UEFA will push the European Commission to accept FA Chair Greg Dyke's proposals to "increase the number of home-grown players in squads despite Premier League opposition." Premier League CEO Richard Scudamore has suggested that "instead of changing the quotas England should instead follow the example of Costa Rica and seek to achieve success with players who are not at the top clubs." UEFA is "backing Dyke strongly" and its president, Michel Platini, will use a September meeting with European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker to raise the issue (PA, 7/22). ... The French Football Federation has annulled the decision of the French Football League (LFP)
to "reduce the number of promotion and relegation places to and from
Ligue 1 to two from three." At a meeting in Paris on Thursday, the FFF
exec committee agreed to "invalidate the measure -- which would have
been introduced from next season -- ruling that it would not be in the
general interest of French football" (ESPN, 7/22). ... UEFA fined Barcelona $33,000 for fans "displaying pro-Catalonia political banners" at the Champions League final vs. Juventus on June 6. Fans showed banners "supporting independence for the Catalonia region of Spain in the Olympic Stadium in Berlin." The club "has been a focus for Catalan regional pride dating back decades." UEFA rules "prohibit political, religious, and offensive banners and gestures at matches it organizes." Barcelona won the match 3-1 (AP, 7/23). ... The Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) has accepted money from Spain's quiniela lotteries this year. The agreement "was signed days ago" and means the start of a "normalization of relations" between the RFEF and the Spanish Superior Sports Council, "which carry a year of controversies, lack of understanding and mutual accusations." The RFEF will receive nearly €3M ($3.3M) in public money that will be used to "build new stadiums, update existing ones and construct necessary stadium facilities" (MARCA, 7/23). ... Liberian FA President Musa Bility said that the LFA "should have done more to prevent the trafficking of 23 youngsters to Laos." A BBC investigation discovered that Laos side Champasak United "imported 23 under-age players from West Africa to an unregistered football academy." Bility: "Whatever role we might have played, I believe it is regrettable" (BBC, 7/22).
