Jean Francois Tanda: Swiss are taking anti-corruption reforms into their own hands
Today, in Switzerland, corruption is only a crime when it involves state employees or – in the private sector – when it occurs in a competitive environment. This will change soon.
Last week, the Swiss government published a proposal to tighten their corruption law. Even though, officially, it does not target FIFA, it is clear that the new law is nothing else than a Lex FIFA.
Since 2006,
INTERSPORT corners off the official world cup 2014 retail market
May 20 – With FIFA having concluded all its 2014 World Cup sponsorships last week with the announcement of Brazilian sports retailer Centauro as the sixth and final national sponsor, it has followed up swiftly this week with the unveiling of INTERSPORT as the Official Event Shop of the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil.
Saudi leaders look poised to open up stadia to women
By Mark Baber
May 20 – Mixed messages have been emerging over the last week regarding the controversial issue of allowing Saudi women to attend football games.
Match-fixing hits Mauritius… just in time for FIFA Congress
By Andrew Warshaw
May 20 – The timing could hardly be more embarrassing. Just days before the great and the good of world football roll into town for the FIFA Congress, the Indian ocean island of Mauritius – usually known more as a luxury holiday destination than for any major involvement with football – has been hit by a match-fixing scandal.
Emirates confirms PSG shirt sponsorship deal for €125 million over five years
By Mark Baber
May 20 – In a deal estimated to be worth €25 million per season, newly crowned French champions Paris St Germain (PSG) have officially extended their shirt sponsorship deal with Dubai airline Emirates for another five years until the end of the 2018/19 season.
Anti-Israeli protestors plan rally outside UEFA’s London congress
By Andrew Warshaw
May 20 – Activists from several European countries are planning to stage a rally outside this week’s UEFA Congress in London protesting against the decision to hand this summer’s European Under-21 championship to Israel.
Tax row pushes Monaco to go legal as LFP dumps it from Ligue 1
By Andrew Warshaw, chief correspondent
May 20 – Monaco are planning to take the French football authorities to court after being refused permission to rejoin the country’s top flight in a seething row over tax status. Although a self-contained adjacent principality, Monaco have been playing in the French league for nearly a century and were Champions League runners up in 2004.
Swiss consider wider anti-corruption laws to cover sports
By Andrew Warshaw
May 17 – FIFA looks set to be among a raft of international sporting organisations that will be subject to new anti-corruption laws under Swiss government proposals designed to make sure the country’s image doesn’t suffer.
Stange takes on Singapore as Phuc steps up in Vietnam
By Mark Baber
May 17 – Singapore and Vietnam have both appointed new supremos for their national teams in advance of the upcoming Asian Cup qualifiers.
Football League backs off after Scudamore threat to end solidarity cash
By Mark Baber
May 17 – Premier League chief executive Richard Scudamore (pictured) has prevented Football League clubs from passing measures to create a fairer level of financial competition in the Championship, leading to accusations of high-handedness from the ‘big brother’ league.
Osasu Obayiuwana: Can the Lions rediscover their teeth?
Cameroon certainly broke new frontiers, as the first African side, in 1990, to reach the World Cup quarter-finals – a barrier that no other team has gone past – as well as making the most appearances by the continent (six) at the finals tournament.
But the Indomitable Lions are a shadow of their moniker at the moment.
With the failure of the four-time African champions to qualify for the last two Cup of Nations in succession,
Blatter: politicians played their part in 2022 Qatar World Cup win
By Andrew Warshaw, chief correspondent
May 17 – FIFA president Sepp Blatter has conceded that political interests as well as genuine footballing criteria were in part responsible for Qatar winning the right to stage the 2022 World Cup.
Tebas warns four clubs are in severe financial difficulties, two are critical
By Gareth Messenger
May 17 – Javier Tebas, President of the National Professional Football League (LFP), believes that four clubs in Spain are in a frail financial position with two of them on the edge of liquidation.
Spanish clubs out in the cold as federation withholds UEFA licences
By Gareth Messenger
May 17 – Eight Spanish Primera clubs have had their UEFA licence applications turned down by the federation for failure to meet the financial conditions required to play in European competition.