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Tag: FA

  • Chelsea face 74 FA charges over agent payments

    Chelsea face 74 FA charges over agent payments

    Chelsea have been charged by the Football Association with 74 alleged rule breaches related to payments to agents between 2009 and 2022.

    The charges are primarily focused on transfers between the 2010-11 and 2015-16 seasons.

    Three deals that form part of the investigation involved Eden Hazard, Samuel Eto’o and Willian.

    There is no suggestion of any wrongdoing on the part of those players.

    Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich was in control of the club from 2003 to 2022, before selling Chelsea to a consortium led by American investor Todd Boehly and private equity firm Clearlake Capital.

    The alleged rule breaches concern agents, intermediaries and third-party investments in players.

    Chelsea, who said they had reported the potential rule breaches to the FA themselves, have until 19 September to respond.

    There are a wide range of options available to sanction Chelsea, including a fine, transfer embargo and points deduction. However, the Blues’ high level of co-operation will be factored inand the club don’t expect to be hit with a sporting sanction.

    “During a thorough due diligence process prior to completion of the purchase, the ownership group became aware of potentially incomplete financial reporting concerning historical transactions and other potential breaches of FA rules,” Chelsea said.

    “Immediately upon the completion of the purchase, the club self-reported these matters to all relevant regulators, including the FA.

    Read Also: Chelsea defeat Fulham after controversial calls

    “The club has demonstrated unprecedented transparency during this process, including by giving comprehensive access to the club’s files and historical data.”

    In July 2023, Chelsea were fined £8.6m by Uefa for breaking Financial Fair Play rules as a result of “submitting incomplete financial information” between 2012 and 2019.

    Those breaches were reported by the new Stamford Bridge ownership following the club’s sale in May 2022.

    As reported by BBC Sport in October 2023, transfers involving Eto’o and Willian are also part of a Premier League investigation into potential financial rule breaches by Chelsea.

    The Premier League confirmed to BBC Sport that this investigation is still ongoing.

    Both players moved to the club when Abramovich was in charge, joining from Russian side Anzhi Makhachkala in 2013.

  • FA bans ex-Premier League David Coote for Klopp video

    FA bans ex-Premier League David Coote for Klopp video

    Former Premier League referee David Coote has been given an eight-week suspension by the Football Association for comments made about ex-Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp on social media.

    Coote, who was sacked by the Premier League in December 2024, has been further sanctioned by the FA for an “aggravated breach” of rule E3.2, because of the reference he made to Klopp’s nationality in the video.

    The clip, which was filmed around July 2020, was leaked online in November 2024.

    Coote admitted the charge.

    The FA’s written reasons for the verdict said Coote expressed “deep remorse” and acknowledged his comments were “crass and inappropriate”.

    As well as his suspension, Coote must undergo a mandatory face-to-face education programme.

    The 42-year-old was initially suspended in November 2024 when the online clip showed him making derogatory comments about Klopp and Liverpool.

    He was sacked a month later by Premier League referees’ body the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) following an investigation into his conduct.

    Coote was also banned in February by Uefa from officiating in European competition until 30 June 2026.

    A video – separate to the one in which he made reference to Klopp’s nationality – emerged in November of Coote sniffing a white powder when he was on duty at Euro 2024, which is organised by Uefa.

    He revealed in January that he was gay, and had hidden his sexuality during his professional career through fear of abuse.

    Read Also: Disgraced referee Coote charged over Klopp remarks

    Coote, who did not attend the hearing, said he thought he was speaking in a “private” setting when he made the comments about Klopp and Liverpool.

    In June, Coote was cleared of any gambling misconduct following claims that he discussed issuing a yellow card to a player prior to a match.

    However, Coote accepted that the video in which he made remarks about Klopp, which was filmed after the UK emerged from the first Covid-19 lockdown in 2020, was “likely to cause hurt and reputational damage” once it entered the public domain.

    He said the pandemic and the years since had significantly impacted his mental health.

