Asia Archives - Page 22 of 48 - Inside World Football

Indian Super League franchises attract celebrity owners for high octane launch

Sachin Tendulkar

By Mark Baber
April 14 – The Indian Super League (ISL) franchises were announced on Sunday and the winning bids include leading celebrities of Indian film and cricket, much to the delight of promoters IMG Reliance. Even cricket legend and indian superstar Sachin Tendulkar (pictured) got in on the act. Local media and football officials have described the move variously as a big leap forward for Indian football, or marking its doom.

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Vietnamese club owner says players fixed ACL game

Vissai Ninh Binh

April 14 – Asian football has been rocked by yet another match-fixing scandal, this time involving 11 players of the high-flying Vissai Ninh Binh club.

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Eight Indian Super League franchises to be announced Sunday

AIFF headquarters

By Mark Baber
April 11 – The ongoing saga of the much-hyped Indian Super League (ISL) begins a new chapter on Sunday as the eight franchises for the new tournament will be unveiled. The organisers including IMG-Reliance, marketing partners of the All India Football Federation (AIFF), are seeking to revolutionise football’s fortunes in the cricket-mad country, whilst the existing Indian clubs are looking on in trepidation, with calls for FIFA to intervene.

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Hunt for AFC seats on FIFA exco begins with Kohzo declaring candidacy

Tashima Kohzo

By Andrew Warshaw
April 11 – A fresh development has emerged in the race for political power within Asian football with the news that Japan’s Tashima Kohzo, Vice President and Executive General Secretary of the Japanese FA, has officially announced he is to seek a seat on the FIFA Executive Committee at regional elections next year.

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Ding defense keeps him off the stand in Singaporean match-fixing trial

Eric Ding Si Yang

April 9 – Alleged Singaporean match fixer Eric Ding Si Yang, accused of bribing three Lebanese match officials a year ago in return for rigging games, has chosen not to testify at his long-running corruption trial.

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Qatari chief says World Cup is bringing change to a ‘football-nuts’ region

Hassan Al-Thawadi.1

By Andrew Warshaw
April 7 – The head of Qatar’s 2022 World Cup organising team says his country is “committed to positive change” despite the latest outpouring of adverse publicity over the treatment of migrant workers. Hassan Al-Thawadi admits he is “hurt” by the barrage of negative reporting, much of it emanating from the British media, and insists the World Cup will act as a catalyst for doing away with some of Qatar’s antiquated laws.

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Salman backtracks on proposal to link AFC presidency to permanent exco seat

Shaikh Salman

By Andrew Warshaw
March 24 – The head of Asian football has been rebuffed in his attempts within FIFA to gain additional powers of office against the wishes of his members.

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Exclusive: Fury mounts over AFC chief’s bid to change election rules

By Andrew Warshaw, chief correspondent

March 18 – The man who has been running Asian football for just under a year faces a revolt from within his own Confederation amid accusations of trying to increase his power base by unconstitutionally changing the statutes.

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AFC’s Sheikh Salman backs Qatar and calls for more World Cup places

Shaikh Salman

By Andrew Warshaw
March 10 – The head of the Asian Football Confederation says western criticism of Qatar as World Cup hosts is being overplayed and, in some cases, has “crossed the line.”

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Makudi saga continues with CAS to rule on appeal against his presidency

Worawi Makudi 2

By Andrew Warshaw
March 10 – FIFA executive committee member Worawi Makudi’s controversial re-election as head of Thailand’s FA (FAT) is being taken to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). Last October after months of in-fighting about election rules, Makudi defeated former national team manager Virach Chanpanich 42-28 in a secret ballot.

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Horror tackle gets Vietnamese international a 28-game ban

Tran Dinh Dong

March 7 – A Vietnam international defender has been handed what is reported to be record 28-game ban for an horrendous tackle that broke the leg of an opponent in a domestic league match.

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Yeung gets 6-year jail sentence as judge sends a message to fraudsters

carson yeung

By Andrew Warshaw
March 7 – Carson Yeung, the Hong Kong barber-turned-businessman who appeared to have amassed a fortune when he moved into English football by buying Birmingham City, has been jailed for six years for money laundering.

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UAE and Czechs renew development co-operation

Yousuf al Serkal

February 28 – The UAE Football Association (UAEFA) and the Czech Republic (FACR) have renewed a signed a Memorandum of Understanding committing the two federations to co-operate and share expertise across a range of football related areas from administration to development and facilities.

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Exclusive: Prince Ali speaks on labour changes in Qatar, Palestine, match-fixing and elections

Prince Ali bin al Hussein

By Andrew Warshaw in Amman
February 25 – Asia’s FIFA vice-president has added his voice to those who believe the issue of workers’ rights in Qatar has become far more crucial than whether the 2022 World Cup is played in winter or summer. But, said Jordan’s Prince Ali bin al Hussein, the Gulf state had to be given a fair chance to prove it can implement the measures it promises will be put in place in order to ease the plight of migrant workers.

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Amman meeting addresses need for better medical provision

Asian medical conference

By Andrew Warshaw in Amman
February 22 – Asian football today agreed on a raft of measures for tackling cardiac arrest following the death last November of under-22 Jordanian footballer Qusai Khawaldeh whose tragic loss sent shockwaves throughout the region.