February 28 – Baku, Azerbaijan, is to host a 16-team World Military Cup, July 2-14, 2013. The agreement to host was signed between Azerbaijan’s Defense Ministry and the International Military Sports Council (CISM) for the organization of the 1st CISM World Football Trophy 2013.
By Mark Baber
February 27 – It appears Spanish giants FC Barcelona have breached FIFA regulations on the international transfer of players designed to stop child trafficking and exploitation.
“I don’t understand Twitter. I don’t know why anyone should get involved with it. We have given instructions to the players that nobody should tweet about Manchester United. We have to.”
Those were the words of Alex Ferguson in August last year, after an indiscretion by Rio Ferdinand on Twitter. He hadn’t even sent the tweet that insulted Ashley Cole, but had re-tweeted it with a laugh.
And so I am puzzled –
A revolution devours its own as history teaches us. Arsene Wenger, known as the Professor, should know that. But he seems to be oblivious to the fact that having been the greatest agent of change in English football he cannot stand still and needs to evolve if he is to move forward and not fall victim to his own revolution.
That Wenger has been the greatest revolutionary in British football cannot be doubted.
By Andrew Warshaw
February 28 – FIFA have banned 74 more officials and players worldwide for match fixing – this time from Italy and South Korea.
By Andrew Warshaw
February 28 – UEFA have run out of patience with Lazio and ordered the Italian club to play their next two home European games behind closed doors after their fans were found guilty of racist behaviour for the fourth time this season.
February 27 – A further 67.4 billion rubles ($2.2 billion) has been earmarked by the Russians in the new sports budget to spend on the infrastructure and preparations for hosting the FIFA Confederations Cup 2017 and the FIFA World Cup 2018.
By Andrew Warshaw, Chief Correspondent
February 27 – Theo Zwanziger, the influential German administrator overseeing FIFA’s reform process, has hinted there is still considerable work to be done to bring about a consensus over the way forward.
By Mark Baber
February 27 – The authorities in Uzbekistan have adopted new rules for fans behaviour in football matches which include an end to shouting and chants.
By Mark Baber
February 27 – In the wake of the Tanzanian government’s declaration that the 2012 Tanzania Football Federation (TFF) constitution was adopted in contravention of Tanzanian law, the TFF President, Leodegar Tenga (pictured), has called for an emergency Executive Committee meeting on Saturday in Dar es Salaam to discuss the way forward.
February 27 – Lazio are awaiting their fate after being charged by UEFA yet again over racist behaviour by their fans – this time following the recent Europa League win over Borussia Moenchengladbach.
February 27 – Serie A club AS Roma have announced a “preliminary agreement” with an Italian-based sheikh for a reported investment of between €50m and €100m– but doubts have been raised about his ability to raise the necessary funds.
By Andrew Warshaw
February 27 – The global match-fixing scourge has now spread to Lebanon with the national federation banning two international players for life and handing down suspensions ranging from one to three seasons to 22 others.
February 26 – The forces against the formation of a unified CIS league are growing in strength as Russian Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko weighs in again with his belief that a Russian-Ukrainian championship is economically unprofitable and pointless.
