Connect with us

Governing Bodies

PREMIERSHIP CLUBS MEET AGAIN ON RESTART PLAN

Published

on

Warring English Premier League clubs will meet on Monday (May 11) with tensions mounting over the divisive ‘Project Restart Plan’ to finish the season amid the coronavirus crisis.

Premier League chiefs hope to return to action next month, but that goal could be scuppered by an internal battle between clubs fiercely protecting their own interests.

The Premier League had delayed its latest meeting until after British Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s address to the nation on Sunday. But, for those clubs and players concerned about the rush to return, his admission that the virus transmission rate is still too high to significantly ease Britain’s lockdown until at least June 1 was hardly reassuring.

The Premier League has been halted since March 13, but he offered no details about its short-term future and indicated that, while the general population will be allowed to play sports from Wednesday, they must do so only with those in their own households.

And the growing unease about the Premier League’s desire to finish its remaining 92 fixtures only increased on Sunday when Brighton admitted a third player in their squad had contracted the virus.

Advertisement

The scheduled return of Germany’s Bundesliga from May 16 had raised hopes that the Premier League could follow suit, yet there are stark differences between the health crisis in both countries.

Britain’s death toll from the pandemic passed 30,000 last week to become the worst-hit country in Europe. By contrast, Germany has registered just over 7,000 deaths.

However, German second-tier club Dynamo Dresden have put their entire squad and coaching staff into two-week isolation after two players tested positive for the virus.

Also on Sunday, La Liga confirmed five unnamed players have the virus and will go into quarantine.

Brighton chief executive Paul Barber has been one of the more vocal critics of the restart scheme and he told the Mail on Sunday: “We have got to be careful that we do not misstep here because if we do, it could ruin lives. It could cost lives. And we cannot afford that.”

Advertisement

Testing and player welfare remain major hurdles to overcome, with Norwich midfielder Todd Cantwell summing up the feelings of worried players when he responded to the positive test at Brighton by tweeting: “We are just people too.”

Comprehensive testing is believed to be part of the protocols required for a restart, with the BBC reporting that this could cost about £30,000 (S$52,600) a week. Some 40,000 tests – at between £150 and £180 each – for the remaining 92 fixtures are expected to be required with each person tested twice a week.

A lack of unity has provoked another complication for the Premier League over the use of neutral venues.

League chiefs believe they will only get the government’s green light to restart if the number of venues are limited to reduce the medical, police, security and broadcast personnel required.

There are also fears over fans congregating at home stadiums, even though the matches would be played behind closed doors.

Advertisement

Leading the resistance to neutral venues are clubs near the bottom of the table and at risk of huge financial losses by dropping out of England’s lucrative top flight.

Brighton had five of their remaining nine games at home, while Aston Villa were due to play six of their last 10 matches at Villa Park.

“What we can’t accept is a fundamental change to the competition three-quarters of the way through,” Barber said. “That is not fair and there is absolutely nobody who will convince me otherwise.”

Villa’s chief executive Christian Purslow said giving up home advantage “is a massive decision”.

Seven of the 20 top-flight clubs would need to officially reject neutral venues to stop the plan going ahead, although it has been reported the issue will not be put to a vote on Monday.

Advertisement

The Uefa deadline for restart proposals is May 25 and League Managers Association chief executive Richard Bevan has warned a failure to reach consensus soon could see the season cancelled.

Aware of the animosity between clubs, Crystal Palace chairman Steve Parish conceded it will not be easy to restart in the current climate.

“It may prove beyond us. We have huge challenges in order to get it back to complete the season but we are planning on doing so,” Parish told the BBC. “There are no easy answers. We have to work through it as a collective. I think we will come out with a consensus in the end.”

-AFP

Advertisement

Kunle Solaja is the author of landmark books on sports and journalism as well as being a multiple award-winning journalist and editor of long standing. He is easily Nigeria’s foremost soccer diarist and Africa's most capped FIFA World Cup journalist, having attended all FIFA World Cup finals from Italia ’90 to Qatar 2022. He was honoured at the Qatar 2022 World Cup by FIFA and AIPS.

Continue Reading
Advertisement

Governing Bodies

Sanusi set for record-extending tenure as Nigeria’s football politicians assemble in Asaba

Published

on

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.

Advertisement

 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.

Advertisement

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.

Continue Reading

Governing Bodies

Like in Egypt, former Nigerian Olympian, Sadiq Abdulahi wants Tinubu to declare ‘State of Emergency’ in Sports

Published

on

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.

Advertisement

“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.

Advertisement

  “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

Continue Reading

Governing Bodies

CAF gives Yoruba and Arabic interpretations of  ‘OLA’ the Super Cup 2024 Official Match Ball

Published

on

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.

Continue Reading

Most Viewed