Scottish Premiership side Motherwell Dir Alan Burrows "called for a feasibility study into summer football as a calendar switch got the backing of two top managers." Aberdeen's Derek McInnes and St. Johnstone's Tommy Wright both said that it "could help their sides prepare for European competition." Burrows admitted that there "did not appear to be great enthusiasm from other club boardrooms" (BBC, 7/2).
Grassroots sport "needs more money to ensure more people are physically active," according to Welsh football's development arm. FA of Wales Trust CEO Neil Ward said that the "diminishing sports budget" was leading to "unrealistic" expectations. The Welsh Government said that it was "totally committed to making Wales a more healthy and active nation." But its funding via Sport Wales has fallen by 14% in the past seven years (BBC, 7/2).
Former FIFA President Sepp Blatter said that he will travel to Russia when the country hosts the 2018 World Cup. Blatter is currently serving a six-year ban from all football-related duties and said that "he has been advised by lawyers not to travel abroad amid international probes" (REUTERS, 7/2).
A new independent scientific study has shown that there are serious health and safety risks arising from the use of pyrotechnics in close proximity to other people in football stadiums, and that no safe use of pyrotechnics is possible in spectator areas within stadiums. Among the risks identified by the report are burns to flesh and clothing, burns to structures and other hazards (UEFA).
