By Alexander Krassimirov
September 26 – The FIFA Disciplinary Committee has provisionally suspended a Bulgarian international footballer for an initial period of 30 days following an adverse drug test conducted after a World Cup qualifier played in Valletta, Malta, on September 10.
September 26 – Coca-Cola has released the official Coca-Cola anthem for the 2014 FIFA World Cup™ World’s Cup campaign.
By Andrew Warshaw
September 24 – A rapprochement between Israeli and Palestinian football officials has moved a vital step closer – but only as a result of FIFA’s involvement as mediators. Delegations from both countries met FIFA officials in Zurich on Monday and agreed to each appoint a liaison officer to facilitate the movement of players in and out of the Palestinian territories.
September 24 – Next month’s eagerly awaited FIFA executive committee meeting will not only discuss the timing of the 2022 World Cup but a variety of other key issues.
By David Owen
September 23 – FIFA is resigned to running up unexpected extra costs to ensure that an effective drug testing programme is in operation at next year’s FIFA World Cup in Brazil. Michel D’Hooghe (pictured), the governing body’s leading medical expert, acknowledged as much in a short telephone conversation with insideworldfootball at the weekend. D’Hooghe said the cost issue was one of the reasons FIFA was “not happy”.
By Mark Baber
September 16 – Russian state-controlled natural gas company Gazprom has officially became a FIFA partner at a ceremony on Saturday at the Black Sea resort of Sochi attended by Russian President Vladimir Putin, FIFA President Sepp Blatter and Gazprom chief executive Aleksei Miller.
By Andrew Warshaw
September 16 – The United States’ most influential football administrator says he will try to block any move by FIFA to switch the Qatar 2022 World Cup to winter. Sunil Gulati, whose country was unexpectedly beaten by the tiny Gulf state to stage the tournament when the vote was taken three years ago, says he will oppose any attempt by FIFA’s executive committee to change the dates of the tournament when it meets on October 3 and 4.
By Andrew Warshaw
September 13 – FIFA’s recently established anti-discrimination Task Force will not get involved in the furore over 2018 World Cup host Russia’s controversial so-called anti-gay legislation. The task force, meeting in Zurich yesterday, has identified a series of key priorities including allocation of resources, a best practice manual and identification of high risk games.
By Paul Nicholson
September 12 – FIFA President Sepp Blatter has further clarified his comments regarding the Qatar 2022 World Cup, first reported in Insideworldfootball. Speaking to reporters at the International Olympic Committee Congress in Buenos Aires he again confirmed the right of Qatar to hold the World Cup in 2022.
By Andrew Warshaw
September 12 – The most powerful footballing voice in the United States, controversially beaten by Qatar to stage the 2022 World Cup, has spoken out about the growing momentum to switch the tournament to winter.
By Andrew Warshaw
September 12 – FIFA general secretary Jerome Valcke is expecting a decision, in principle, for a switch to a Winter World Cup in 2022, which he says wlll in turn spark a round of intense discussion with all parties to find the best solution.
By Mark Baber
September 9 – The FIFA Development Committee has outlined 27 new Goal projects to be implemented around the world, including the first to be planned for Indonesia as well as 16 new recipients for FIFA’s Performance Programme.
September 9 – The recent heated debate about potentially playing the FIFA World Cup 2022 in what would be the European winter (note European) has generated some agreement and considerable dissent among football pundits, administrators and politicians alike. Insideworldfootball’s Paul Nicholson spoke exclusively to FIFA’s President, Joseph S. Blatter, and asked him what repercussions he is expecting – if any – to his proposal to shift dates.
By Andrew Warshaw, chief correspondent
September 6 – Palestine football’s leading figurehead has poured scorn on Israel’s commitment to easing the plight of his country’s players and officials – and says the FIFA initiative to resolve the deep divisions between the two Middle East neighbours will never work unless Israel stops its “bullying” tactics. Earlier this week, FIFA president Sepp Blatter hailed initial talks aimed at easing travel restrictions for Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza as “historic”
By Andrew Warshaw
September 6 – As the World Cup qualification process moves towards its conclusion, Fifa secretary-general Jerome Valcke insists organisers are “heading in the right directions” despite various ongoing issues inside Brazil, including cost and infastructure.