By Mark Baber
July 31 – The High Court has rejected Arsenal’s appeal against a planning inspector’s decision against their proposal to increase the number of concerts held at the Emirates Stadium from three to six per year, rejecting Arsenal’s contention the inspector had not properly taking into account the benefits of the proposal and its overall accordance with the local area’s development plan.
By Paul Nicholson
July 31 – Fabio Capello committed his future to the Russian team through to the 2018 World Cup yesterday. There had been criticism internally of Russia’s failure to make it through the group stages of the Brazil World Cup, as well as of Capello’s reported $12 million salary.
By Mark Baber
July 30 – The Disciplinary Committee of the French Professional League (LFP) last Thursday imposed sanctions on some of the 87 first and second division players who were caught out after the files of the LFP were compared to lists of those betting on league games. The low-key announcement saw the toughest penalties imposed being three match suspended suspensions and fines of €1,500.
By Andrew Warshaw
July 30 – With the European pre-season spending spree in full swing despite the apparent advent of financial fair play, the president of La Liga in Spain has made it clear his country is prepared to out-muscle the Premier League when it comes to financial clout.
July 29 – Manchester City Women’s Football Club (MCWFC) have partnered with Women’s Sport and Fitness Foundation (WSFF) to launch a scheme aimed at getting more women and girls involved in sport.
By Mark Baber
July 29 – Borussia Dortmund (BVB), main challengers to Bayern Munich in the German Bundesliga, are looking to take on another two major investors as strategic partners to sharpen their challenge to the Bavarian dominance.
July 28 – English FA chairman Greg Dyke, speaking via video message to members of the Football Supporters Federation and Supporters Direct via video message at their annual Supporters Summit, described his own organisation as being too old, too male and too white and that it was time for change.
July 28 – FIFA has asked the Italian FA (FIGC) to investigate comments made by Italian Football Federation vice-President Carlo Tavecchio (pictured) described African players as “banana-eaters”.
By Mark Baber
July 28 – FIFPro the international player union, has revealed talks are now taking place to achieve regulation of transfer prices. Pricing is a key issue within the reform of a transfer system that FIFPro believes is long overdue.
By Jaroslaw Adamowski
July 28 – Czech club Slavia Prague has secured betting operator Fortuna as its new shirt sponsor in a three-year deal.
By Paul Nicholson
July 25 – The first leading British politician to call for Russia to be stripped of the hosting rights to the 2018 World Cup, following the downing of the Malaysian airliner in the Ukraine, was made by deputy prime minister Nick Clegg (pictured) yesterday and, perhaps not surprisingly, it was in an interview with Rupert Murdoch’s Sunday Times newspaper.
By Alexander Krassimirov
July 28 – Bulgarian Lev Ins AD Insurance Company is the new lead sponsor of top tier club Levski Sofia. The contract between the two parties was signed on Friday, but the curious thing is that it is for just six months – until the end of the calendar year.
July 25 – UEFA has asked the Russian Football Union to provide documents on the licensing procedure of Russian Premier League FC Rostov. The club has qualified for this season’s Europa League.
July 25 – An agreement to build the first Cruyff Court, a small football pitch with artificial turf, in Leoni-Via dei Mille has been signed in Como. Called ‘Cruyff Court Stefano Borgonovo’, it is planned to showcase the goals and objectives of the two foundations: the Johan Cruyff Foundation and the Stefano Borgonovo Foundation.
July 25 – The row over the alleged racist incident that caused Patrick Viera to withdraw his Manchester City under-21 side during a match against HNK Rijeka has now prompted the Croatian Football Federation to start an investigation.