May 15 – Peru’s joy has quickly turned to disappointment after captain Paolo Guerrero was ruled out of the World Cup after his doping ban, which had just expired, was increased from six to 14 months by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
By Paul Nicholson
May 10 – The battle against betting related match-fixing needs to be stepped up with stronger regulation and real co-operation between the anti-matchfixing stakeholders, was the overriding message from the first SIGA Expert Summit on Sports Betting, Integrity and Media that closed in Porto, Portugal, this week.
May 9 – More than six months after a judge in Paraguay authorised the extradition to the United States of former Conmebol boss Nicolás Leoz, alleged to have been one of the masterminds in the FIFAGate corruption scandal but who has so far managed to escape the clutches of US prosecutors, now appears to be closer than ever to finally being brought to justice.
May 9 – Just five weeks before the start of the World Cup, FIFA has given Russia a symbolic wrap over the knuckles by fining the Russian soccer federation CHF30,000 ($30,000) after fans racially abused French players during a recent game in St. Petersburg.
May 1 – Following a special session organised by the Sports Integrity Global Alliance (SIGA) at the Miami Dade College in Florida, USA, SIGA has launched an action plan against abuse, smuggling and trafficking of children and young people in sport.
April 27 – In an important case that could potentially have implications for player image rights, a European court has ruled that Argentina and Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi, can trademark his own name for use on sports and clothing equipment.
April 26 – Leeds United owner Andrea Radrizzani has defended the club’s decision to play two post-season friendlies in Myanmar, saying the decision to play there is about people, not governments.
By Andrew Warshaw
April 20 – Constant Omari, the Democratic Republic of Congo football association president and one-time FIFA reform official arrested as part of an embezzlement probe in his country, has been released on bail for health reasons after being held for 21 hours.
By Paul Nicholson
April 20 – Liverpool’s controversial sponsorship partnership with Tibet Water is refusing to stay out the headlines with a group of 25 English MPs having written to the club asking them to end their deal.
April 19 – In the latest crackdown on third party ownership of players, FIFA have handed out a raft of sanctions to clubs for transfer deals.
By Paul Nicholson
April 18 – Police in Congo have swooped to arrest DR Congo Football Association (Fecofa) president Constant Omari along with two Fecofa vice presidents, Roger Bondembe (finance director) and Theobad Binamungu (national team manager), Their detention comes as part of a corruption investigation looking at embezzlement of government and football funds.
April 18 – Swiss club FC Sion, which has a history of controversy on and off the field, have been a handed a two-season ban from European competition by UEFA over a transfer debt.
April 17 – They can protest all they like about being unfairly singled out, but FIFA has charged World Cup hosts Russia with fan racism less than two months before the tournament begins.
April 13 – Peru captain Paolo Guerrero’s dreams of leading his country into the World Cup in June could be shattered if the World Anti-Doping Agency’s (WADA) appeal to increase his ban for a positive doping test is successful.
By David Owen
April 13 – In a move that will be greeted with much relief in the anti-doping sector, Berlinger has decided to continue producing sample bottles for at least the next 12 months.