Football remains overwhelmingly "male and pale," according to the anti-discrimination body Kick It Out "which has revealed a dramatic increase in the number of incidents of discrimination reported last year." In the organization’s annual report, Kick It Out Chair Herman Ouseley "challenged clubs and authorities to appoint senior figures from ethnic minorities and women to reflect society." There were 284 incidents reported in the '13-14 season -- "half of them from postings on social media" -- compared to 77 the season before (PA, 1/6). ... The Football Federation of Australia's player welfare monitoring has been brought into question after A-League side Perth Glory and Adelaide United players "are reported to be suffering serious cases of heat stroke and bouts of vomiting after playing through extreme temperatures in Perth on Monday." The A-League players' union "reported several players were suffering from illness as a result of playing in the afternoon of Perth's hottest January day in 23 years where temperatures lingered at 40 degrees shortly before the 5:30pm kick-off" (SYDNEY MORNING HERALD, 1/6). ... EPL side West Ham Manager Sam Allardyce suggested that "rival clubs may have broken transfer rules by enticing defender Winston Reid to join them." With less than six months of his contract remaining, Reid, 26, can speak to other clubs -- but Allardyce "believes a deal may have already been done." Allardyce: "You hear rumors. But can we prove it?" (BBC, 1/6).
