Governing Bodies
AFTER 100-DAY FREEZE, PREMIER LEAGUE RETURNS
The Premier League returns on Wednesday (June 17) after 100 days in the deep freeze, with Liverpool on the brink of winning the title in a radically changed football universe.
The English top flight follows Germany’s Bundesliga and La Liga in Spain in rebooting their seasons after the coronavirus lockdown, aiming to cram 92 games into six weeks of breathless action.
Aston Villa kick off against Sheffield United, to be followed later on Wednesday by Manchester City versus Arsenal, before a cascade of matches.
Despite vocal complaints from some clubs and stars, including Sergio Aguero and Raheem Sterling, “Project Restart” has largely gone smoothly, with regular testing of players and staff yielding few positives.
But when Villa and Sheffield United kick off, the watching world will be confronted with a jarring spectacle, with an eerie silence in the usually noisy stands.
Piped-in crowd chants, cardboard cut-outs of supporters and live video fan walls will add colour but it will be impossible to mimic the usual vibrant atmosphere.
In total, about 300 people will be allowed in stadiums for each match, with strict health protocols in place.
There will be widespread disinfection of changing facilities, dugouts, match balls, goalposts, corner flags and substitution boards.
People other than players and coaching staff on team benches must wear face coverings.
The games themselves will look different. Players have been told to maintain social distancing during goal celebrations and encouraged not to spit.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta admits that players will have to find motivation without the urgency provided by fans.
“The game is different,” he said in his pre-match press conference on Monday. “The intensity drops a little bit. That urgency from the crowd doesn’t exist any more; how passionate the crowds are in England. We have to adapt.
“We have to experience it. We have to find ways to motivate our players as well in moments.”
But Aston Villa manager Dean Smith said his players were desperate to return, talking about the honour of playing the first game.
“The eyes of the world will be on us and we are looking forward to it,” he said. “The players have been itching to get back.”
The hectic fixture list, warm summer temperatures and a lack of preparation time could lead to more injuries, so world governing body Fifa has given the green light for five substitutions per match.
Some believe that unfairly helps teams with bigger squads. Villa’s Smith said he was not in favour of the change.
Following the recent death of George Floyd, killed by a white police officer in the United States, the Black Lives Matter cause will also be visible.
Players’ names will be replaced on the back of their shirts with “Black Lives Matter” for the first 12 matches, while the league will back anyone who chooses to take a knee in protest before or during matches.
The subdued mood and constant fear of the virus making its presence felt will overshadow the remainder of a season that will always have an asterisk next to it in the history books.
When the campaign was halted on March 13, Liverpool were two wins from their first English title in 30 years.
Jurgen Klopp’s side, 25 points clear at the top, could be crowned champions as soon as this weekend if second-placed Manchester City lose at home to Arsenal on Wednesday and the Reds win their first game of the restart at Merseyside rivals Everton on Sunday.
Whenever they clinch that long-awaited 19th league title, it will be a moment to treasure for Liverpool.
But, with fans being told not to gather outside the stadium and no trophy parade planned because of social distancing rules, the celebrations are likely to be muted.
Since the Bundesliga resumed, there has been a drop in the number of home wins as teams struggle without the drive provided by their fans.
That could influence some key issues in the Premier League.
Chelsea and Manchester United will try to hold off unexpected challenges from Sheffield and Wolves in the race to reach the Champions League.
At the other end, Norwich, Villa and Bournemouth bid to climb out of the bottom three at a time when relegation could be more costly than ever.
-AFP
Governing Bodies
FIFA opens disciplinary proceedings against Congo officials over financial misconduct
FIFA’s ethics committee launched disciplinary proceedings against three senior Congolese Football Federation (FECOFOOT) officials on Wednesday, including president Jean-Guy Mayolas, over allegations of financial misconduct.
Mayolas, his wife and his son were sentenced to life in prison earlier this month after a criminal court in the Congolese capital, Brazzaville, convicted them of embezzling $1.1 million in FIFA funds. Media reports said their whereabouts were not known , and they were tried in absentia.
