Argentine FA President Julio Grondona on Thursday said that "FIFA wants to celebrate its 100 year anniversary of the World Cup in Argentina and Uruguay" (CLARIN, 7/4). ... Argentine First Division side Racing Avellaneda has been sanctioned with two games away from its home stadium, without fans, for violence during a game against Independiente. The punishment was determined by the league's APREVIDE (Agency for the prevention of violence in sport) (CLARIN, 7/5). ... The nine-month ban imposed on Paris St. Germain's Brazilian sporting director Leonardo for barging into a referee last season "has been extended by five months and will now run until June 30, 2014, ruling him out of next season entirely, following a French Football Federation appeals hearing" (INSIDE WORLD FOOTBALL, 7/5). ... The Court of Arbitration for Sport "has ordered the Togo Football Federation to pay former national team coach Jean Thissen 200M Central African francs ($400,000) for 'abusive termination of contract'" (INSIDE WORLD FOOTBALL, 7/5). ... FIFA "has suspended Cameroon temporarily citing government interference in the running of the country's football." FIFA in a release Thursday said that "the suspension which prohibits the country from taking part in regional, continental or international competitions, including at club level, or in friendly matches, takes effect immediately" (AFRICA REVIEW, 7/5). ... FIFA has "re-imposed its ban on Iraq hosting international friendlies following a surge in violence, including bombings aimed directly at players and fans." FIFA notified the Iraqi FA, "citing over 2,500 deaths in violence from April through June and at least 123 people killed in the first three days of July" (INSIDE WORLD FOOTBALL, 7/4).
