Prosecutors "have dropped the case against 13 footballers investigated over alleged match-fixing after considering the reliability of evidence from 'Fake Sheikh' Mazher Mahmood."
The Crown Prosecution Service said that there was "insufficient evidence to provide a realistic prospect of conviction" in the case in light of the collapse of Tulisa Contostavlos's trial (London TELEGRAPH, 1/14). ... The Football League "has written to Birmingham City to seek clarification over jailed former owner Carson Yeung's role at the club."
Businessman Yeung, 54, "was convicted of money laundering in his native Hong Kong in March and jailed for six years."
Supporters asked the Football League "to investigate concerns he was acting as a 'shadow director'" (BBC, 1/15). ... Premier League CEO Richard Scudamore "has praised the 'huge success' of the organisation’s campaign to increase football participation and lower crime around the country."
More than 100,000 young people "have taken part in the ‘Premier League Kicks’ scheme, involving 50 clubs, after an initial pilot project by Brentford, Fulham and Tottenham in 2006." Scudamore: "It gives young people something better to do than get involved in anti-social behavior or crime or drugs" (SKY SPORTS, 1/15). ... A-League side Sydney FC coach Graham Arnold has been fined a record A$5,000 ($4,100) by Football Federation Australia "for his outburst against a referee who incorrectly ruled Marc Janko offside when he had scored a legitimate goal."
Arnold "launched an outburst in two separate post-match interviews." After being cited by the FFA, Arnold apologized for his actions, but he "has now been found to have breached the FFA's code of conduct" and subsequently fined A$5,000 for his verbal lashing of referee Lucien Laverdure (SYDNEY MORNING HERALD, 1/16).
