Governing Bodies
PREMIER LEAGUE PLAYERS WANT SOLIDARITY WITH FLOYD
The Football Association has promised to take a ‘common sense approach’ to players involved in gestures promoting anti-discrimination messages following the death of George Floyd in America.
According to Daily Mail, the Premier League is set to return on June 17 and the FA have assured players that breaching rules to display anti-racism and political gestures will not necessarily result in punishments.
In a statement the FA said: ‘The FA strongly condemns discrimination of any kind and has endeavoured to ensure that football in England is both diverse and inclusive in recent years.
‘Where any behaviours or gestures on the pitch that may constitute a breach of the laws of the game have to be assessed, they would be reviewed on a case-by-case basis with a common sense approach and understanding of their context.
‘The power of football can break down barriers across communities and we remain deeply committed to removing all forms of discrimination from across the game we all love.’
It comes after Jadon Sancho was told he is facing sanctions for revealing a ‘Justice for George Floyd’ shirt while celebrating his goal for Borussia Dortmund against Paderborn on Sunday.
England and Borussia Dortmund star Sancho was among several players commended for taking a stand following the brutal death of Floyd, an unarmed black man killed last week in Minneapolis when white police officer Derek Chauvin knelt on his neck.
Schalke’s Weston McKennie also wore a ‘Justice for George Floyd’ armband during their game over the weekend while Borussia Monchengladbach striker Marcus Thuram celebrated his goal against Union Berlin by taking a knee.
German FA chiefs insist they ‘completely understand’ the tributes to George Floyd by Bundesliga players – but have come under fire after confirming the players could now face sanctions for taking a stand against racism.
Premier League players have shown their support for the Black Lives Matter movement this week with Liverpool players breaking off from their training session at Anfield, where they were preparing for the season’s resumption, to gather around the centre circle and take a knee.
Chelsea and Newcastle followed Liverpool in making a stand against racism by taking a knee during their training sessions on Tuesday.
Manchester United duo Paul Pogba and Marcus Rashford have also posted ‘Black Lives Matter’ statements on social media as protests over Floyd’s death continue to take place worldwide.
The chairman of anti-racism organisation Kick It Out called on every Premier League player on Tuesday to take a knee in the wake of Floyd’s killing.
Sanjay Bhandari said: ‘I hope there will be a degree of leniency shown by the German authorities,’ Bhandari said. ‘I’m not sure how you can sanction Marcus Thuram. I don’t think he’s done anything wrong. He’s just taken a knee.
‘I wonder if that’s the thing I would encourage if players want to protest. If you score a goal and take a knee could everyone do that? Not just the black players. The white players too – everyone.
‘Every player should do it. It should be teams doing it. You saw the Erling Haaland celebration after the first game back where all the Borussia Dortmund players did the social-distancing celebration. They could all take a knee.
‘Racism’s not about black players or brown fans. It’s about all of us. Racism corrodes society and we’re all hurt by it. Everyone should want to demonstrate their solidarity and disgust.’
Police officer Chauvin was arrested on Friday over Floyd’s death and is facing charges of third-degree murder and manslaughter.
The president of the Confédération of African Football, Dr. Patrice Motsepe, has announced five new CAF Vice Presidents. They are:
- CAF First Vice President: Mr Fouzi Lekjaa (Morocco)
- CAF Second Vice President: Mr Kurt Okraku (Ghana)
- CAF Third Vice President: Mr Pierre-Alain Mounguengui (Gabon)
- CAF Fourth Vice President: Ms Bestine Kazadi Ditabala (Democratic Republic of Congo)
- CAF Fifth Vice President: Mr Feizal Sidat (Mozambique)
In addition, the CAF President has co-opted Yacine Idriss Diallo, President of Fédération Ivoirienne de football, into the CAF Executive Committee.
The CAF Executive Committee also approved the names to fill vacant positions on several CAF Committees.
Organising Committee for the African Nations Championship (CHAN)
- President: Pierre-Alain Mounguengui (Gabon)
CAF Technical and Development Committee
- President: Samuel Eto’o (Cameroon)
- Vice President: Malouche Belhassen (Tunisia)
CAF Medical Committee:
- President: Dr. Mohammed Bouya (Mauritania)
- Vice President: Dr. Thulani Ngwenya (South Africa)
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Governing Bodies
Nigeria becoming an epicentre of global badminton as Francis Orbih enters the Badminton World Federation Council
Laurels on the courts and now glory in the boardroom sums up the mark that badminton is making in Nigeria.
The President, Badminton Federation of Nigeria (BFN), Francis Orbih, has been elected as a council member of the Badminton World Federation (BWF).
The election took place during the BWF Annual General Meeting on Saturday in Xiamen, China.
Orbih emerged victorious over top contenders from other African countries.
He will join Cameroon’s Odette Assembe Engoulou on the council, while Chipo Zumburani (Zimbabwe) and Hadia ElSaid (Egypt) missed out.
An elated Orbih expressed his gratitude to fellow badminton presidents across the globe for their trust and support.
He said, “I am deeply honoured by the trust placed in me by my peers across the badminton world.
“I look forward to quality representation, driving development initiatives, and strengthening badminton’s global reach over the next four years.”
Orbih also acknowledged the support of the Federal Government of Nigeria, particularly the National Sports Commission (NSC), which he said played a significant role in his successful bid.
“The Chairman and the Director General of the NSC monitored the entire process. I’m grateful for their involvement and confident Nigeria will benefit from this,” he stated.
He further appreciated the BFN board members and the Nigerian badminton community for their prayers and continued belief in his leadership.
“From the day I declared my intentions, the board members of BFN have been supportive, and I promise not to disappoint them,” Orbih concluded.
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A former member of the FIFA Council, Mamoutou Toure, has been released from jail in Mali after almost two years in detention for alleged corruption, Malian media reports said on Wednesday.
Toure, president of the Malian Football Federation since 2019, was released after 622 days in prison on Tuesday.
He served on the FIFA Council, world football’s all-powerful decision-making body, for four years until last month when he lost his seat after failing to contest new elections.
The 67-year-old was arrested in August 2023 on allegations of embezzling $28 million of public funds but was granted a provisional release order by the Malian courts, reports said.
He was accused of misconduct during his time as the National Assembly’s financial and administrative director from 2013-2019.
Toure denied all charges and, during his time in jail, was last August re-elected as Malian Football Federation president for a second consecutive term, with his supporters claiming he was a victim of a conspiracy fuelled by detractors.
While in jail, he received a letter of support from FIFA president Gianni Infantino. However, as of last month, Toure is no longer a member of the FIFA Council or the Confederation of African Football’s executive committee.
-Reuters
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