Governing Bodies
AFRICAN OLYMPIC COMMITTEES SUPPORT PROCEEDING WITH OLYMPICS IN 2020, SAYS NAMIBIA CHIEFTAIN
The President of the Namibia National Olympic Committee (NNOC), Abner Xoagub, has claimed that his counterparts from the other African Olympic Committees support the International Olympic Committee (IOC) stance of proceeding with the Tokyo 2020 Games this summer.
Speaking at a media conference on Thursday, Xoagub said that all the African Olympic Committees backed the International Olympic Committee’s stance to continue preparing for the Tokyo Olympics to go ahead as currently scheduled, reports The Namibian.
“All the African Olympic Committees had a conference call with
the IOC President for an update on the situation on Wednesday and all the
members supported the motion to proceed with the Games,” Xoagub said.
“The IOC encourages all athletes to continue preparing for the Olympic Games so
we need to support them and will consult with them, their coaches and their
federations as well as medical staff to make sure that they adhere to the
directives.
“To date, 57 per cent of the athletes are already qualified for the Games.
“For the remaining 43 per cent of places, the IOC will work
with the international federations, to make any necessary and practical
adaptations to their respective qualification systems for Tokyo 2020.
“The possibility remains to use existing and scheduled qualification events,
wherever these still have fair access for all athletes and teams.”
At the briefing, Xoagub also confirmed details of Namibia’s road
cyclists for this summer’s Games, should they proceed as planned.
“We had a meeting with the Namibian Cycling Federation, and after going through
their performances at the qualifying events, Vera Adrian and Dan Craven have
been selected to represent Namibia at the Olympics in road cycling, with Martin
Freyer selected as a reserve to Dan,” he said.
A total of five Namibian athletes have now qualified for Tokyo 2020, with Adrian and Craven joining rower Maike Diekmann, boxer Jonas Jonas and marathon athlete Helalia Johannes.
Other Namibian athletes well placed to qualify for this summer’s Games are marathon runner Reinhold Thomas, wrestler Romeo Goliath, swimmers Phillip Seidler and Alexander Skinner, mountain bike riders, Tristan de Lange and Alex Miller, karatekas Suxelle Pronk and Freddy Mwiya Junior and athlete Beatrice Masilingi.
Secretary general of the NNOC Joan Smit provided an update on how the above athletes were faring in the race to secure spots for this summer’s Olympics.
“Reinhold’s qualifying event was cancelled, so the International Association of Athletics Federations will now make a decision based on his performance at the World Championships last year,” Smit said.
“Romeo’s final qualifying event has also been cancelled, but he did very well at the African Championships in Algiers, so we are hopeful that he will qualify.
“The qualifying events for both Phillip and Alexander are due to take place in May, so hopefully that can still go ahead.
“Swimmers and athletes, in fact, can still qualify until June, so there is still time for them and our top athletes like Beatrice.
“Suzelle and Freddy’s karate qualifying event has been cancelled, but hopefully it can be rescheduled, while Michelle Vorster has a 99 per cent chance of qualifying – she has been competing in Spain recently to improve her world ranking.
“The qualifying races for the men’s mountain bike spot have been cancelled, but we will continue to monitor that situation.”
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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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