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      PSG vs Istanbul Basaksehir official set to quit football after becoming embroiled in race row

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      RACE ROW Romanian ref Sebastian Coltescu looks set to dodge a 10-game ban – by quitting football.
      Disgraced Coltescu and the rest of his colleagues were replaced by officials from Holland and Poland when the abandoned match between PSG and Istanbul Basaksehir restarted for the remaining 76 minutes in the Parc des Princes.

      Pierre Webo was fuming at the actions of Sebastian ColtescuCredit: Icon Sport – Getty

      The players from both sides, who had refused to play on after Coltescu’s touchline comments to Istanbul coach Pierre Webo, warmed up wearing “No to Racism” T-shirts.
      They then gathered round the centre-circle before the match recommenced with a free-kick for the Turkish champions.
      Uefa, who announced ‘an ethics and disciplinary inspector’ had been appointed to head the urgent investigation, were relieved to get the match completed without any other incidents.
      But it seems that any sanction European chiefs might want to impose of Coltescu will be rendered moot as he had already announced Tuesday’s game was due to be his last before retiring.

      Uefa rules confirm Coltescu would be liable to be hit with the same 10-match ban as a player for racism.
      But the fourth official had already been removed from the FIFA referee’s list for future appointments as he had signalled his intention to quit after a final Champions League match
      Coltescu told Romanian reporters he had done nothing wrong, insisting: “I just try to be good.
      “I’m not going to read any news these next few days. Anyone who knows me knows that I’m not racist. At least, that’s what I hope.”

      Demba Ba was fuming with what he had the fourth official sayCredit: AFP or licensors

      PSG stars Kylian Mbappe and Neymar wore the ‘Say No To Racism’ shirts for the re-arranged gameCredit: AFP or licensors

      Uefa’s probe will be a matter of urgency.
      But Euro chiefs have also been informed of reports in the Romanian media that Coltescu has previously attempted to take his own life after sustained criticism of his performances in domestic football and recognises it has a duty of care towards him.
      Meanwhile, Uefa may have to investigate racism TOWARDS Coltescu from one of the Istanbul party after video surfaced of an unidentified member of the Basaksehir staff shouting: “In my country, Romanians are gypsies.” More

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      Agent Eric Hall represented shiftier side of football, greed was not only good, it was his business before his death

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      SHOWBIZ grasped football by the throat when Eric Hall became an agent. And the wallet, of course.
      He represented the shiftier side of our game. Proud of his roots in the East End, he was the little man’s Lew Grade who, in between puffing on a gigantic cigar, told whoppers and managed to add a few noughts to transfer fees.

      Legendary football agent Eric Hall died last month aged 73Credit: Rex Features

      For him, greed was not only good, it was his business. He had no real interest in the game. As he used to boast . . . “I ain’t interested in the clubs, I want all I can get for my players.”
      For himself, too.
      Hall died last month, aged 73. Tributes poured in from the usual suspects, ‘Razor’ Ruddock, Dennis Wise, Terry Venables. They all loved a “laff” with the little monster. To be honest, I did occasionally myself.
      In showbiz his punk attitudes — he was a mate of the Sex Pistols — went down well. He could usually guarantee big publicity. Football was an open goal for his type, though.

      His discovery was that it was rich at the top level and highly competitive, too. His was the copybook for the super-agents who have followed.
      Somehow it is appropriate that at almost the same time he died, Fifa are finally putting forward proposals to control agents.
      With hindsight, Eric was dealing in high stakes while today’s middlemen have been setting their own ever since Fifa ignominiously surrendered in trying to cut them down to size five years ago.
      The figures are breathtaking. Fifa estimate that just under half a billion pounds was spent on agents’ fees, a rise on the previous year of 19.3 per cent.

      The percentage of answers have been round up or down from their decimal points

      And notoriously, Mino Raiola is reported as having taken away £25million when he represented Juventus, the selling club, Manchester United, the buyers, and Paul Pogba, the player, in 2016.
      Raiola laughed all the way to the bank when he used about £9m of the Pogba haul to buy Al Capone’s house in Florida. But he may not be laughing for long as triple representation (acting for player, buyer and seller) will no longer be allowed if new rules are passed.
      Fifa have been smarting for years. They have had to sit and watch as agents have ripped away their control of the game.
      Now they are prepared to tackle their tormentors and resume as the regulating authority of the game.

