Breakthrough of the week

Brazil's Inland Revenue: seizing 200,000 counterfeit Jabulani balls in Santos. Tax officials say the balls, shipped from China, will be destroyed as part of "Operation Protected Frontiers" – securing Brazil from commercial exploitation. (0%: Fifa's tax rate next summer on their forecast £130m profit.)

Man of the week

New from the football family: Bahrain's Sheikh Salman Bin Ibrahim al-Khalifa discussing his plan to clean up the Asian Football Confederation's image if he wins the presidency. "We've had enough bad publicity. It's time for a wind of change." (Also from the interview: a question about Bahrain's record on arresting pro-democracy athletes: "There is progress in the politics … but I just want to talk about football.")

More democracy news

• Intervention of the week: Fifa stepping in to postpone elections at Tanzania's FA due to a lack of democratic credibility. The FA say Fifa's expertise on transparent elections will "clear things up for us … We all just want to see justice."

• Plus: causing a stir on the executive committee: Sonia Bien-Aime, one of four female candidates in May's elections, pledging to "bring new ideas" to Fifa. Among them: "I believe in honesty, integrity and openness."

Charity moment of the week

Danish motorbike firm Lauge Jensen, raising £43,250 for charity by auctioning a customised diamond-encrusted bike co-designed by £220,000-a-week Wayne Rooney. The uncustomised bike's retail value: £56,000.

Quote of the week

"We always fight racism. As Martin Luther King said: 'We have to repent not merely for the hateful words of the bad people but for the appalling silence of the good people.' We want to stir the consciences of all those hitherto indifferent." Milan director Barbara Berlusconi – daughter of racism campaigner Silvio.

Best news management

Italy: Lazio president Claudio Lotito – calling for media restraint after three Borussia Monchengladbach fans were attacked in Rome pre-match. "The mother of idiots is always pregnant … this is nothing to do with Lazio. And anyway I spoke to the police. The first two weren't real stabbings – and the third just a small scratch to the buttocks."

Lazy journalism

• January: Dundee call on fans to "stand with the manager" after false press reports over Barry Smith's future. "The media speculation has caused great uncertainty and this has been very unfair to the manager, the fans and to everyone at Dundee FC." February: Smith sacked.

• 12 Feb, Mexico: New San Luis director of football Sergio Bueno denies his arrival means the end for coach Eduardo Fentanes. "I'm not here to unseat anyone. I've known Eduardo for years." 18 Feb: Eduardo unseated. Bueno: "It was time for a change."

War on obesity latest

US club Columbus Crew's approach: a) Citing among their "core areas of philanthropic focus" an attack on "heart disease and childhood obesity". b) Signing up Papa John's as their official pizza partner, plus a tie-up with a local hamburger chain. The club say both firms provide "highly respected food offerings ... and are excited about engaging with Crew fans in new and innovative ways".

Best clarifications

Clearing up unfair press coverage last week:

• Spain: Juan Anguix, vice-president of Elche, asked about his decision to interrupt a press conference given by the club's president José Sepulcre by calling him a "liar" then announcing: "When this is over, I'll kill you." Anguix: "These words were misinterpreted and taken way out of context."

• Mexico: America coach Miguel "The Louse" Herrera, asked to clarify his remark that former Mexico manager Miguel Mejía Barón only keeps criticising him in public because "he can't stop thinking about me. He's a deviant ... he fancies me, I'm sure of that." Herrera: "I have been scolded for my remark. But I said what I said. Let's move on."

Gigi's week

Romania: Gigi Becali, asked to explain why he skipped a pre-match meal with Ajax's president, but may consider dining with Roman Abramovich when Steaua play Chelsea in March: "Why should I sit at the Ajax president's table? He wears €200 shoes. Mine cost €4,000."

Row of the week

Uruguay: Ecuadorian side Emelec, angered by "strange coincidences" before their match at Penarol. Emelec said pre-match issues at their hotel included six players contracting "virulent diarrhoea", while the rest were kept awake by "thunderous fireworks outside their rooms at one, three and five in the morning". The hotel deny wrongdoing.

Plus: most obscene

Mexico: Toluca's Luis Tejeda and Pumas' Efrain Velarde – fined for celebrating goals by "grabbing their genitals then waving them". Officials fined them £6,700 each for "foul demeanour and obscene attitudes". Velarde: "I'm sorry. I didn't think it through."