Governing Bodies
SPANISH LA LIGA TO TEST ALL PLAYERS FOR CORONAVIRUS
The president of the Spanish football federation (RFEF), Luis Rubiales, has attacked the league’s plan to carry out coronavirus tests at every first and second division club as “irresponsible” when there are others who need to be tested more urgently amid a health crisis.
He has also insisted that the Spanish domestic season must be completed, even if it means going beyond the proposed final date of June 30, and that playing games behind closed doors is a “last resort”.
There have been 11,178 confirmed cases of Covid-19 in Spain and as of Tuesday, 491 people were known to have died of the disease.
Various teams have tested players for the virus, including Valencia, who said on Monday (March 16) that 35 per cent of their first-team squad and staff have tested positive for the coronavirus but were asymptomatic.
They include defenders Ezequiel Garay, José Luis Gayà and Eliaquim Mangala.
Espanyol have said six of their players have tested positive. “We had confirmation this afternoon that six members of the first team and the technical staff of RCD Espanyol de Barcelona have returned positive results for Covid-19 tests carried out during the last hours,” the club said in a statement on Tuesday.
“All of them are suffering from mild symptoms and they are complying with the medical recommendations.”
Every club is currently on lockdown with training suspended and players sent home.
Elche forward Jonathas is the one confirmed case among the second division clubs so far.
Some clubs have already carried out tests and La Liga had planned to extend that facility to every club in the top two tiers – 42 in total.
The league is keen to monitor the situation with the hope of restarting the competition by the first weekend of May, if not before. Officially, La Liga has postponed two weekends of games, starting last Friday.
“I think it is irresponsible when there are patients with much more at stake than a competition, with life itself (at stake),” Rubiales said. “It is not appropriate to be using tests (at clubs) when there are people who need tests. It fails to see reality.
“We are all confined to home; it doesn’t make any difference if you have been infected or not. It’s the same outcome (isolation). And if someone does have severe symptoms, that’s the person who needs the test. Not a footballer. He is going to be isolated (anyway).
“The authorities have said this – if anyone has a test, masks, gloves, hand them over. Hospitals are running out.
“There’s someone sending tests to (clubs) – that’s a lack of solidarity, it could even be illegal. He should be ashamed. We don’t want that, and it’s anti-patriotic.
“When all this is over, when fewer people need it, then maybe we will consider (testing) players at our clubs (from Segunda B level down) but for now, tests have to be for those that need it. We all have to lend a hand.”
Rubiales also said that he had put the federation’s facilities, including the residency at its Las Rozas HQ, at the disposal of the government. He rather pointedly called upon the league to do the same, saying that clubs have facilities and resources that could be useful.
He also criticised the league’s president Javier Tebas, with whom he is engaged in a bitter and ongoing battle, for claiming that the failure to finish the league season could cost €678 million (£1.06 billion).
Rubiales suggested it was negligent for La Liga not to be insured against such losses, and promised the country’s smaller clubs that depend on RFEF subsidies that they would receive every cent.
He also noted that the league was pushing to complete the season by June 30, come what may. “Some put money before health,” he said.
By contrast, the RFEF president said completing the season by that date was the aim, but that it was not “an insurmountable wall”.
“There is no date,” he said, describing the plan as one of “extending the season as long as is necessary”, and ruled out just deciding a title winner without the games being played.
Barcelona, the current league leaders, will not be handed the title, and nor should European positions be decided off the pitch.
“It would a tremendous injustice not to finish the season. We are not going to declare it void, we want to finish it,” he said.
Asked what Spain would do if Uefa demanded that there was a cut-off to determine next year’s European positions before the league had been completed, Rubiales said he would ask Uefa what criteria to apply.
He added that the Copa del Rey final between Athletic Bilbao and Real Sociedad would be played, but he did not know when.
“We don’t even know when competition will restart,” Rubiales said. “We are in the hands of what the health authorities say. We can’t guess the future.”
–Guardian (UK), Reuters
Governing Bodies
Sanusi set for record-extending tenure as Nigeria’s football politicians assemble in Asaba
BY KUNLE SOLAJA.
Speculations gathered ahead of the 2024 Annual General Meeting of the Nigeria Football Federation holding in Asaba on Friday have it that tenure elongation for the General Secretary, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi, is a major item on the agenda.
