Arsene Wenger, Kolo Toure and This Week in World Football Scandals
Arsene Wenger and Kolo Toure headline this week in world football scandals, but they're far from the only names making headlines.
After all, while the Arsenal boss got himself in trouble for having a potty mouth and Toure bombed a drug test because of diet pills, they weren't the only ones getting themselves into trouble this week.
We're bringing you the biggest scandals from around the football world this week and giving you the dirt on why they're filling the headlines (or, in some cases, the police blotter).
So, grab your shovels, and let's get started, shall we?
Pele Claims Love of Money Killing the Game
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The man who is arguably the greatest player the football world has ever seen, Edison Arantes do Nascimento, or Pele, has lashed out at the money bouncing around between the top clubs in the sport today, according to Reuters.
The footballing deity, who has long been a spokesman for the world game, told Reuters that top players' willingness to bolt from their hometown clubs and home countries for a big paycheck tells us where their loyalty truly lies: the money.
"They go to Real Madrid or to Santos or to Manchester," he said. "They are presented with the shirt [and say] 'I love Manchester'. Tomorrow they go to Madrid, they say 'I love Madrid'. They love who pays a little more. That is a danger for football."
Pele has long been outspoken regarding his beliefs in regards to the game, but the footballing great may actually have a point here.
QPR Violated 7 FA Rules in Record Faurlin Deal
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Queen's Park Rangers have found themselves in some seriously hot water after the FA charged the club with seven different violations in regards to third-party ownership and agents, with regard to the club's record signing of Argentine midfielder Alejandro Faurlin.
QPR signed Faurlin to a £3.5 million deal in 2009, which was a club record salary. The FA claim QPR brokered the deal with a third party in respect to the player's economic rights, sought to broker a deal with an unauthorized agent and sent the FA false documents regarding Faurlin's decision to stay with the team in 2010.
Rangers have denied all charges against them and told the press they cooperated fully with the FA's investigation.
If found guilty of the charges, Rangers could be docked precious points. Currently, they sit atop the Championship tables, seven points clear of Swansea and are in line for a promotion to the Premiership next season.
Ashley Vickers Sent Off for Tackling Streaker on Pitch
3 of 8In what might be the oddest story of the week, Dorchester Town player-manager Ashley Vickers found himself the victim of a sending off on Sunday night, after taking down a streaker in a mankini who had invaded the pitch.
The man had evaded stewards for nearly a minute, when Vickers grabbed him and pulled him to the ground, where he was promptly escorted off.
However, the referee, following the letter of a rule which states a player attacking anyone on the pitch is subject to immediate expulsion from the game, gave Vickers a red card.
Dorchester plays in England's sixth tier of football but made headlines across England after this. Hopefully, Vickers can get the card stricken from his record, after helping take down the idiot who ran onto the pitch.
Serbian Fan Charged with Inciting a Riot After European Qualifier
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A Serbian fan deemed to be the ringleader of a near riot at an international qualifier in Italy last October was charged with inciting a riot yesterday and sentenced to three years and three months in prison.
Ivan Bogdanov, a 29-year-old Serb, attended the match between Serbia and Italy on Oct. 24, 2010. Bogdanov, wearing a black mask, climbed atop a fence and used wire cutters to slice through a mesh fence, before lobbing fireworks onto the pitch and attempting to get other fans to do the same, which several did.
Italy was awarded a 3-0 victory in the match, while Serbia will be forced to play their next home qualifier, against Northern Ireland, in an empty stadium.
English FA Says It Would Back a "Credible Challenge" to FIFA President Blatter
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FIFA president Sepp Blatter will come up for re-election in 2012, and he can count at least one European football association out of his circle of support.
An English FA official told ESPN that the English organization would support any "credible challenger" to FIFA's third-term incumbent president, Sepp Blatter.
Blatter has completely fallen out of favor with the English FA, after media reports of corruption within FIFA helped prompt the English bid for the 2018 World Cup to get just two votes.
Those reports also state the FA has been pushing Qatar's Mohamed bin Hammam, one of FIFA's executive committee members, to run, although he's still undecided as to whether to do it.
Blatter has taken criticism for his decision making in recent years, and if this report is any indicator, his time as FIFA president could be drawing to a close.
Barcelona's Xavi Takes Pot Shots at Arsenal After Champions League Win
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When Barcelona took the second leg of their Champions League clash with Arsenal on Tuesday, many saw that the Gunners' failed attempts to play defensive football were the primary cause.
However, Barca midfielder Xavi went ahead and stated what many of us already knew and rubbed salt in the Gunners' still fresh wounds.
The captain told Barca's web site that given the Gunners' lack of offense (they failed to attempt a single shot on goal on the night), he felt as though they failed to come to play football. He also said that while the controversial red card awarded to Robin van Persie affected the game, he thought it was the right call.
"Arsenal really didn't want to play football," Xavi said "All they cared about was defending. The red card did affect the game, but the decision was right in my opinion."
Given Arsenal's performance against Barca, it's hard to see Arsene Wenger having much argument with the Spaniard.
Arsene Wenger, Samir Nasri Charged by UEFA
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Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger and midfielder Samir Nasri were both charged by UEFA today for comments made to Swiss referee Massimo Busacca following the Gunners' 3-1 defeat to Barcelona in the Champions League Tuesday.
Nasri and Wenger were cited for "inappropriate language" directed at the Swiss official after the team's loss. Both men were also probably upset at the red card issued to striker Robin van Persie, after the Dutchman was handed a second yellow card for kicking a ball away in the second half.
He was sent off even though there was only a second elapsing between the whistle (which van Persie claimed not to hear) and the striker's shot on goal.
Interestingly, Van Persie himself, who called Busacca a "joke," was not charged by the European governing body.
Kolo Toure Fails Drug Test, Ignorance Not an Excuse
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Manchester City defender Kolo Toure found himself in the headlines last week, when it was revealed he had failed a drug test earlier this year.
Now, the Ivorian defender won't have ignorance to use as an excuse, according to FIFA. Multiple media outlets reported today that football's governing body told Toure that as a professional footballer, on a team laden with doctors and trainers, someone would have known he shouldn't have taken his wife's diet pills (Toure claims not to have known there was anything banned in them), and it was his job to figure it out.
If found guilty of the drug charge, which appears likely at this point, Toure will certainly face a suspension, although the length is unclear at this point.
I guess it goes to show the importance of reading the labels on your wife's diet pills before you take them.
