Webb to head new FIFA anti-racism task force
By Andrew Warshaw in Edinburgh
March 2 – FIFA are setting up a new crack unit to deal with the worrying resurgence of racism throughout the game, Sepp Blatter has announced.
Benfica TV picks up Premier League rights
March 1 – In a world first, a club TV channel has bought the broadcast rights to an international football league. Benfica TV has been awarded exclusive audio visual broadcast rights for all Barclays Premier League matches per season for from 2013/14 – 2015/16 in Portugal.
US and Qatar forget bid troubles to forge economic 2022 relations
March 1 – An unlikely trade mission this week pitched former World Cup bidding foes together in a show of friendship and economic opportunity. The Qatar 2022 Supreme Committee and the US Embassy in Qatar concluded a joint trip to Los Angeles, Portland and Seattle.
Exclusive: Prince Ali summons West Asian candidates to Jordan to explain themselves
By Andrew Warshaw, Chief Correspondent
March 1 – FIFA vice president Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein (pictured) has summoned three of the candidates hoping to run Asian football to a summit in Jordan next week to make sure they have a proper agenda and are not just playing politics.
Deals rumoured as Zhang pulls out of running for AFC presidency
By Andrew Warshaw, Chief Correspondent
March 1 – The race to lead Asian football into a new era of unity and stability has suffered a dramatic blow amid reports that China’s Zhang Jilong (pictured), who has been in charge on an temporary basis for almost two years, has decided not contest the presidential election in early May.
Football’s rule-makers head to Edinburgh for IFAB meetings
By Andrew Warshaw, Chief Correspondent
March 1 – Football’s lawmakers, meeting in Edinburgh on Saturday, are to discuss the idea of trialling an electronic chip in players’ shirts that could potentially prevent cardiac attacks such as the one suffered by Fabrice Muamba (pictured) last year.
FIFA pull U17 women’s finals from Costa Rica
By Andrew Warshaw
March 1 – In a move that evokes memories of the 1986 World Cup being switched, FIFA has been forced to make a late change for next year’s under-17 women’s tournament after hosts Costa Rica failed to meet certain deadlines.
Rangers keep their history but previous owners hit with fines
March 1 – Beleaguered Scottish giants Glasgow Rangers will not be stripped of any of their league titles over alleged undisclosed payments to players during the club’s former guise. But the company that used to run the club have been fined £250,000 by a commission appointed by the Scottish Premier League.
Lebanese world cup matches were not fixed
By Andrew Warshaw
March 1 – The Asian Football Confederation, stung by non-stop allegations of match-fixing, says the latest episode affecting a number of Lebanese players did not involve any of that country’s World Cup fixtures.
FIFA’s Valcke says, show us the evidence
By Andrew Warshaw, Chief Correspondent
February 28 – FIFA secretary general Jérôme Valcke says the organisation has not received a shred of firm proof that Qatar broke any rules in securing their shock 2022 World Cup ballot victory.
Hull City fan on verge of forcing a judicial review of policing
By Mark Baber
February 28 – Louis Cooper, the 15 year old Hull City supporter, has taken the next legal steps against the West Yorkshire police and their decision to restrict travel and tickets for Hull fans for the upcoming Huddersfield game March 30.
Mutko remains Russia’s man on FIFA ExCo
February 28 – The Russian Football Union has re-elected the country’s Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko as its representative on FIFA’s executive committee Wednesday.
Baku to host football World Military Cup
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.
Barcelona in breach of FIFA child trafficking laws
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.