By Duncan Mackay at the Ritz Carlton in Tokyo
December 16 – There is no reason to investigate Dinamo Zagreb’s controversial 7-1 defeat against Lyon in the Champions League despite 15 players and referees in Croatia being found guilty for their role in match-fixing, UEFA President Michel Platini claimed here today.
In the last few weeks, readers of the sports pages of British newspapers may have been forgiven for thinking we are facing another American revolution. Having given the distinct impression that they had joined a new order of sporting Trappist monks on crossing the pond, American owners of English clubs have suddenly become as voluble as teenagers let out of school. Or at least two very prominent owners have.
Yet what they have said shows that there is still a vast gulf between the old world and the new when it comes to sport.
By David Gold
December 15 – With a host of Celtic and Rangers players expressing their desire to play in the Great Britain football team at the London 2012 Olympic Games, the managers of the two teams, respectively Neil Lennon and Ally McCoist, are in disagreement over their involvement next summer.
By Andrew Warshaw
December 15 – One of the most significant rulings since the Bosman affair went the way of UEFA today when FC Sion lost their fight to be allowed back into the Europa League.
By Andrew Warshaw
December 15 – Dinamo Zagreb’s stunning 7-1 defeat in the final round of Champions League group games has been brought back into sharp focus after a court in the Croatian capital found 15 players and referees guilty of match fixing and sentenced them to jail terms of up to 10 months.
By Declan Warrington
December 15 – The Brazilian Government has launched an initiative to reduce the number of illegal guns in circulation within the country and plans to exchange them with free tickets to the 2014 World Cup.
By Declan Warrington
December 15 – UEFA and Adidas have agreed a six-year extension to their partnership for the UEFA Champions League and Europa League, as well as an agreement for the UEFA Super Cup.
By Duncan Mackay in Tokyo
December 15 – FIFA President Sepp Blatter has encouraged Japan to bid for the 2019 Women’s World Cup to help aid the country’s recovery from the devastating earthquake and tsuanmi which devastated it earlier this year.
By David Gold
December 14 – The Club World Cup in Japan has literally been rocked following an earthquake near Nagoya and the Toyota Stadium where Copa Libertadores champions Santos face local champions Kashiwa Reysol later today.
By Andrew Warshaw
December 14 – Not for the first time, European Club Association (ECA) boss Karl-Heinz Rummenigge (pictured) has had a dig at FIFA President Sepp Blatter, this time describing him as being like a slippery “eel” at the head of a “dictatorship”.
By David Gold
December 14 – Fallen French giants AS Monaco are set to be bought by Russian billionaire Dmitry Rybolovlev (pictured), the club’s current President Etienne Franzi has said.
By Andrew Warshaw
December 14 – Hundreds of professional footballers from across Britain are being invited to state in writing whether or not they would be prepared to take part in Team GB at the London Olympics next year.
By Duncan Mackay
December 14 – Football Federation Australia (FFA) has recruited Michael Brown from cricket to be the new chief executive of the 2015 Asian Cup, which they are hosting, they announced today.
By Declan Warrington
December 13 – Manchester City have agreed a deal to delay Yaya and Kolo Toure’s release for international duty with Ivory Coast in the Africa Cup of Nations in order for him to participate in fixtures against Manchester United and Liverpool.
By David Gold
December 13 – Following the pitch invasion that marred the FIFA Club World Cup quarterfinal between Tunisian outfit Esperance and Al Sadd of Qatar in Toyota earlier this week, there will now be an increase in security at the event.