Cash-strapped Egyptians seek $17m+ for TV rights
By Mark Baber
April 22 – The Egyptian Football Association (EFA) aims to raise at least $17.3m by auctioning off the premier league’s television broadcast rights for the next three years.
Africa
Nigerian cash crisis forces withdrawal African Nations Championship qualifiers
By Mark Baber
April 12 – Current Africa Cup of Nations champions Nigeria have announced they are to withdraw their national team from the 2014 African Nations Championship qualifiers due to the poor state of its finances.
Libya plans to build new stadia for AFCON 2017
By Mark Baber
April 11 – Libya’s minister for Youths and Sports, Abdussalam Guaila has confirmed that Libya is planning to build a 60,000 capacity stadium in Tajoura, Tripoli and a 23,000 seater in Misrata for the 2017 African Cup of Nations.
FIFA warns Cameroon of government influence in football
April 9 – Cameroon are the latest country to fall foul of FIFA’s strict rules on government interference in football.
Zimbabwe match-fixing saga nears end of appeals process, further bans expected
By Mark Baber
April 8 – This Wednesday the Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA) special appeals committee is expected to make its final determinations in the “Asiagate” match-fixing scandal.
Cairo club fined for having fans in stadium
By Andrew Warshaw
April 5 – Leading Egyptian club Zamalek have been fined for allowing fans into their stadium to watch a league game, defying security orders that all matches be played in empty stadiums, a stipulation put in place in order for football to resume following last year’s Port Said disaster.
FIFA caution South Africans about government interference in football
By Andrew Warshaw
April 1 – FIFA have written to the South African government warning them against a judicial inquiry into the country’s recent match-fixing scandal, insisting the matter must be handled by the football authorities. Government interference in football, typically frequent in Africa and Asia, is banned by FIFA who have not been afraid to issue to warnings and sanctions.
Nigerian Senate demands a radical restructuring of country’s football
By Mark Baber
March 28 – In the football equivalent of the ‘church and state’ governance debates, the Nigerian Senate has demanded an overhaul of football in the country – despite the Super Eagles winning the Africa Cup of Nations earlier this year – but is wary of becoming too involved in running the game.
Nigeria FA moves against ambush marketers piggy-backing Super Eagles brand
By Mark Baber
March 25 – The Nigeria Football Federation has issued another condemnation of ambush marketing, claiming it is violating the rights of its main official sponsors who include Diageo-owned Guinness, Adidas, Globacom Communications (which also sponsors Manchester United), Cadbury and Samsung.
Campaigners call for FIFA to show the red card to homophobia
By Mark Baber
March 18 – The revelation that the head of the Nigeria Women Professional League (NPWL) has been actively discriminating against suspected lesbian footballers has unleashed a storm of protest including a petition to FIFA which has so far gathered nearly 50,000 signatures.
Fresh FIFA warning to Tanzania over government interference
March 13 – Tanzania has again been warned by FIFA that it will be suspended if the government interferes in the administration of the sport.
League plays on as violence flares again in Egypt
By Paul Nicholson
March 11 – Violence erupted in Egypt again over the weekend and the Egyptian FA headquarters were burned down after fans rioted after the second court ruling following the Port Said disaster in February 2012 handed down sentences to a further 54 people and confirmed the 21 death sentences already passed last month.
Nigerian anti-lesbian witch-hunt tapes released
By Mark Baber
March 11 – As FIFA seeks clarification over reported remarks by the head of the Nigeria Women Professional League (NWPL), a tape of the controversial interview has been released by Nigeria’s Premium Times and activists have called for a FIFA ban.
Diakite engineers stunning return to CAF ExCo
By Osasu Obayiuwana in Marrakech, Morocco
March 11 – In what can only be termed as the ultimate comeback, Mali’s Amadou Diakite (pictured), the disgraced former FIFA executive committee member, has returned to the top of continental football administration, winning another four-year term on the executive committee of the Confederation of African Football (CAF).
Marathon man Hayatou takes his seat and criticises his critics
By Osasu Obayiuwana in Marrakech
March 11 – Issa Hayatou, elected without opposition to a record 7th term as president of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), has hit out at critics of his lengthy tenure.