The German Football League (DFL) "backed Marco van Basten's plans to introduce sin bins." Last week, FIFA Chief Officer for Technical Development Van Basten said that "rule changes are under consideration to make the game more attractive." Among the proposals was one to introduce a "time penalty of five or 10 minutes and replace yellow cards" to punish teams in a match rather than after a number of matches (ESPN.com, 1/25).
Serbia has lost its appeal against UEFA's decision to "admit Kosovo to its ranks," the Court of Arbitration for Sport said on Tuesday. Serbia has "refused" to recognize Kosovo as a state since the Balkan republic's declaration of independence in '08. But CAS ruled that although UEFA's statutes were "ambiguous," Kosovo was recognized by the majority of UN member states as being an "independent state" and was therefore "entitled to admittance" (REUTERS, 1/24).
Antisemitic songs chanted by "passengers on a tram" before Man City's Premier League meeting with Tottenham last Saturday have been "widely condemned by the Jewish community." Video footage on a tram ahead of the match appears to show supporters heading to the match singing, "You're getting gassed in the morning." Tottenham's support is "historically made up of a large Jewish fanbase and antisemitic chants and behaviour have been aimed at them for decades" (PA, 1/25).
During a limited cabinet meeting in Jakarta on Tuesday, Indonesia President Joko Widodo said that governance of football "should be well planned and executed, due to its large impact on national unity." Widodo asked his subordinates to "develop a specific strategy to foster Indonesian football, as it plays a strategic and influential role in uniting the nation." He proclaimed four "key pillars" for development in the sport. Widodo: "Football should be overseen from the youth level. Don't expect our [national] football team to succeed on an international level if we don't take care of youth development programs" (JAKARTA GLOBE, 1/25).
