League Two side Crewe Alexandra suspended its academy head coach "because of a safeguarding issue" that has led to the club notifying the FA. Carl Everall is understood to have been "suspended from all football-related activities by the FA" while the governing body conducts inquiries into allegations relating to his behavior (London GUARDIAN, 10/18).
Women were allowed to attend Iran's friendly against Bolivia on Tuesday.GETTY IMAGES
Any hopes that Iran might permanently relax its ban on women attending football matches "have been well and truly dashed," with the country's prosecutor general saying that such a move would "lead to sin." The Iranian authorities allowed a select group of women, barred from watching football in the country since the 1979 Islamic revolution, to attend a friendly against Bolivia in Tehran earlier this week. There will be "no repeat," according to prosecutor general Mohammad Jafar Montazeri (INSIDE WORLD FOOTBALL, 10/18).
England amputee football team head coach Owen Coyle Jr. "thanked sponsors" and the Premier League for donations that will enable the team to travel to Mexico later this month to compete in the 2018 Amputee World Cup. Having had its funding cut by the FA in '06 after the governing body cited "sporadic league participation and low levels of player participation," England's players were forced to raise the £70,000 ($91,150) required to take part (London GUARDIAN, 10/17).
Chinese int'l goalkeeper Zeng Cheng "risked the wrath" of the Chinese FA during the team's win over Syria in Nanjing on Tuesday. The goalie was spotted wearing a pair of skateboard brand Huf's "Plantlife" socks, a clothing item notable for its "distinctive marijuana plant patterns." It is "likely that the authorities will come down on the 31-year-old" based on previous punishments for similar indiscretions (SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST, 10/18).
FifPro launched a campaign to "encourage players to prepare for second careers as a way to guard against financial and mental health problems later in life." According to FifPro, only 13% of active professionals in Europe have higher-education qualifications, compared to the European Union average of men of 53% (London INDEPENDENT, 10/17).
With the "threat of further scandal hanging over their confederation," Uruguayan clubs voted in favor of removing former Uruguay FA President Wilmar Valdez from his FIFA Council role, a move that will be taken to Friday's CONMEBOL congress for formal action by member federations (INSIDE WORLD FOOTBALL, 10/18).
