Governing Bodies
FREE-TO-AIR HURDLE MAY HINDER PREMIERSHIP RESTART
The British government has signalled that English Premier League clubs must make free-to-air televised matches more widely available and plough money into the sport’s grassroots if it wants to restart this season.
Britain’s Culture and Sport secretary Oliver Dowden on Thursday said the government was “opening the door” for competitive football to return next month – a decision that would allow the Premier League to complete a campaign that was suspended in March due to the coronavirus pandemic.
“This should include widening access for fans to view live coverage and ensure finances from the game’s resumption supports the wider football family,” he added.
Dowden held a “positive meeting” with football authorities from the Premier League, English Football League and Football Association to “progress plans”.
The Premier League hopes for a return to action on June 12, with games played behind closed doors.
He said it is up to the football authorities to finalise details of how they resume the sport, with the government offering guidance.
“There is combined goodwill to achieve this for their fans, the football community and the nation as a whole,” he added. “The government and our medical experts will continue to offer guidance and support to the game ahead of any final decision which would put these plans into action.”
However, England’s Deputy Chief Medical Officer Jonathan Van-Tam said a “measured approach” was required and a decision on a return to competitive action will depend on how players and coaching staff fare after group training sessions.
Tottenham striker Harry Kane said players are still waiting for safety guidance from the league.
“I don’t think anyone knows the right answer at the moment,” he told ITV’s Good Morning Britain programme. “I think the majority of players are looking forward to playing again as soon as possible but we know we want it to be as safe as possible too.”
Watford skipper Troy Deeney insists he is not prepared to put football ahead of his family’s health and is against a quick restart.
“What are they going to do, take money off me? I’ve been broke before so it doesn’t bother me,” the 31-year-old said on Instagram.
“They’re talking about not playing in front of fans until 2021. So if it’s not safe enough for fans to be inside a stadium, why should it be safe for players to be in there?”
-AFP
FIFA’s independent Ethics Committee has banned former Guyana Football Federation (GFF) General Secretary Ian Alves from all football-related activities for five years after finding he sexually harassed female staff members.
FIFA also fined Alves 20,000 Swiss francs ($22,000) after determining that he had breached provisions of the FIFA Code of Ethics relating to the protection of physical and mental integrity, abuse of position and general duties.
“FIFA has a strict stance against all forms of abuse in football,” the organisation said on Monday.
The decision followed a review of written statements from the victims, documents provided by the GFF, submissions from Alves, and other evidence gathered during the investigation.
Alves stepped down from his position in 2024.
The ban came into force on Monday, when the terms of the decision were notified to Alves, and the full grounds for the ruling will be communicated within 60 days in accordance with the Code of Ethics, FIFA added.
The GFF did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment. Alves could not immediately be reached for comment.
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FIFA President Gianni Infantino said on Thursday that he planned to seek re-election for a fourth term in a bid to continue to lead the governing body of world soccer.
Infantino confirmed he would run for the 2027–2031 term in the closing moments of the FIFA Congress in Vancouver, which comes less than two months before the start of the World Cup.
The election will be held on March 18 in Morocco, which is set to co-host the 2030 World Cup.
Infantino said he was “honoured and humbled” to have the chance to run for a fourth term.
The Italian-Swiss took office in 2016, replacing Sepp Blatter, and was re-elected unopposed in 2019 and 2023.
Infantino has pushed for the expansion of FIFA competitions during his tenure, with this year’s World Cup in North America the first to feature 48 teams, while the women’s tournament in 2023 has been expanded to 32 teams.
Infantino’s tenure has also drawn some criticism over issues such as high World Cup ticket prices and the decision to award the inaugural FIFA Peace Prize to U.S. President Donald Trump at the World Cup draw in December.
Earlier this month, the council of South American football’s governing body (CONMEBOL) said in a statement it would unanimously support the 56-year-old if he decided to seek another term.
-Reuters
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The supporters of Vancouver Whitecaps, a professional football (soccer) club in Canada, have staged a protest outside the FIFA Congress on Thursday, voicing fears that the Major League Soccer club could be relocated as uncertainty deepens over its ownership and long-term future.
The club is one of Canada’s most historic football institutions and has long been a central part of Vancouver’s sporting identity.
Around 100 fans gathered as delegates arrived for the annual FIFA meeting in Vancouver, chanting, singing and waving club flags in a show of solidarity. The demonstration comes just days after Vancouver Whitecaps FC revealed difficulties in securing a buyer willing to keep the club in the city.
The Whitecaps disclosed earlier this week that “stadium economics, venue access and revenue limitations” have complicated efforts to sell the club, despite a 16-month search for new ownership.
Season ticket holder Derek Hawksworth said supporters felt compelled to act amid growing fears of relocation.
“I wanted to come down given the threat of the team possibly moving,” he said. “It’s a rich history with the Whitecaps in North America… we want Vancouver to stay and not relocate. The history is here, and we want to continue with that history moving forward.”
The Vancouver Whitecaps are a professional football (soccer) club based in Vancouver, Canada. They currently compete in Major League Soccer (MLS), the top-tier league in the United States and Canada.
Concerns were heightened by reports that cities such as Las Vegas and Phoenix are leading contenders should the club relocate.
Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim has urged intervention, calling on the provincial government — which owns BC Place — to negotiate a “bridge deal” that would allow the team to remain while plans for a new stadium are explored. The club’s current lease at BC Place expires at the end of the year.
Despite the off-field uncertainty, the Whitecaps have been one of the standout teams this MLS season. They currently sit second in the Western Conference with 24 points from nine matches, just three points behind the San Jose Earthquakes.
For supporters, however, performances on the pitch offer little comfort as the future of their club hangs in the balance — a situation they hope global football leaders gathering in Vancouver will not ignore.
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