David Owen: New hotel, old FIFA
There is a very important fact worth bearing in mind when seeking to make sense of Gianni Infantino’s FIFA: the 46-year-old Swiss-Italian new boy faces re-election in less than three years’ time.
FIFA
FIFA checks out of Baur au Lac as bigwigs have their belts tightened
By Andrew Warshaw
October 6 – When the great and the good of FIFA’s new ruling Council converge on Zurich for next week’s eagerly awaited first full meeting, there will be no point in reporters seeking titbits of news by doorstepping the exclusive Baur au Lac hotel, for years the regular haunt of FIFA powerbrokers.
FIFA discrimination crackdown hits 11 nations in 2018 qualifying
October 5 – FIFA has punished no fewer 11 national associations for “the discriminatory and unsporting conduct of fans” during recent World Cup qualifiers.
World Cup’s knockout punch. Could 48 teams be the magic number?
By Andrew Warshaw
October 4 – As John McEnroe famously said, you cannot be serious. Or maybe a line from Monty Python’s ‘Life of Brian’ might be equally apt: “He’s making it up as he goes along.” Not content with proposing a 40-team World Cup as part of his election manifesto, FIFA president Gianni Infantino now says he wants to go even further and expand the finals to 48 nations.
Breathing life into the World Cup: Is 40 really the new 32?
By Andrew Warshaw
October 4 – FIFA president Gianni Infantino’s plan to expand the World Cup finals to 40 teams has drawn a mixed reaction from Europe and Asia.
City money man and former presidential candidate Vega sees little progress in FIFA
By Andrew Warshaw
September 30 – Ramon Vega may be better known as a former international footballer and highly successful financial asset management guru than an influential voice on FIFA matters.
African race for FIFA Council narrowed after two pull out
By Andrew Warshaw
September 29 – Following the stunning abandonment of the Asian Football Confederation’s extraordinary congress in Goa, sparked by FIFA’s ban of Qatari Saoud Al-Mohannadi from standing for election to join its new ruling council because of an ongoing ethics investigation, attention has switched to Africa where another candidate has suddenly withdrawn from that region’s Council election being held today.
Is FIFA’s personnel purge backfiring? Kattner to sue FIFA for unfair dismissal
By Andrew Warshaw
September 28 – Markus Kattner (pictured), FIFA’s former secretary general who was sacked in highly controversial circumstances by the new administration of Gianni Infantino, has reportedly begun legal action to challenge the “unjustified” move.
Slum Soccer wins first Diversity Award in a FIFA Fellini-moment in Manchester
By Paul Nicholson
September 27 – “This is the first award FIFA has given to India,” said Abhijeet Barse, CEO of Slum Soccer in accepting the inaugural FIFA Diversity Award at the Soccerex Convention in Manchester from FIFA’s general secretary Fatma Samoura.
Van Basten drifts from outside to inside as comments on Infantino are forgotten
By Andrew Warshaw
September 27 – When FIFA announced last week that Marco van Basten had been appointed as chief technical officer to help raise coaching standards, there were understandably few dissenting voices.
Prince Ali slams FIFA decision to kill-off anti-racism Task Force as ‘shameful’
By Andrew Warshaw
September 27 – Former FIFA vice president Prince Ali bin al-Hussein has issued a furious attack on the organisation that not so long ago he hoped to lead, describing the decision to disband its anti-racism Task Force as “shameful”.
Samoura recovers to manage a goalless draw on her Manchester debut
By Andrew Warshaw
September 26 – You had to feel somewhat sorry for FIFA’s new Secretary General Fatma Samoura when the former United Nations administrator made her first official overseas public address in her new role today.
Innocent until proven guilty? FIFA bans Qatari from AFC elections at last minute
By Paul Nicholson
September 26 – FIFA has stepped into the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) elections for the FIFA Council and banned Qatari FA vice president Saoud Al-Mohannadi (pictured) from standing. The last minute intervention will again raise questions about the FIFA politics in play as FIFA’s new mandarins and president Gianni Infantino surround themselves with people who can be aligned to their interests.
FIFA scrap anti-discrimination task force. Job done?
By Andrew Warshaw
September 26 – You couldn’t really make it up. Well maybe you could. After all, this is FIFA. Ever since football’s world governing body launched its much-trumpeted reform programme, one of the key messages it has been so keen to promote is that it will no longer tolerate racism and discrimination. A major priority. Zero tolerance. No more prevarication.
FIFA ethics accused of political agenda as AFC elections to Council heat up
By Paul Nicholson and Andrew Warshaw
September 23 – One of Qatar’s highest-ranking officials is persuing his bid to join FIFA’s inner circle, despite having a FIFA ethics investigation recommending a two-year ban imposed on him and a verdict on his proposed sanction still to be handed down.