Cameo of the week
US senator Bob Menendez – indicted on 14 federal corruption charges, including eight for bribery, four hours after co-signing a letter advising Fifa on ethics. Menendez, who told Sepp to drop Russia as 2018 hosts due to their disregard for “international law”, denies wrongdoing.
• The week’s other football ethics highlight: Sri Lanka’s former Fifa executive Vernon Manilal Fernando losing an appeal against his life ban after the court of arbitration in sport rejected his defence: “Fernando did not object to the bribery charges, but considered that the Fifa ethics code should only apply to bribes to third parties, and not to other Fifa officials. This cannot be accepted.”
• Fernando’s previous best self-defence: 2013 – rejecting allegations that he misappropriated millions of dollars of aid for victims of the 2004 tsunami. “I did not perform magic shows with tsunami funds. Everything was open and transparent.”
Meanwhile: election news
Staying upbeat on football’s prospects for future transparency: Karl-Heinz Rummenigge – backing four more years for Sepp. Rummenigge – fined €249,000 in 2013 for failing to pay tax on two Rolex watches received as gifts in Qatar – told media; “Blatter’s ready to change. I’m not so pessimistic about him. I’m quite optimistic – things are changing at Fifa, in a good way.”
Plus: thought for the week
Qatar 2022’s communications head Nasser Al Khater, reflecting on the lessons to be learned from the sustained European press coverage of alleged Qatar bid corruption. “It was unacceptable … The media laws in some countries allow you to say anything and call it freedom of expression and the public interest. I think it’s too much. For many of us, it was insulting.”
Other news: quote of the week
Bolton chairman Phil Gartside announcing the club’s latest returns – a £9.1m loss, down from 2013’s £50.7m loss, taking debt, most owed to offshore backer Eddie Davies, to £172.9m: “We continue to move towards a self-sustainable future.”
• Gartside’s long-term vision, as set out in 2001 with the debt at £30m: “One of our directors, Eddie Davies, through the Bermuda Trust Company, has loaned the club £2m and given us tremendous support. Eddie is a Farnworth lad and a lifelong Wanderers fan who now lives in the Isle of Man … but we can’t constantly rely on that sort of generosity. We have to run the business properly.”
Racism news: breakthrough
Russia: Anatoly Vorobyov – named by the Russian FA as its first “anti-racism inspector” ahead of 2018 – setting out his mission in the Russian press: “Racism needs to be looked at, but it isn’t a major problem. You can count on the fingers of one hand the number of clubs with an issue.”
• Vorobyov’s previous best intervention: Nov 2014 – reacting after Rostov coach Igor Gamula told the press: “We’ve got enough black players, we’ve got six of the things and you want me to sign a seventh?” Vorobyov: “It’s clear Gamula is not racist. He was careless.”
Meanwhile
Uruguay: Óscar Curutchet, president of Danubio, reacting after his defender Cristian Gonzales called Corinthians’ Elias a monkey. “Look, it’s a common expression, he meant no great insult by it. There was a lot of provocation.”
Manager news
South Africa, 13 Mar: Chippa United chairman Siviwe “Chippa” Mpengesi attacks reports that he plans to sack coach Ernst Middendorp. “I don’t know where that paper got those quotes, you call them and ask. All I know is we have our coach, who is Ernst. The media has nothing to write about, so they are speculating … I can categorically state: Ernst is our coach.” 30 Mar: Ernst isn’t.
• Mpengesi’s previous: 6 Jan: reveals he plans to settle down after getting through seven coaches in 17 months. “We have the best manager, and we support him.” 27 Jan: Makes it 8 in 18 months.
Swings and roundabouts
Romania’s legal headlines last week: a) Astra owner Ioan Niculae jailed for two and half years for bribery; and b) Steaua owner Gigi Becali freed early from his three-year sentence. Becali told reporters: “I learned this inside: salvation is all that matters. I will fulfil the righteousness of the Lord and say sorry to all I upset: journalists, politicians, judges, prosecutors. You’ll see me again in football, but I won’t talk. He who bets Becali will not change is wrong.”
• His prison-term legacy: three books - each written in return for a 30-day sentence-reduction: “Becali: European Parliament and the Romanian Parliament”; “Becali and Steaua”; and “Mount Athos, home of the Orthodox.”
Plan of the week
Milan’s PR team, looking to give fans a lift amid anti-board protests, issuing a press release: “Milan joins forces with Hello Kitty … This is a prestigious and important brand … We’ll soon see Hello Kitty and our mascot Milanello together at the San Siro. We’re certain the fans will like it.”
Move of the week
France: Montpellier owner Louis Nicollin, 71, filmed crowd-surfing at the club’s 40th anniversary party after picking up an FA “gold plate” award for services to football. Local media: “Loulou was breathless, but happy.”
L'un des grands moments de la soirée des 40 ans de Montpellier, le paquito du génial président Nicollin.Exceptionnel pic.twitter.com/dXMntgtJnz
— Julien Landry (@Julien_Landry) March 29, 2015
Plus: mixed week for
Brazil FA head Marco Polo Del Nero, 73: winning damages from senator Romario who said he should be “jailed for 100 years”; and leaving model Kelly Moniz, 27 – his fourth model in 12 months. R7 Esportes: “Darling of the models, Del Nero is back in the game.”