    BBC

  • FA will not charge Palace or Guehi over armband message

    FA will not charge Palace or Guehi over armband message

    The Football Association will not take formal action against Crystal Palace or club captain Marc Guehi after the defender again displayed a religious message on his kit.

    The England centre-back was reminded about the FA’s regulations over religious messaging after writing “I love Jesus” on his rainbow captain’s armband for Saturday’s match against Newcastle United at Selhurst Park.

    Guehi ignored the reminder and displayed a ‘Jesus loves you’ message on his armband during Tuesday night’s win against Ipswich Town at Portman Road.

    The rainbow armbands are being worn as part of the Premier League’s LGBTQ+ inclusion initiative in association with the charity Stonewall. Team captains are encouraged but not required to wear one.

    FA rules prohibit the “appearance on, or incorporation in, any item of clothing, football boots or other equipment of any religious message”.

    Read Also: Euro 2024: Guehi rallies England behind under-fire Southgate

    BBC Sport has been told the FA will not take any formal action against Guehi or Palace but it has once again reminded the club about regulations regarding messaging on kits.

    Ipswich Town captain Sam Morsy did not wear a rainbow armband in Saturday’s Premier League defeat at Nottingham Forest or Tuesday night’s loss to Guehi’s Palace at Portman Road.

    The club said his decision was because of his “religious beliefs”.

  • FA investigates referee Coote over booking claims

    FA investigates referee Coote over booking claims

    The Football Association says it is investigating an allegation that referee David Coote discussed giving a yellow card with a fan before a Championship match.

    Coote, 42, says he denies the new claims and calls them “false and defamatory allegations”.

    The referee is already under investigation by the FA and has been suspended by refereeing body the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) and European football’s governing body Uefa following separate allegations about his conduct.

    A new report in the Sun newspaper on Tuesday claimed Coote exchanged messages with a fan discussing giving a yellow card before and after a game between Leeds and West Brom in 2019.

    The exchange refers to a booking Leeds defender Ezgjan Alioski received in the match from Coote. There is no suggestion of any financial gain by Coote and the booking is regarded as entirely correct.

    The contents of the report have not been verified by the BBC.

    “I strongly refute these false and defamatory allegations,” Coote said in a statement.

    “Whatever issues I may have had in my personal life they have never affected my decision-making on the field.

    “I have always held the integrity of the game in the highest regard, refereeing matches impartially and to the best of my ability.”

    Coote is one of the Premier League’s most experienced officials and has been refereeing matches in the top flight since 2018.

    The FA told the BBC: “These are very serious allegations and we are investigating as a matter of urgency.”

    The PGMOL said it takes a “zero-tolerance approach” to any breach of its code of conduct.

    “The facts need to be established in light of these very serious allegations,” it added.

    “We adopt a zero-tolerance approach to any breach of our integrity code of conduct, which is signed by all match officials on an annual basis.

    Read Also: UEFA  join  PGMOL, FA to probe English referee Coote

    “PGMOL Board is committed to taking the appropriate action should any breach of that code be proven.

    “David Coote remains suspended and subject to an ongoing disciplinary process by PGMOL, separate to the investigation into this matter which will be carried out independently by the FA.”

    Coote was initially suspended by the PGMOL on 11 November pending a full investigation after a video emerged that appears to show him make disparaging remarks about former Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp – the FA started an investigation on 12 November.

    On 13 November, the Sun published photos it says were taken during this summer’s European Championship, alleging that they appear to show Coote sniffing a white powder through a rolled up US bank note.

    Coote was working at the Euros in his capacity as a match official.

    The PGMOL said it was taking those allegations “very seriously” and launched an investigation.

    Uefa, European football’s governing body, has also launched its own investigation and suspended Coote.

    Neither the pictures nor the video have been verified independently by the BBC.

    Last week, the PGMOL said Coote’s welfare is “important to us” as its investigation into his conduct continues.

    BBC

  • Returnee Man U Ladies set for 2018-19 campaign.

