Dutch Sports Minister Edith Schippers said on Wednesday that she will work to have FIFA "refund money the Netherlands spent on its abortive bid to host the 2018 World Cup, if Dutch officials were misled about their chances." The Dutch FA (KNVB) said earlier this week that "it would campaign to have the cash returned," after former FIFA President Sepp Blatter said the joint Dutch-Belgian bid had no chance of succeeding (DUTCH NEWS, 4/6).
FOOTBALL BRIEFS ...
FIFA's ethics watchdog opened formal proceedings against Colombia's Miguel Trujillo "after he pleaded guilty last month in U.S. federal court to four counts, including conspiracy to commit money-laundering and conspiracy to commit wire fraud." The investigatory body of FIFA's ethics committee said in a statement on Wednesday, "Having examined all of the relevant evidence and based on Miguel Trujillo's guilty plea before the federal court in New York, the investigatory chamber has opened formal proceedings against Mr Trujillo" (REUTERS, 4/6).
Man City player Martin Demichelis has accepted an FA charge that "he broke betting rules."
The 35-year-old "was accused last month of committing 12 breaches of FA rules governing betting on football matches between Jan. 22-28."
There "is no suggestion that the charge is linked to any games that Demichelis played for City or any match he could have had an influence over" (REUTERS, 4/6).
Spanish Footballers’ Association (AFE) President Luis Rubiales reiterated that the organization’s inclusion of female players “is imminent.” An assembly in June will vote on the subject and Rubiales said that he is “sure that it will be unanimous” in favor of including women’s players. Rubiales: “The structure of the AFE, which is nearly 40 years old, has to be in service of all footballers, men and women” (AS, 4/6).
Players from eight of Bolivia's 12 first division clubs "are planning to refuse to participate in this summer's Copa América Centenario." They "will do so after clubs have failed to meet obligations to players." Bolivian Footballers' Association (FABOL) Legal Adviser David Paniagua said he "does not expect sanctions." Paniagua: "Within the rights of the players is the right to reject the national team before being selected, without punishment" (AFP, 4/6).
