By Andrew Warshaw
July 25 – The first major off-the-field controversy surrounding the make-up of the Team GB men’s football team flared up today when it emerged that Welsh star Gareth Bale – who had withdrawn citing injury – played for his club Tottenham Hotspur instead thousands of miles away in Los Angeles.
By David Gold
July 25 – Rafael Cabral has been forced to withdraw from Brazil’s Olympic men’s football squad with an elbow injury.
The Football Association (FA) does not often deserve sympathy. It has certainly had little over the John Terry affair which had such dramatic consequences that it produced, arguably, the most unexpected collateral damage ever seen in the game. England lost their manager Fabio Capello just months before the second most important tournament in the world. And this, in turn, set off a chain of reactions that also contributed to the departure of Harry Redknapp from Tottenham Hotspur.
By Andrew Warshaw
July 25 – One of the longest running debacles in English football could be close to a sad conclusion with the news that south-coast club Portsmouth are in grave danger of going out of business.
By David Gold
July 25 – After the bombshell that Robin van Persie would not be renewing his Arsenal deal, O2 have decided to end their association with the Premier League club as well.
By Andrew Warshaw
July 25 – Three clubs, two French and one Gabonese, have refused to release players to compete for Gabon at London 2012, putting them on a collision course with FIFA.
By Andrew Warshaw
July 24 – Team GB head coach Stuart Pearce says his side will have to hit the ground running if they are to stand any chance of winning an Olympic medal.
By David Gold
July 24 – Two new names have been thrown into the ring for the Russian Football Union (RFU) President role.
By Stuart Newman
July 23 – Kari Seitz will enjoy the honour of taking charge of the opening match of London 2012 when she referees the tussle between hosts Team GB and New Zealand on Wednesday (July 25), the FIFA Organising Committee for Olympic Football Tournaments has announced.
By David Gold
July 23 – Cairo rivals Zamalek and Al Ahly played each other this weekend behind closed doors for the first time in the history of their century old rivalry as security concerns continue to affect Egyptian football.
By David Gold
July 23 – Reigning Olympic champions the United States begin the defence of their women’s football title at London 2012 on Wednesday (July 25) against France, determined to make up for their defeat in last year’s World Cup final.
By Andrew Warshaw
July 23 – Mohamed Bin Hammam, Asia’s most powerful football administrator until last year’s cash-for-votes scandal, has been plunged into fresh controversy by a damning new report alleging he misappropriated funds while President of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC).
By Andrew Warshaw
July 22 – Italy striker Antonio Cassano has been fined €15,000 (£11,800/$18,200) by UEFA for homophobic comments made during the recent European Championships in Poland and Ukraine.
By David Gold
July 21 – Russian Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko has emerged as a contender for the vacant post of President of the Russian Football Union (RFU).
By Andrew Warshaw at the Main Press Centre on the Olympic Park in London
July 21 – Fabrice Muamba, the Premier League footballer who almost died after suffering a cardiac arrest in an FA Cup tie late last season, is set to carry the Olympic Torch today.