     

    Manchester United have announced their women’s squad ahead of the upcoming 2018-19 campaign.

    Manager Casey Stoney, a former Liverpool player and England international, has talked up the chances of her ‘young’ and ‘exciting’ squad.

    Stoney has taken seven players from her former club, while including two current England internationals in Alex Greenwood and Siobhan Chamberlain.

    The Red Devils Women’s side will get pre-season under way on Sunday against Liverpool

    MAN UNITED WOMEN’S SQUAD

    Lizzie Arnot (previous club: Hibernian), Fran Bentley (Man City), Siobhan Chamberlain (Liverpool), Charlie Devlin (Millwall), Leah Galton (Bayern Munich), Mollie Green (Everton), Alex Greenwood (Liverpool), Kirsty Hanson (Doncaster Rovers Belles), Martha Harris (Liverpool), Naomi Hartley (Liverpool), Lauren James (Arsenal), Aimee Palmer (Bristol City), Emily Ramsey (Liverpool), Lucy Roberts (Liverpool), Ebony Salmon (Aston Villa), Jess Sigsworth (Doncaster Rovers Belles), Kirsty Smith (Hibernian), Ella Toone (Man City), Amy Turner (Liverpool), Millie Turner (Bristol City), Katie Zelem (Juventus)

    Stoney left Liverpool in February after retiring from the game, and has brought both Greenwood and Chamberlain along with Martha Harris, Naomi Hartley, Emily Ramsey, Lucy Roberts and Amy Turner from the red half of Merseyside.

    Midfielder Katie Zelem has also left Juventus after one season in which she won the Serie A title, to return to Manchester.

    The team was brought together after United confirmed they would be reassembling their Women’s team and enter into the FA Championship division.

    Of the fresh squad seven players – Fran Bentley, Kirsty Hanson, Ella Toone, Millie Turner, Hartley, Ramsey and Zelem – have returned to the club where they spent their youth years at the centre of excellence.

    ‘I’m more than aware that we’re bringing 21 strangers together but I’m really excited about the squad and the future of this team.’

    England goalkeeper Chamberlain tweeted following the announcement to reveal her pride at being able to join up with United.

    She wrote’I’m incredibly honoured to be joining the biggest club in the world. I can’t wait to pull on the shirt and represent the club with such a fantastic group of players and staff”

    Prior to the birth of the new Ladies in Red, United were the only premier league club without a women’s team having scrapped their side in 2005.The new side will be presented with their first challenge on Sunday, when they come up against Liverpool in a behind-closed-doors friendly.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • Manchester City get chance for revenge at Wigan in FA Cup

    Manchester City get chance for revenge at Wigan in FA Cup

    Manchester City have a chance to get revenge over Wigan Athletic for their 2013 FA Cup final defeat after being drawn against the third-tier leaders in the fifth round of the competition.

    Wigan snatched the only goal in the final against City with Ben Watson’s late header to lift the famous old trophy, though they were relegated from the Premier League that season.

    Manchester United visit Huddersfield Town or second-tier Birmingham City while Chelsea, who lost to Arsenal in the 2017 final, host Championship side Hull City after Monday’s draw.

    Read Also: Manchester City to boost Nigerian fan-base with Premier Cool

    West Bromwich Albion and Southampton meet in an all-Premier League clash, second-tier Sheffield United are at Leicester City and Brighton & Hove Albion welcome 1987 winners Coventry City.

    If Tottenham Hotspur beat Newport County, the lowest-ranked team left in the competition, in a fourth-round replay they will travel to second-tier Millwall or Rochdale of League One.

    Spurs beat Millwall 6-0 in last season’s quarterfinals.

    Championship side Sheffield Wednesday will meet League Two Notts County or Premier League strugglers Swansea City.

    The ties will be played from Feb. 16-19.

    Reuters/NAN

  • FC Taraba, FA chairman disagree over crisis claim

    FC Taraba, FA chairman disagree over crisis claim

    These are not the best times for Taraba Football Club as the crisis rocking the Nigeria Premier League side seems to be getting worse.

