17 – FIFA President Sepp Blatter today defiantly shrugged off calls for his resignation in the wake of the ISL bribery affair as world football’s governing body appointed two new independent supremos in the war against corruption – notably among its own officials.
“Small” public parties of fans to watch 2014 World Cup on TV for free
By David Gold
July 17 – FIFA and Brazil’s largest public television network, Globo, has confirmed that there will be free access to small public gatherings showing matches during the World Cup in 2014.
David Gold: Video technology is unlikely to work as well in football as it does in tennis because of grey areas in the rulebook
Last Sunday the merits of video technology in sport were there for all to see as Roger Federer swept his way to equalling Pete Sampras’ Wimbledon record of seven titles at the expense of Andy Murray. Two players, both with three challenges during each set of a tennis game, with an extra one in the event of a tie-break.
To football fans watching, it must have begged the question, “Why can we not do this in football?”
Giggs hopeful of future Team GB Olympic squads following London 2012
By Andrew Warshaw at the Main Press Centre on the Olympic Park in London
July 17 – Ryan Giggs, captain of the first all-British team to take part in the Olympic football tournament in the modern era, hopes London 2012 can act as a springboard for future participation in the Games.
Bin Hammam hit with AFC ban over financial wrongdoing
By Andrew Warshaw
July 17 – Former Asian football supremo Mohamed Bin Hammam’s hopes of restoring his power base have been effectively dashed after he was sanctioned by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) when an audit of AFC accounts revealed allegations of financial wrongdoing.
Sturridge must be fully fit to compete at London 2012, insists British coach
By Andrew Warshaw at the Main Press Centre on the Olympic Park in London
July 16 – Team GB head coach Stuart Pearce says he will not take a chance on his main striker Daniel Sturridge – unless he is 100 per cent convinced of the player’s fitness ahead of the country’s opening London 2012 fixture against Senegal at Old Trafford on July 26.
Dundee step up to Scottish Premier League to replace demoted Glasgow Rangers
By Andrew Warshaw
July 16 – Dundee, who finished runners-up in the Scottish First Division last season, seem certain to replace ailing Scottish giants Glasgow Rangers in the Scottish Premier League (SPL) next term.