      Modern super agent Mino Raiola reeled in millions through client Paul PogbaCredit: Getty – Contributor

      Raiola represented Pogba, United and Juventus but new rules could prevent a repeatCredit: Getty Images – Getty
      Fifa is far, far from perfect. It has crippled itself through corruption in the executive committee that voted for Russia and Qatar as World Cup venues.
      Still, they are all we have and if their latest proposals are the basis of new regulations then the boardrooms of every big club will stand and applaud.
      Fifa aim to cap the amount agents can earn and also make them pass ‘character tests’ and be subject to a code of conduct which will include the fact that they will ‘always adhere to the truth’.
      Well, that might be the hardest rule of all to enforce!

      Watch Mino Raiola hang up on Simon Jordan in furious row over Ibrahimovic’s FIFA 21 image rights live on talkSPORT More

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      Huge offside overhaul backed by Fifa which would mean player onside if any part of body overlaps with last defender

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      FIFA boss Gianni Infantino has thrown his weight behind Arsene Wenger’s planned reform of the offside laws.
      SunSport revealed earlier this year how former Arsenal manager Wenger, now head of Fifa’s global development department, wants a radical change to stop ‘marginal offsides’.

      Fifa boss Gianni Infantino is ready to adopt Arsene Wenger’s offside changesCredit: PA:Press Association

      Under the Wenger plan, set to be on the table at the annual business meeting of the law-making body Ifab on December 16, an attacking player will be onside if any part of his body overlaps the last defender.
      Infantino said: “The offside rule has evolved over the last 100 years.
      “Arsene and our head of refereeing, Pierluigi Collina, are debating if they can make it better and foster offensive football.
      “The question is whether we should give more advantage to the attacking player, which is always how the rule has evolved.

      “That would mean no more ‘marginal offsides’, as we are seeing with VAR, because the player would really have to be in front of the defender.
      “I know that attackers and midfielders are very favourable to this, while goalkeepers and defenders have more worries.
      “Ifab will be dealing with this later this month.” 
      Controversial decisions – such as the one to rule out Patrick Bamford’s effort against Crystal Palace after he pointed where he wanted the ball – may no longer be scrubbed off.

      Patrick Bamford’s goal against Crystal Palace was ruled out for offside by VARCredit: supplied by Pixel8000

      The Leeds forward’s strike was ruled out last month in another VAR ‘armpit offside’ and pundit Robbie Savage branded it the worst call ‘in the history of football’.
      In October, Ifab said it was ready to green-light concussion substitute trials in January.
      And the issue has returned to the spotlight after Raul Jimenez and David Luiz’s horror clash left the Mexican needing surgery on a fractured skull.

      Arsene Wenger says competition is real and that he’s realised he was a monster More

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      Premier League handball rule set to change AGAIN next season to stop penalties like Eric Dier’s against Newcastle

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      FOOTBALL chiefs are ready to agree ANOTHER change in the handball Law.
      But it will not come into effect until next season.

      Ifab are set to change the handball rule again which would see this Eric Dier incident no longer an automatic penaltyCredit: Kevin Quigley-The Daily Mail

      The alteration, set to be approved by the International FA Board, will mean the penalty controversially conceded by Spurs’ Eric Dier against Newcastle at the start of the season will no longer be an automatic spot kick.
      Under current Laws, if the ball strikes the arm or hand above the shoulder, referees have no option but to punish the offence.
      But the change, set to be endorsed next month and confirmed in March – and to take effect from June 1 – will hand back discretion when the defender’s action is judged to be “part of the natural movement”.
      In the case of Dier, his back was towards Andy Carroll when the header struck him.

      But the referee could now rule that he was using his arms to gain elevation and not in an attempt to block the ball.
      Referees are also set to be told they should not punish a player who handles when he is protecting his face against the ball.
      Ifab will also officially endorse the handball interpretation giving referees more leeway when the ball is struck at their arms from close distance.
      This was a dispensation given to Premier League chiefs in September.

      There were further pleas from Uefa President Aleksander Ceferin for a relaxation of the rigid rulebook.
      However, no other changes will be presented to next month’s Annual Business Meeting of the Law-making body.

      Current Laws mean the ball striking the arm or hand above the shoulder is punishedCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd

      Victor Lindelof was caught out by the harsh ruling when he conceded a spot kick against Crystal PalaceCredit: Eddie Keogh Telegraph Media Group

      Jamie Ohara says that says referees must be responsible for the handball farce in the Premier League More

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      More than 300 players join Zlatan Ibrahimovic in fight against FIFA 21 and EA Sports over name and image rights

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      MINO RAIOLA revealed at least 300 players have joined Zlatan Ibrahimovic in the fight against EA Sports’ use of player name and image rights in FIFA 21.
      The super agent insists he will not give up the battle with EA Sports, world football governing body Fifa and the players’ union Fifpro.

      Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Mino Raiola are working out how to take on Fifa, Fifpro and EA Sports over image rights used in FIFA 21Credit: Instagram @iamzlatanibrahimovic

      Ibrahimovic took to social media on Monday calling for an investigation into FIFA 21, alleging EA Sports used the AC Milan striker’s name and face without permission in their video game.
      Spurs star Gareth Bale followed up Zlatan’s tweet with his support to find out who allowed the developers to use his rights.
      And Raiola claimed this is ‘the beginning of something new’ with hundreds of players also demanding answers from the sport.
      He told The Telegraph: “It won’t just be Zlatan or Gareth Bale. We have around 300 requests from players.

      “We will go until the end, if necessary, against Fifa and Fifpro and everybody who sells rights they don’t have.
      “This is one of the biggest disgraces involving Fifa who want to weaken the players to become slaves.
      “But I will not allow that. Zlatan is not a marionette, Zlatan is not someone you can tell to do something he doesn’t want to do.
      “The nice thing about this is that it is being brought by players. He is committed to the cause.

      Gamers can use the AC Milan striker in the latest edition of the game

      The powerful agent has already received 300 requests from players trying to get to the bottom of the issueCredit: Getty – Contributor
      “The question is very simple: Fifa and Fifpro are profiting from the rights that EA Sports happily buy from them but they buy rights that they don’t have.
      “The individual image rights of the player are not with Fifa, Fifpro or AC Milan. They belong to the player himself.
      “If EA Sports wants to continue the business like they do we will bring them to court but not only that we will bring to court everyone who is selling the rights that they don’t have. So if that is Fifpro, that’s Fifpro. If that is Fifa, that’s Fifa.”
      Ibrahimovic opened the debate with his tweet which explained he is not a member of the union Fifpro and therefore questioned who had given EA Sports permission to his likeness.
      He said: “Who gave FIFA EA Sport permission to use my name and face? @FIFPro?
      “I’m not aware to be a member of Fifpro and if I am I was put there without any real knowledge through some weird manoeuvre.
      “And for sure I never allowed @FIFAcom or Fifpro to make money using me.
      “Somebody is making profit on my name and face without any agreement all these years. Time to investigate.”

      Somebody is making profit on my name and face without any agreement all these years.Time to investigate
      — Zlatan Ibrahimović (@Ibra_official) November 23, 2020

      Gareth Bale weighed in on the debate, adding: “Interesting… what is @FIFPro? #TimeToInvestigate.”
      EA Sports told SunSport they are allowed to use the pair’s details due to deals they have in place with AC Milan and the Premier League.
      A statement read: “We are aware of discussions around licensing of players in EA Sports FIFA. The current situation being played out on social media is an attempt to draw FIFA 21 into a dispute between a number of 3rd parties and has little to do with EA Sports.
      “To be very clear, we have contractual rights to include the likeness of all players currently in our game. As already stated, we acquire these licenses directly from leagues, teams, and individual players.
      “In addition, we work with Fifpro to ensure we can include as many players as we can to create the most authentic game.
      “In these instances, our rights to player likenesses are granted through our club agreement with AC Milan and our long-standing exclusive partnership with the Premier League, which includes all players for Tottenham Hotspur.”

      Zlatan Ibrahimovic calls for investigation into FIFA 21 as EA Sports ‘use his name and face without permission’ More

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      Villas-Boas wants every No10 shirt in world retired in Maradona tribute – but which current icons would lose the jersey?

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      ANDRE VILLAS-BOAS called on Fifa to retire the No10 shirt for every team in the world as a tribute to Diego Maradona.
      The Argentine legend wore the iconic number at Barcelona, Napoli, Boca Juniors and for his country.

      Andre Villas-Boas wants Fifa to retire the No10 shirt across all of football following Diego Maradona’s deathCredit: Sports Illustrated – Getty

      And after his tragic death aged 60 following a heart attack on Wednesday, the Marseille manager wants to see his legacy remembered with the jersey no longer used in world football.
      Villas-Boas said of Maradona’s passing: “Yes it is tough news.
      “I would like Fifa to retire the No10 shirt in all competitions, for all teams.
      “It would be the best homage we could do for him.