Neither formal confirmation nor denial has been issued since one of the leading newspapers in Nigeria, ThisDay dropped the hint.
The agenda of the meeting is also not made public. Dr, Sanusi is the longest-serving General Secretary in history having been in office from 30 March 2015 making 3,476 days or nine years six months and four days.
It easily drowned that of his closest rival in tenure – Sani Toro whose tenure from 21 December 1993 to 3 May 1999 is merely 2020 days or five years, six months and 12 days.
Thus, no one had enjoyed a longer period in office than the incumbent, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi. It is speculated that the tenure will be extended as NFF has reported that all delegates have arrived in the Delta State capital by Thursday evening.
The NFF Annual General Assembly, the first of which took place 90 years ago in Lagos on 19 February 1934, is the biggest assemblage of football administrators and stakeholders in the country.
In one such meeting on 24 July 2008 in Makurdi, the football body changed its name from NFA to NFF.
This year, according to a press release by the NFF, the plenary will have in attendance, the chairmen and secretaries of football associations in the 36 States and the Federal Capital Territory, chairmen and secretaries of the Nigeria Premier Football League, Nigeria National League, Nigeria Women Football League and the Nationwide League One, as well as chairmen and secretaries of the referees’ association, players’ union and coaches’ association. This group of 88 makes up the Congress.
They are joined by the members of the NFF Executive Committee and the management team as well as former NFF Presidents and General Secretaries.
The Minister of Sports Development, John Owan Enoh, is announced as the special guest. Nigeria’s Member of the FIFA Council, Amaju Melvin Pinnick is also expected as well as a representative of the West African Football Union (WAFU B).
The Governor of Delta State, Sheriff Francis Oborevwori will declare the General Assembly open.
Venue is the Unity Hall of the Delta State Government House.
Governing Bodies
Like in Egypt, former Nigerian Olympian, Sadiq Abdulahi wants Tinubu to declare ‘State of Emergency’ in Sports
Former Nigerian tennis player and Olympian, Prof. Sadiq Abdulahi has called for drastic action to arrest the decline of Nigeria in global sporting events.
The former tennis player who is now a professor in the United States declared that the “failure to win a medal at the regular 2024 Paris Olympics, the few medals at the Paris Paralympic and the fallout at the National Youth Sports Festival has exposed the deep problems facing the sport’s sector.”
He wants Nigeria to have the same approach that the Egyptian president has taken while reacting to the country’s performance at the Paris 2024 Olypics.
Egypt’s President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi ordered a comprehensive evaluation of sports federations that participated at the Paris Olympic Games, following a mission report submitted by the country’s sports minister.
According to Prof. Abdulahi, the National Sports Federations charged with the preparation of elite athletes have failed to do their job despite the cry for funding from the government.
“Federal Government cannot adequately fund all the Olympics sports. It is impossible.
“By declaring a state of emergency, new people, new approaches and new funding models will be identified. More importantly, the Federal Government will redefine grassroots sports development.
“We will lay sustainable foundation for sports development.”
Continuing, he called for the return of the National Sports Commission (NSC) which enabling decree was abolished through Decree No. 7 of 1991, but came back through presidential proclamation under Sani Abacha before it was abolished again.
The original NSC was established in 1964 as National Sports Council before the promulgation of Decree 34 of 1971 which legalised it as the apex Federal Government agency to control, regulate and organize sports.
“The FG may now bring back the National Sports Commission or the National Sports Authority. Our emerging national economy with the full participation of the private sector can support this new beginning. I hope this helps.”
RELATED STORY: President Al-Sisi orders sports system overhaul
Governing Bodies
CAF gives Yoruba and Arabic interpretations of ‘OLA’ the Super Cup 2024 Official Match Ball
The Confédération African of Football, CAF, has given the linguistics interpretation of OLA, the confederation’s official match balls produced by Puma which has also unveiled a special edition for the Super Cup duel holding on Friday in Saudi Arabia.
According to CAF, OLA, symbolizing the dynamic and energetic nature of African football, means “wealth,” “honour,” and “respect” in Yoruba and “rise” and “success” in Arabic.
The OLA ball stands out with its vibrant design and cultural significance. “OLA”
The ball is a mix of black and gold, representing power and sophistication. The ball will be the centrepiece of the eagerly-awaited match between the two giants of African football.
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