Three teenagers worked as security guards on World Cup venues throughout the tournament. But were never paid by their employer, Stark Security Services, a company that is owned by persons with close ties to the ruling family and who stand accused of funding Al Qaeda terrorists.
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Since the start of the Russian invasion, Igor Belanov has been touring the Ukrainian trenches with his Ballon d’Or award, telling football stories to the soldiers in an attempt to lift their mood.
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Are we getting closer to a World Cup in Saudi Arabia? The Saudi football federation recently signed a deal with Caf that may have earned them 54 votes in the race to become the host nation in 2030.
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There were signs of suspicious betting markets on 31 friendlies played by European clubs between December and the end of March this year. A total of 49 clubs from 18 different countries – mainly in Eastern Europe – were caught up in suspicious friendlies.
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Lionel Messi’s involvement in crypto has made a few people, him included, a significant amount of money, but many more can consider themselves lucky if their investment held up.
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The advertising blitz which controversial gambling operator 1XBet launched in Morocco in 2022 was so successful that the local gaming authority which finances the country’s grassroots and elite sport saw a decline in projected revenue for the first time. But Morocco is fighting back and could lead the way for the rest of Africa to follow suit.
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Investigating match-fixing is like putting together a puzzle, but clubs, associations and Fifa are not always helpful in providing the pieces, says a German police officer. In this interview, he provides a unique insight into the fight against one of the biggest threats against sporting integrity.
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Players’ unions are suing betting operators for using images of star footballers without their consent. An upcoming court case could change how the betting industry takes advantage of famous players in marketing campaigns.
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On 16 December 2016, Yves Ethève won the election of the Reunion Island Football League under the watchful eye of officials from the French Football Federation (FFF). It was an election with suspended voters, threats, dozens of proxies, and the absence of the minutes that normally ratify every election. But none of this mattered to the FFF: everything was fair game to help “their” candidate.
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Footballer and journalist Aleksiander Ivulin spent two years in prison for ‘protests’. Despite human rights abuses of its citizens, including footballers, and state interference of the Belarusian Football Federation, Uefa and Fifa have not banned the country from international play. In fact, the Lukashenko-run federation’s biggest source of income is Uefa and Fifa funding.