Charlie Alford

Korean Football — Allegations of sexual services to foreign referees

Post author:Alaa Shamali
Post published:9 August 2026
Post last modified:9 August 2026

New allegations have reopened a dark chapter for the South Korean Football Association following a report by the South Korean network JTBC, which revealed that the organisation provided services, including “sexual entertainment,” to foreign referees during their visits to South Korea for international matches between 2011 and 2012. According to the report, JTBC based its findings on investigation documents from the South Korean Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism, dating back to 2016, as well as the association’s credit card records. These records reportedly showed payments linked to visits by referees to massage parlors and adult entertainment venues. The report details…

MEPs call for an investigation into Infantino over allegations of bowing to pressure from Trump

Post author:Alaa Shamali
Post published:9 July 2026
Post last modified:9 July 2026

The crisis surrounding the lifting of the suspension of American striker Folarin Balogun has taken a new turn, after dozens of Members of the European Parliament called for an investigation into the president of FIFA, Gianni Infantino, following allegations that he succumbed to political pressure from US president Donald Trump, in one of the most controversial issues surrounding the 2026 World Cup. According to the Associated Press, 35 MEPs signed a letter calling on FIFA’s Ethics Committee to investigate Infantino’s role, after the Disciplinary Committee decided to lift Balogun’s suspension, allowing him to play against Belgium in the round of 16,…

SAS didn’t refer Afghanistan atrocity allegations to police in case it upset soldiers

Post author:Joe Glenton
Post published:30 May 2026
Post last modified:8 June 2026

Commanders of the UK military’s most elite special forces didn’t refer war crimes allegations to police, an inquiry has heard. The reasons they decided not to may astound our readers: an anonymous senior officer said that there were fears doing so might upset SAS troops. The inquiry has been going on for several years. Current and former Special Air Service (SAS) personnel have been granted anonymity to give evidence. The inquiry concerns allegations that innocent Afghan civilians were murdered in 2011. Some allegations suggest detainees were handcuffed before being executed. And that weapons seized elsewhere were placed on their bodies to…