UEFA advances ‘solidarity payment’ to help Irish with Aviva Stadium debt
By Andrew Warshaw
June 9 – UEFA have stepped in to help the Football Association of Ireland meet its debt repayments for the Aviva stadium in Dublin.
Israeli stadium DJ out of tune with UEFA’s anti-racism message
June 9 – UEFA have been left embarrassed after a local DJ played a song ahead of last weekend’s European under-21 fixture between England and Norway that contained racially offensive lyrics – just as an anti-racism appeal was made.
Infantino calls for winter world cups, not just in Qatar
By Andrew Warshaw
June 9 – The UEFA hierarchy has once again caused a potential stir with Europe’s major leagues by endorsing the idea of winter World Cups – and not just in Qatar.
FIFA reform process backed by Olympic frontrunner
By David Owen
June 9 – The frontrunner in the race for the most powerful post in world sport has backed FIFA’s reform process, saying world football’s governing body is “on the right track”. Thomas Bach, a German ex-fencer and Olympic gold medallist, is one of six candidates vying to succeed Jacques Rogge, as President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the organisation behind the Olympic Games.
Women footballers had higher London 2012 injury rate than men
By David Owen
June 8 – An in-depth study of injuries across all sports at the London 2012 Olympics has found that women footballers faced a substantially greater risk of getting hurt than their male counterparts. The International Olympic Committee study, published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, recorded 99 injuries among the 220 women who participated – a rate of 45%.
Aksa and Hyundai sign up for U-20 World Cup in Turkey later this month
By Mark Baber
June 7 – Ahead of the kick off of the 2013 FIFA U-20 World Cup on June 21, the Local Organising Committee (LOC) has agreed sponsorship deals with Aksa Jenerator to provide energy and with Hyundai to provide 112 official cars.
Egyptian club Zamalek urges complaint to FIFA about government interference
By Mark Baber
June 7 – Zamalek have written to the Egyptian FA, encouraging them to file a complaint to FIFA in a bid to bring pressure to overturn new regulations imposed by sports minister El-Amri Farouq. Zamalek maintain the new rules constitute unacceptable government interference in the sport.
Mihir Bose: Can Mourinho make us fall in love with Chelsea?
Jose Mourinho has nothing in common with Richard Burton. But the Portuguese, like the great Welsh actor, is about to discover what it means to go back to your first love. And, while not even the most devoted Stamford Bridge fan will argue that Chelsea is football’s Elizabeth Taylor, the way Mourinho has expressed himself in recent weeks, leading up to return, leaves no doubt that his great love for the west London club almost matches that of Burton for Taylor.
Barça peace match scrapped but Peace Tour to go ahead
By Andrew Warshaw, chief correspondent
June 7 – Plans by Barcelona to stage a symbolic exhibition match against a joint Israeli-Palestinian team to try and heal the wounds between the two sides and promote Middle East peace have been ditched after no agreement could be reached between the various parties.
Italians put Bari under scrutiny as another 33 named in match-fixing scandal
By Andrew Warshaw
June 7 – The latest round of match-fixing allegations in Italian football has implicated 33 players and officials associated with Bari in 2008 and 2009.
Dutch pick Hawk-Eye for GLT trial and examine use of video refs
By Andrew Warshaw
June 7 – The Netherlands has become the latest top-flight country to embrace goalline technology despite UEFA President Michel Platini’s insistence that it will never be used in UEFA competitions.
Valencia appoint third President in three months, but Salvo promises unity
By Gareth Messenger
June 7 – Amadeo Salvo has been elected as the new president of Valencia CF replacing Vicente Andreu who resigned after just two in months as acting President. He was filling in for Manuel Llorente who had resigned after a row with the city council.
David Owen: Is Spain signposting the way to a European Superleague?
Carlo Ancelotti may be about to inherit a problem.
The former Chelsea manager is, as I write this, prohibitive odds-on favourite to succeed the new Chelsea manager José Mourinho in the hot seat at Real Madrid.
If he does, the Italian will be looked to by the Spanish club’s fans to deliver a 10th European Cup to the Bernabéu’s church-like trophy-room – and the first for more than a decade.
John Yan: 足球考也要开始考级？ Football As An Examination？
应试教育和考级模式，在中国社会当中的魔力有多大，足协领导们恐怕有着至深感受。在六一儿童节的校园足球推广活动上，体育总局副局长蔡振华和足管中心党委书记魏吉祥来到北京三高基地，关于校园足球的话题，在一个看似转暖的足球环境中，再度进入公共视野。
蔡振华的谈话内容，主要是正面集中于改善校园足球状况，包括六一节过后就将和包括教育部内在的相关部委进行沟通，为校园足球中体育教师、足球教练解决一些具体问题。并且”逐步形成和完善全国校园足球四级联赛”。这些肯定是校园足球的当务之急。足球专业出身的魏吉祥在座谈会上讲话，则吸引了更多媒体的关注。
在魏吉祥看来，校园足球的发展，需要在训练体系、宣教以及等级考试制度的建立有所突破，尤其是”等级考试的制度”。他想表达的意思，是让孩子们踢球也有奋斗目标，”像学习钢琴一样去学习踢球”。他的原话为：”是不是可以让孩子像学习音乐那样，建立一些等级考试制度，评分制度建立起来后，孩子有阶段性奋斗的目标……如果能从一级级的往上考，颠球20个一个级别，30个一个级别，虽然这样的评价机制不一定是专业的，但是可以促使孩子朝着更高阶段去奋斗，家长也会去支持一级级的系统化训练。”
Coke makes it real for Nepalese grassroots football
June 6 – Bottlers Nepal Ltd, the sole bottlers of Coca-Cola in the Himalayan kingdom, have extended their sponsorship of the Coca-Cola Cup U-16 Inter-school Football Tournament for a further five years.