FIFA will monitor the Hellenic Football Federation (EPO) for "at least a year" after it holds elections for a new president and exec board next month. FIFA intervened in the "trouble-hit" EPO last October following "months of turmoil on and off the pitch" and has been "effectively running it since then through a so-called normalisation committee." FIFA said that the intervention will end with the EPO elections on Aug. 18, but a new monitoring committee will be established "to ensure oversight of the operations and processes" (REUTERS, 7/26).
The FA introduced a "series of tough new mandatory bans for grassroots players who abuse referees" following a strike last season of officials and a "campaign for action." In a "series of rule changes that will come into force" for the '17-18 season, players at all grassroots and youth levels will now receive an "automatic and minimum five-year ban from football if they assault a referee" (London TELEGRAPH, 7/25).
Qatar's national football team will be "permitted to play in the preliminary qualifying rounds" of the 2022 World Cup despite being given an automatic berth in the finals as tournament host. Under the current system, the 12 teams advancing to the final phase of Asian qualifying for '22 "also secure places at the finals of the Asian Cup the following year" (REUTERS, 7/26).
The franchise-based Indian Super League received the approval of the Asian Football Confederation "with the winners of the tournament granted a berth in the AFC Cup preliminary stage from next year." The ISL has "grown in popularity and gained ground on I-League," the national league, since its '14 launch (REUTERS, 7/26).
