The DFL Debacle: A Follow Up

Last week I commented on what looked like a false news story perpetrated against the Times (London). It turns out that is exactly what it was, and the Times has offered an apology to readers:

There are times when all you can do is admit you were wrong. Last week, Times football ran a story that we thought was a blockbuster. The state of Qatar was proposing a new summer tournament that would offer stunning financial rewards to the teams who participated.

It was a horrible prospect that threatened to transform the sport but appeared to be a brilliant story. The Dream Football League (DFL) would turn into a journalistic nightmare.

Richard Whittall, a blogger at Counter Attack, has tracked this story closely and his post mortem is worth a read (as is his disturbing follow up on the source of the false story that duped the Times).

Where does this leave sports journalism? Still at that crossroads I'm afraid.