FIFA

UEFA has not received a single request to postpone Euro 2020

COVID-19 is starting to cause widespread disruption to sport across Europe, particularly in Italy, Germany, France and Spain.

Italy is the most-affected European nation, with 9,172 cases of infection reported as of Tuesday, and that has led to all sporting activities being postponed until April 3.

In Spain, fans have been prohibited from attending games at all levels over the next two matchdays, though that could change after the Spanish Footballers' Association (AFE) requested all action be postponed instead.

Gregorius goes out a winner

New Zealand led 1-nil for much of the match after Olivia Chance scored late in the first half with Belgium scoring the equaliser with only minutes remaining.

The Football Ferns were reduced to ten players midway through the second half after defender Claudia Bunge was sent off after receiving a second yellow card.

New Zealand won the shoot-out 7-6 and will now play either Portugal or Italy in the semi-finals.

Ex-CONMEBOL boss gets life ban

The 87-year-old Uruguayan headed his nation's football association for nine years from 1997, doubling up as a CONMEBOL vice-president for part of that spell, a post he held for two decades until 2013.

It was at that point he replaced Nicolas Leoz as president of the South American confederation, but he was arrested two years later.

Figueredo was accused of accepting millions of dollars in bribes relating to "awarding contracts to companies for the media and marketing rights to CONMEBOL competitions" between 2004 and 2015, FIFA said.

Qatar 2022 to have 32 teams

World football's governing body said there was insufficient time to consider the proposed expansion of the tournament due to logistical concerns.

A plan backed by president Gianni Infantino had been put forward that would have seen some of Qatar's Gulf neighbours stage some of the extra matches, having conceded it would be "difficult" to host all such games in Qatar alone.

However, in a statement released on Wednesday, FIFA confirmed it would need more time to consider all possible requirements of an expanded tournament, with a deadline on the decision set for next month.

Former PNGFA president banned

This is for offering and accepting gifts as well as conflict of interest, world soccer governing body FIFA said on Friday.

Along with the ban, which comes into immediate effect, former FIFA vice president Chung was also fined 100,000 Swiss francs (K337,000).

“The adjudicatory chamber of the independent Ethics Committee has found David Chung ... guilty of having offered and accepted gifts, as well as having acted under a conflict of interest, in violation of the FIFA Code of Ethics," FIFA said in a statement.

FIFA Vice President Quits After Audit Raises Questions

The executive, David Chung, was the president of the Oceania Football Confederation, whose 14 members wield little power competitively or politically in FIFA. But Chung, of Papua New Guinea, had outsize influence as the most senior of FIFA’s eight vice presidents.

Chung cited personal reasons for his decision, but the announcement came as he found himself under mounting pressure to step down after an audit into a multimillion-dollar project to build a new headquarters for the O.F.C.

Guerrero cleared for World Cup after FIFA reduces ban

The 33-year-old was given a year-long suspension earlier this month after he tested positive for cocaine following a World Cup qualifier in October.

FIFA partially upheld his appeal against the sanction after the Appeal Committee of world football's governing body heard his case. His ban has been reduced to six months, meaning he will become eligible to play again in May next year.

Former Guam FA President banned by FIFA

Lai, who is also a former member of the FIFA audit and compliance committee, resigned his position with the Guam FA earlier this year after pleading guilty to wire fraud and banking crime in connection with a bribery scandal.

He received a provisional 90-day ban from all football activities from FIFA's Independent Ethics Committee in April.

Former Nicaraguan Football Association president Julio Rocha and ex Venezuelan Football Association president Rafael Esquivel have also been banned by the game's governing body.

 

 

 

World Cup hacking worries

England has told players, coaches and technical staff to avoid using public wi-fi networks over concerns sensitive personal and team information could be illegally obtained in Russia, a person with knowledge of the FA's World Cup planning said. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because team security issues are private.

Emails between the FA and Fifa discussing doping cases were last month published by the Russian-linked hacking group, Fancy Bears, as part of a wider disclosure of illegally obtained information.

FIFA probe Neymar bonus complaint

Barca are refusing to pay €26million, which was included in the contract extension he signed with the club last October, to the Brazil star and his father.

The club say that Neymar was in breach of the terms of that contract when he negotiated with Paris Saint-Germain prior to his world-record €222m transfer, meaning the clause in the deal stipulating the bonus is null and void.

Neymar's father, who also acts as his agent, accused Barca of "blackmail" in their refusal to pay and FIFA is now looking into the matter.