      “He is an incredible loss for the world of football.”
      Maradona was wearing the No10 as he led Argentina to World Cup glory in 1986.
      That includes the famous quarter-final against England where he scored the ‘Hand of God’ goal and the incredible solo effort in the Azteca Stadium, Mexico.
      Since then, the likes of Ronaldinho, Francesco Totti and – most famously of all – Maradona’s compatriot Lionel Messi have become synonymous with wearing the No10.

      Current No10s who would lose their number

      Angel Correa (Atletico Madrid)
      Christian Pulisic (Chelsea)
      Harry Kane (Tottenham)
      Lautaro Martinez (Inter Milan)
      Leroy Sane (Bayern Munich)
      Lionel Messi (Barcelona)
      Luka Modric (Real Madrid)
      Marcus Rashford (Man Utd)
      Mesut Ozil (Arsenal)
      Neymar (PSG)
      Paulo Dybala (Juventus)
      Sadio Mane (Liverpool)
      Sergio Aguero (Man City)
      Thorgan Hazard (Borussia Dortmund)

      And Villas-Boas’ appeal would see Messi, Neymar, Sadio Mane, Marcus Rashford and Luka Modric have to change numbers.
      Napoli have already retired the No10 in honour of Maradona, who helped the club to their two Serie A titles in 1986-87 and 1989-90.
      Argentina tried to do the same in 2001 but the request to not use the number at the 2002 World Cup was blocked by Fifa.
      Others clubs have retired shirt numbers in the past to honour specific legends – such as the No10 at Brescia for Roberto Baggio, Javier Zanetti’s No4 at Inter Milan, the No14 Johan Cruyff wore at Ajax and the West Ham No6 for Bobby Moore.

      Other times it has been following the death of a player who wears that shirt like Fiorentina’s Davide Astori who wore No13 and Beijing Enterprises’ No24 worn by Chieck Tiote.
      Tributes poured in from across the footballing world for one of the sport’s greatest players of all time, who died exactly 15 years after his hero George Best.
      Pele, Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and David Beckham were among those who took to social media to share their memories of the maverick and send their condolences to his family.
      Thousands took to the streets in Buenos Aires, where he died, as well as Naples on Wednesday evening.
      ⚠️ Read our Diego Maradona death live blog for the latest news & updates

      Maradona wore the No10 shirt for the famous World Cup quarter-final against England in 1986Credit: Getty Images – Getty

      The Marseille boss wants to see Fifa take a stance across the whole of footballCredit: AFP or licensors

      Diego Maradona’s legendary career in numbers, as Argentine legend dies aged 60 More

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      ‘Robot’ assistant referees at World Cup a step closer after Fifa ask tech firms to draw up design plans

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      PLANS for ‘robot’ assistant referees to be introduced for the 2022 World Cup have taken a step forward after Fifa asked tech companies to prove they can design a system that works.
      Fifa chiefs have been working on the proposal for a year.

      Fifa are hoping to have ‘robot’ assistant referees ready for the 2022 World CupCredit: EPA

      The governing body even put behind the scenes trials in place for last year’s Club World Cup – also held in Qatar and won by Liverpool.
      Now Fifa’s Working Group for Innovation Excellence – which includes Premier League refs’ PGMOL – wants the new trials to start early next year.
      Among the systems is the Tracab programme developed by Sweden’s Chyron-Hego.
      The tech uses artificial intelligence-driven ball-tracking combined with limb tracking and ‘skeletal modelling’.

      The company promised: “Tracab can determine the exact moment of a critical ball pass and the precise location of involved players and their limbs relative to the goal line.”
      Premier League tech partners Hawk-Eye are also understood to be developing their own versions of the software.
      However, Fifa are still seeking improvements in the graphical ‘visualisation of close offside incidents’.
      Fifa’s head of technology Johannes Holzmuller has described the trials to date as ‘very promising’.

      Offside calls have been in the headlines lately, particularly this call against Patrick Bamford in the most-recent round of PL games

      There is now growing confidence in Zurich that Qatar 2022 will see the system used for the first time at a major event.
      Offside calls have been coming under increasing scrutiny in recent years, with VAR seemingly creating as many issues in the Premier League as it solves.
      Fans have been left bitterly disappointed by the video technology after players have been caught offside by their armpit, despite the rest of their body being well onside.
      Most-recently, Patrick Bamford’s disallowed effort for Leeds against Crystal Palace hit the headlines after he appeared to be miles onside, only for VAR to chalk off his strike.

