“Far from being willing to execute his enemies, a real king must be willing to execute his friends.” T.H. White
Walt Disney’s rendering of TH White’s novel The Sword in the Stone glossed over it but the author always tackled themes of justice and proper governance persuasively. Indeed, White’s lessons are apt for football to learn after so many years of Sepp Blatter running FIFA like a feudal fief.
By Paul Nicholson and Andrew Warshaw
November 16 – Saoud Al-Mohannadi, the Qatari official who FIFA disqualified at the last moment from standing as an Asian member of its ruling Council, has now been banned by FIFA’s ethics committee for one year for failing to cooperate as a witness with a FIFA investigation.
November 17 – The ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) has renewed its deal with Sportradar to provide match-fixing detection and prevention services for its AFF Suzuki Cup.
By Andrew Warshaw
November 15 – The debate over whether Europe’s minnows should have their own pre-qualifying competition for major tournaments is nothing new but Germany’s Thomas Muller has stoked an unsavoury spat with officials of San Marino following his team’s 8-0 demolition of the 201st-ranked FIFA nation.
On May 27, 2015, in Brooklyn, New York, Loretta Lynch, Attorney-General of the United States, made a media-savvy appearance. Accompanied by her subordinate (“I am honored to be joined today by Director James Comey of the FBI […])” she highlighted a series of charges that put a number of mainly non-US football officials into serious trouble: “[The individuals indicted today] were expected to uphold the rules that keep soccer honest, and to protect the integrity of the game.
November 11 – Former Venezuela FA chief Rafael Esquivel pleaded guilty Thursday as anticipated to multiple charges resulting from the global football corruption scandal.
November 11 – Former CONCACAF president Jeffrey Webb has succeeded in having his sentencing delayed for a third time. Webb, who has pleaded guilty in the FIFA corruption cases brought by the US Department, will now be sentenced by a US federal court judge on May 11 next year.
November 10 – FIFA has ordered the Kenyan Premier League (KPL) to withdraw an injunction filed against Football Kenya Federation (FKF) in the latest twist to a bitter domestic between the two bodies over the management and control of the domestic game.
November 9 – The former president of the Venezuelan FA is expected to change his plea to guilty in Brooklyn on Thursday over his alleged role in the US-led football corruption probe, according to agency reports quoting court records.
November 9 – The sentencing of disgraced former CONCACAF leader Jeff Webb (pictured) could be delayed yet again if a court in New York grants another request for an adjournment.
November 8 – With the AFC Solidarity Cup in full swing in Malaysia the AFC Disciplinary Committee has stepped in and suspended four Laos players on suspicion of match-fixing.
By Andrew Warshaw
November 4 – In the latest move in its drive to reform itself and enhance its credibility after becoming shamefully embroiled in world football’s corruption scandal, CONMEBOL have named José Manuel Astigarraga as its new secretary general.
November 4 – Iran have been fined by FIFA after fans were asked to sing religious chants and wear black at a World Cup qualifier played on a holy day.
November 3 – FIFA prosecutors have recommended a life ban be imposed on a former aide to disgraced ex-Asian football chief Mohamed bin Hammam for seven alleged breaches of the ethics code.
By Andrew Warshaw
November 1 – Gianni Infantino’s insistence that the corruption crisis at FIFA is over looks set to blow up in his face when FIFA’s ethics committee launches a raft a new prosecutions over the next few months that will further call into question the world governing body’s image and reputation.