    The Taraba State permanent secretary in the ministry of social, youth and sports in the state, Hussaini Modibo, who is intensifying effort to take charge of the running of the club, is locked in a battle with the management of the team headed by former international, Tijani Babangida.

    NationSport gathered that the situation has become frustrating for the players, management and technical officials as they watch helplessly while the permanent secretary, who also doubles as the state’s Football Association (FA) chairman, dictates the day-to-day running of the club without recourse to the management.

    It was learnt that the condition in the club has become terrible as the management of the club under the leadership of Tijani Babangida has been starved of funds to the extent that players, management and technical officials have not received their salaries for five months. Apart from the salary, they are also hardly paid their allowances.

    However, Modibo stated that there was no crisis in the team as the management reports to the FA, which he heads. He stated that Babangida is a consultant to the team and the chairman of the club remains the Taraba State commissioner for sports.

    He stated that the FA and the sports ministry have been behind the success of Taraba FC and wondered why anyone would think that there is a power tussle at the club. “For the sake of clarification, Babangida is a consultant to the team and the commissioner for sports is the chairman of the club,” Modibo said.

    He called on football stakeholders in the state to rally round the team and stop fomenting crises that could tear the club apart. What we should be doing now is to see how the team retains its Premier League status.

    “I guess this is the handiwork of those who do not want the team to progress,” the FA boss added.

  • My suspension laughable — Bewarang

    My suspension laughable — Bewarang

    The General Manager of Plateau United Bitrus Bewarang has described as laughable the recent pronouncement of the Plateau State Football Association that three of its board members have been banned from taken part in football-related activities in the state for the next three years.

    Bewarang, who is the National President of the Nigeria Football Coaches Association, said the pronouncement is an aberration of all relevant rules governing the game of football world wide. “It is unheard off that people would be banned for asking an elected body to account for its stewardship for the past four years .

    “This year is an election year, we demanded from the Chairman on the need for him to call a congress to address certain issues that had to do with the FA. Moreover since the present Board came into office, they have never deemed it fit to call a congress of the FA for once.

    “Recently, there was a complain from the Congress that the FA misappropriated the sum of N8.5million that was generated from the 17 LGAs for the organization of the Governors Cup.

    “As we are talking now, the finals of the competition have not been played and the people are asking questions, an attempt to make enquiries through the relevant bodies we are representing in the Board led to the pronouncement”.

    Continuing, the former national team coach said: “It is laughable because I am a serious stakeholder in the board. I represent the Premier League clubs. The representative of the Professional League Clubs and that of the Nationwide clubs were alleged to be banned.”

    Coach Bewarang said such a pronouncement cannot hold, as the full congress of the FA would soon meet to take some vital decisions on the issue.

    All our efforts to reach the Plateau State FA Chairman proved abortive, as his telephone lines were not reachable .

  • FA hammer dangles on Odemwingie,others

    FA hammer dangles on Odemwingie,others

    Nigerian striker Osaze Odemwingie and his Cardiff teammates may have snatched a valuable away point in their last tie against Norwich City at Carrow Road, but they may have to pay dearly after an FA charge was announced on them as well as on Norwich City on Thursday.

    According to the FA statement released on Thursday, both Norwich and Cardiff have been charged with “failing to ensure their players conducted themselves in an orderly fashion” during their Premier League meeting last weekend.

    A scuffle ensued at the end of the game after Norwich midfielder Leroy Fer put the ball in the net when Cardiff expected he would return the ball to them after an injury.

    “Both Norwich City and Cardiff City have been charged by the FA for failing to ensure their players conducted themselves in an orderly fashion. It follows an incident which occurred in or around the 94th minute of their fixture on Saturday October 26, 2013″the statement said.

    “Both clubs have until 6pm on 4 November 2013 to respond to the charge.

    Nigeria’s Odemwingie played just in the first half of the Week 9 fixture and was issued a yellow card in the 23rd minute of the game.