October 28 – Australia’s Josh Cavallo has become one of the world’s first active male professional footballers to publicly come out as gay, saying “he couldn’t be happier with his decision”.
October 26 – France and Real Madrid star Karim Benzema faces sentencing on November 24 if he is found guilty of his involvement in an attempt to blackmail his former national teammate Matthieu Valbuena. His lawyers are demanding the case be thrown out but a potential prison sentence looming if he is found guilty.
October 21 – FIFA president Gianni Infantino has shielded Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) president and FIFA Council member Fouzi Lekjaa over his new role in the Moroccan government, claiming that FIFA is politically neutral.
October 18 – Poland and England have become embroiled in an unsavoury spat over racism allegations the Poles insist are totally unjustified.
October 15 – The Portuguese Professional Football League (Liga Portugal) has committed to going through SIGA’s Independent Rating and Verification System (SIRVS), as well as committing to become a member of the Sport Integrity Global Alliance (SIGA), via a co-operation agreement.
October 12 – Benjamin Mendy, Manchester City’s French defender who is accused of multiple charges of rape, has been refused bail for a third time.
October 8 – The sky might be the limit on the field for Newcastle United following the takeover by a Saudi-led consortium but the club could soon become a pariah off it – the one everyone loves to hate.
October 8 – An American judge has recommended that a civil case against Cristiano Ronaldo over an alleged rape should be thrown out.
October 6 – European governing body UEFA has opened investigations into racist behaviour from both Union Berlin and Sparta Prague fans in recent European club competitions.
October 5 – Football Australia has responded to a report of indecent assault, sexual assault and an on-going toxic culture in the national team women’s game, saying that any formal complaint through the appropriate channels will be investigated.
October 4 – The National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL), until last week a picture of positivity, progress and growth, has reacted swiftly to the multiple allegations of sexual harassment that resulted in the firing of North Carolina Coach Paul Riley but which senior players have said is also a wider league problem.
October 3 – Israeli football agent Pini Zahavi (pictured centre) has been charged in Belgium with forgery, use of forgeries, fraud and money laundering in relation to mismanagement at second-division club Royal Excelsior Mouscron, the federal prosecutor’s office said.
October 1 – In one of the first moves of its kind, a fan who was identified for online racial abuse of a player from English Championship club West Bromwich Albion has been jailed for eight weeks.
October 1 – The G20 Anti-corruption Working Group, which for the first time includes sport as a specificity within its mandate, has reached consensus on the draft high level principles on Preventing and Combating Corruption.
October 1 – National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) side North Carolina Courage have dismissed their English head coach Paul Riley following allegations of sexual misconduct. He becomes the third NWSL coach to be fired for misconduct since August.