Russian Football Union President Vitaly Mutko said that the federation "plans to submit a request with UEFA asking the organization to separate the country’s national team from the Kosovar team during the draw procedures of the European tournaments."
UEFA Secretary General Theodore Theodoridis earlier said that the Serbian and some other national football organizations requested UEFA "to separate them in different groups with Kosovo during seeding procedures of European tournaments." Mutko: "Russia will definitely submit [with UEFA] such request." The Republic of Kosovo "is recognized partially." It is not a member of the United Nations. A total of 64 states, including Russia, China, India and Brazil "do not recognize Kosovo" (TASS, 5/19).
A former president of Nicaragua’s football federation "pleaded not guilty to U.S. corruption charges in a sprawling investigation into international organizers of the sport." Julio Rocha, who also served as a development officer in Panama for FIFA, appeared in Brooklyn, N.Y. federal court Wednesday "following his extradition from Switzerland, where he was arrested last May." Rocha, who appeared with his lawyers, spoke through a Spanish interpreter during a hearing before Magistrate Judge Robert M. Levy, who agreed to release Levy on $1.5M bond. Rocha's lawyer said that his client "plans to live in Florida while his case proceeds" (BLOOMBERG, 5/18).
Al Merreikh official Hatim Mohamed Ahmed "is being investigated" by the Confederation of African Football after "he appeared to hit" Gabonese referee Eric Otogo-Castane in the face.
The incident "occurred in the 84th minute of Wednesday's Confederation Cup match between Sudan's Al Merreikh and Kawkab Marrakech of Morocco."
CAF "is reviewing the incident and awaiting the match officials' report" (BBC, 5/19).
The Japan FA said Thursday a revenue of 25M yen ($227,250) raised from this month’s charity match between Japan’s U23 team and Ghana "will be donated to quake-hit Kumamoto Prefecture." The JFA will also donate 5M yen ($45,480) to the prefecture, while an additional 5M yen will be donated to the Kumamoto FA which "saw its office damaged and will need to be relocated" (KYODO, 5/19).