      Inside luxury cruise liner MSC Poesia that England fans can stay on at Qatar World Cup 2022 More

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      Disgraced Greg Clarke quits £190k-a-year Fifa vice-president job after resigning as FA chairman

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      DISGRACED former FA chairman Greg Clarke has resigned from his £190,000-a-year job with Fifa.
      Clarke, forced to quit his Wembley role after a car-crash appearance before MPs on Monday, had wanted to keep his role on the Fifa Council until March.

      Greg Clarke stepped down from his role as Fifa vice-president after being forced to resign as FA chairmanCredit: Getty Images – Getty

      The ex-Wembley chief claimed he had been asked to stay on by Uefa boss Aleksander Ceferin to ensure that European football did not lose a vote on any contentious issues arising over the coming months.
      But Uefa’s own rulebook says that the European governing body has the right to elect a replacement for any vice-president or council member who leaves their position.
      And in a statement, Uefa confirmed: “Following a telephone call this morning between the Uefa President and Greg Clarke, they agreed with Greg Clarke’s proposal that he should step down with immediate effect from his position as a Uefa representative on Fifa Council.”
      The U-turn came just hours after Clarke told Sky Sports News: “I am staying purely at the request of Uefa President Aleksander Ceferin.”

      It was claimed that Ceferin, still locked in a bitter power battle with Fifa president Gianni Infantino and who has formed a strategic alliance with South American chiefs on a number of proposals, was concerned at losing one of his bloc’s eight votes on the 37-member Council.
      There was a suggestion that Ceferin’s willingness to keep Clarke on for four months was a repayment for the FA chairman’s vote in favour of Colombia’s bid to stage the 2023 Women’s World Cup.
      That came despite Fifa’s official bid team strongly coming down on the side of the winning bid from Australia and New Zealand, with Clarke taking flak from both nations for seemingly ignoring the strong links between the Antipodean countries and the UK.
      But it then emerged that Uefa’s own rulebook DID allow them to replace Clarke – and, in fact, demanded they do so if he stood down.

      Article 5 of Uefa Statutes reads: “If a Vice-President  or a person elected to the Fifa Council vacates his position during his term of office, the Uefa Executive Committee shall elect a replacement for the remaining period until the next Congress.”
      Clarke’s departure now puts the onus on Ceferin to name his replacement ahead of the next Fifa Council meeting due in a few weeks.
      The likeliest short-term option would be to ask Uefa Treasurer and former Manchester United chief executive David Gill – who stepped down from the former ruling Fifa executive committee in 2015 in a protest at the rule of Sepp Blatter – to fill the void.
      There are only a handful of Fifa meetings due between now and March, although Gill has already signalled he intends to stand down from his current Uefa post at the Congress.
      That will give time for the FA to find a candidate for the remaining two years of Clarke’s mandate.
      All 55 Uefa member nations are allowed to vote on the British seat, which saw Clarke see off a challenge by Northern Ireland’s David Martin in 2019.
      But Ceferin has previously indicated he believes England should represent the UK rather than the seat being filled by someone from Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland.
      That will be even more critical with England being the leader of the planned British Isles 2030 World Cup bid, with the vote currently due to be held in 2023.

      What he said wasn’t acceptable and there was no alternative but for him to go
      Gareth Southgate on Greg Clarke

      Clarke resigned as FA chairman on Tuesday following the grilling in front of Parliament.
      The 63-year-old was forced into two public apologies after making reference to ‘coloured footballers’ and then suggesting that being gay was a lifestyle choice.
      Upon quitting, he said: “My unacceptable words in front of Parliament were a disservice to our game and to those who watch, play, referee and administer it. This has crystallised my resolve to move on. 
      “I am deeply saddened that I have offended those diverse communities in football that I and others worked so hard to include.”
      England boss Gareth Southgate said there was ‘no alternative’ but for Clarke to step away.
      Speaking ahead of his side’s clash with Ireland, he said: “We can’t just keep standing in front of the cameras talking about change. We are seeing a lot of change in society and football needs to be at the front of that.
      “What’s a shame for him [Clarke] is he has done a lot of work behind the scenes to support the diversity code and make inroads into relationships around Europe.
      “But what he said wasn’t acceptable and there was no alternative but for him to go.”

      Clarke resigned following a shambolic appearance in front of MPs on TuesdayCredit: PA:Press Association More