Entertainment

Thursday, July 30th 2015 - 08:30 UTC
Platini confirms bid to replace Blatter and “give FIFA the dignity it deserves”

Michel Platini launched his bid to replace Sepp Blatter at the helm of world football, pledging “to give FIFA back the dignity and the position it deserves”.
On Wednesday he sent a letter to the leaders of FIFA's 209 member associations, some of whom he canvassed for their support at the 2018 World Cup draw in St Petersburg last Saturday.
Tuesday, July 28th 2015 - 06:21 UTC
Di Caprio in Ushuaia for the final scenes of “The Revenant”

U.S. actor Leonardo Di Caprio is in far southern Argentina to shoot the final scenes of “The Revenant,” directed by Mexican Alejandro Gonzalez Iñarritu, the recent winner of the Oscar for Best Picture for “Birdman.”
Saturday, July 25th 2015 - 05:14 UTC
FIFA admits corruption scandal is putting off new World Cup sponsors

FIFA has admitted the corruption scandal is putting off new World Cup sponsors and plans to hold a summit with existing backers in August. Secretary-general Jerome Valcke said: “The current situation doesn't help to finalize any new agreements.”
Tuesday, July 21st 2015 - 04:33 UTC
Despite incident, defiant Blatter won't leave FIFA until after successor is elected February 26

A British comedian disrupted a news conference by Sepp Blatter on Monday, showering the FIFA president with fake money. As Blatter took his seat, performer Simon Brodkin rose from a front-row seat to confront him.
Friday, July 17th 2015 - 07:44 UTC
The man who silenced Maracana in 1950 passes away with full honors

“Only three people silenced Maracana: the Pope, Frank Sinatra and me”. The comment belongs to Alcides Ghiggia, Uruguay's last member and striker of the team that beat Brazil in the World Football Cup final of 1950 and thus winning the Jules Rimet Cup. It would be Uruguay's second world cup: the first in 1930 when it beat Argentina.
Friday, July 17th 2015 - 06:57 UTC
Comparing FIFA to the mafia “is almost insulting to the mafia”. US Senate grills soccer federation

Comparing FIFA to the mafia is “almost insulting to the mafia”, a US senator said, turning up the heat on football's corruption-tainted world governing body to reform. Richard Blumenthal made the remark at a Senate subcommittee hearing scrutinizing FIFA, after US authorities in May indicted 14 people - including top football officials over tens of millions of dollars of alleged bribes for media rights contracts.
Wednesday, July 8th 2015 - 07:21 UTC
Chile official involved in 2018/2022 World Cup inspections, suspended by FIFA

The official chosen by FIFA to inspect 2018 and 2022 World Cup hosting candidates was banned from football for seven years for breaking ethics rules. FIFA’s ethics committee gave no reason for its decision to suspend Harold Mayne-Nicholls, a former president of Chile’s soccer federation who is disputing the sanction.
Tuesday, July 7th 2015 - 05:50 UTC
Falklands' competitors win three medals in Islands Games at Jersey

Falklands competitors took home 2 silvers and 1 bronze medal which they won at the 16th International Island Games which were held on the Channel Island of Jersey. The Falklands football team also retained the ‘Small Islands Cup’ which they won in Bermuda 2 years ago, beating the Norwegian island of Hitra 2-1.
Saturday, July 4th 2015 - 06:57 UTC
ITUC appeal to FC Barcelona voting members to end Qatar Airways sponsorship

The ITUC has called on FC Barcelona “socios” (voting members) and fans to end the club’s Qatar Airways sponsorship, saying that the airline is the very worst sponsor for a club with a 100-year tradition of democracy and universality.
Friday, July 3rd 2015 - 06:55 UTC
US asks Switzerland for extradition of seven FIFA officials on bribery charges

The United States asked Switzerland on Thursday to extradite seven FIFA officials arrested in an investigation into a global bribery scandal at soccer's governing body, the Swiss Federal Office of Justice (FOJ) announced.