Russia to reveal make-up of organising committee
January 20 – Russia look set to unveil details of their Organising Committee for the 2018 World Cup in St Petersburg on Sunday (January 23).
Qatar World Cup construction firms can “learn valuable lessons” from London 2012 Olympics
January 20 – Companies looking to capitalise on Qatar’s infrastructure spending spree for the 2022 World Cup could learn valuable lessons from London’s preparations for the 2012 Olympic Games.
Javelin star Sanderson excluded from Spurs/West Ham verdict
By Duncan Mackay
British Sports Internet Writer of the Year
January 19 – Former Olympic javelin champion Tessa Sanderson will not be permitted to play any part in deciding the future of the Olympic Stadium, it was announced today.
Exclusive: Spurs’ PR guru fights back over “legacy” as Olympic Stadium decision looms
By Andrew Warshaw
January 19 – Mike Lee (pictured), the man leading Tottenham Hotspur’s public relations campaign to take over the Olympic Stadium after London 2012, insists legacy will form a crucial part of the club’s detailed proposals and rejects growing claims they are merely being driven by money.
Home nations motor ahead as Vauxhall signs historic four-country partnership deals
January 19 – Vauxhall Motors has made football history by becoming the first organisation ever to sign title partnership agreements with all four football associations of England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales.
Mike Rowbottom: You’ll never win anything with titches, or oldies. Or will you?
Among the tabulated figures and block graphs of the latest big football survey to emerge blinking into public view – the Third Demographic Study of Footballers in Europe, to be precise – is what amounts to little more or less than a character reference.
It lies in just one statistic garnered from a census of 13,108 footballers playing for 534 top clubs within the 36-member national associations of UEFA –
Andrew Warshaw: Qatar may have worked the system to their advantage but there is no evidence to suggest they have broken any rules
Just occasionally, in the murky, unpredictable world of football politics, an issue so outrageous and so baffling hits you so hard between the eyes, you wonder if you are actually seeing straight.
More column inches have been written about FIFA’s decision to award Qatar the 2022 World Cup than of us could have imagined before last month’s Zurich vote. What’s done is done say those who voted for the tiny Middle East state half the size of Wales.
Europa League referee banned for life over links to match-fixing gang
By Mike Rowbottom
January 19 – Ukrainian referee Oleg Oriekhov (pictured) has been banned for life after being found guilty in the Court of Arbitration for Sport of having links with a criminal match-fixing gang before and after last season’s UEFA Europa League match between FC Basel and CSKA Sofia.
If Spurs get Olympic Stadium it “would·destroy the whole idea” of London 2012 claims bid star
By Duncan Mackay
British Sports Internet Writer of the Year
January 18 – More key figures involved in London’s successful bid to host the 2012 Olympics and Paralympics, including former Mayor Ken Livingstone, have come forward to criticise Tottenham Hotspur’s controversial plans to demolish the Stadium and rebuild it without an athletics track.
Exclusive: Bolt and Caborn add backing to West Ham Olympic Stadium plans
By Duncan Mackay
British Sports Internet Writer of the Year
January 16 – Opposition to Tottenham Hotspur’s controversial proposal to take over the Olympic Stadium after London 2012 continues to grow, with the world’s fastest man Usain Bolt and Britain’s former Sports Minister Richard Caborn both adding their voices to the growing anger at the plans of the Premier League club to demolish the arena and rebuild it without an athletics track.
Spurs bid to move into Olympic Stadium suffers major setback with new Crystal Palace plans
By Duncan Mackay
British Sports Internet Writer of the Year
January 17 – Tottenham Hotspur’s hopes of moving into the Olympic Stadium after London 2012 are set to suffer a major blow later this week when a rival plan to renovate the Crystal Palace National Sports Centre, a key part of their proposal, is unveiled.
Decision to move Qatar World Cup to winter was done deal claims FIFA Executive Committee member
By Andrew Warshaw
January 17 – The idea of staging the 2022 World Cup during the winter if Qatar became hosts was discussed weeks before last month’s vote, according to a senior member of the FIFA Executive Committee.
Southeast Asia considering joint bid for 2030 World Cup
January 17 – Foreign Ministers from Southeast Asia have discussed for the first time the possibility of a joint bid from the region to host the FIFA World Cup in 2030.
“Powerhouse” CONCACAF seeks fourth automatic World Cup spot in Brazil
By Andrew Warshaw
January 17 – The North, Central American and Caribbean Football Confederation (CONCACAF) is gunning for a fourth automatic place at the next World Cup in Brazil.
David Owen: Eastern breakaway could send shockwaves through FIFA – and win China the 2026 World Cup
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As members of the Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) made their way last week to Pago Pago to vote for a new President, word reached me of an idea that could transform their futures and send a shockwave through the murky world of global football politics.
The idea of a breakaway Asian confederation, embracing Oceania and several easterly members of the current Asian Football Confederation (AFC) is being actively discussed.
At present it is hard to assess the timescale,