FECOFOOT general secretary Wantete Badji and treasurer Raoul Kanda are also subject to the disciplinary proceedings, FIFA said. Badji and Kanda were sentenced to five years each in prison by the court in Brazzaville for related charges.
“These proceedings follow the receipt of information and documents during an audit,” FIFA said in a statement.
-Reuters
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The World Anti-Doping Agency is considering rewriting its rules to try barring President Donald Trump and all U.S. government officials from attending the LA Olympics in 2028, in a move that could also have implications for the World Cup being hosted by the U.S. this summer.
The proposal, on the agenda for next Tuesday’s meeting of the global drug-fighting watchdog’s executive committee, is the latest manoeuvre to come out of a yearslong refusal of the U.S. government to pay its annual dues to WADA.
The refusal is part of the American government’s unanimous, bipartisan protest of the agency’s handling of a case involving Chinese swimmers and other issues.
The Associated Press learned of the agenda item through correspondence it obtained between WADA and European officials involved in the agency’s decision-making. Two others with knowledge of the agenda confirmed the existence of the rules proposal to AP; they were not authorised to speak publicly about the agenda, which has not been released publicly.
The proposal was, in fact, first brought up in 2024, when U.S. authorities successfully lobbied for its rejection. The U.S. has since lost its seat on the executive committee.
“In spite of WADA’s increasing threats, we continue to stand firm in our demand for accountability and transparency from WADA to ensure fair competition in sport,” said Sara Carter, the director of the U.S. Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP).
The rule, if passed, would figure to be mostly symbolic, given the limits an international sports federation could have on the president of a country attending an event inside his own borders.
“I have never heard of a $50-million-budget Swiss foundation being able to enforce a rule to, for example, prevent the United States president from going anywhere,” said Carter’s predecessor at ONDCP, Rahul Gupta, who was on the WADA executive committee two years ago and led the movement to reject the proposal. “And the next question you have to ask is: How are you going to enforce it? Are they going to post a red notice from Interpol? It’s ludicrous. It’s clear they have not thought this through.”
In a news release after this story published, WADA said the AP story was “entirely misleading,” focusing on Fitzgerald’s statement to the AP that if proposals being discussed were “introduced, given that the rules would not apply retroactively, the FIFA World Cup, LA and Salt Lake City Games (in 2034) would not be covered.”
Fitzgerald’s only answer to three emails from AP seeking clarification on his initial response — specifically about how a rule that had not yet been adopted could or couldn’t be applied retroactively on events that are scheduled for the future — was: “I’m trying to say that it would not apply retroactively so those events would not be covered. Given that and the next meeting of the Board being scheduled for November, I don’t see how it could come into play for this year’s World Cup.”
-AP
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The Confederation of African Football has dismissed Yasin Osman Robleh, the Djiboutian official who headed its judicial bodies for the past six years, in a move aimed at restoring confidence in the organisation’s disciplinary processes.
According to reports from convergence sources, the decision was confirmed on Saturday by CAF Secretary General Veron Mosengo-Omba, bringing an abrupt end to Robleh’s tenure overseeing the confederation’s disciplinary and investigative committees since 2019.
Robleh’s position reportedly came under increasing pressure following the controversy surrounding sanctions imposed after the Africa Cup of Nations Final between Morocco and Senegal. The disciplinary decisions that followed the match sparked criticism from several quarters and placed CAF’s legal framework under intense scrutiny.
In response to the situation, CAF’s Executive Committee has appointed Togolese lawyer Cedric Egai, currently the confederation’s Director of Legal Affairs, as interim head of the judicial bodies.
Egai is expected to stabilise the organisation’s legal arm while CAF works toward appointing a permanent successor to Robleh.
Disciplinary Decisions Delayed
The leadership change has already affected ongoing disciplinary processes within the confederation. CAF’s disciplinary committee reportedly held hearings last Thursday on several cases, including the high-profile encounter involving Egypt’s Al Ahly and Morocco’s AS FAR.
However, decisions on those matters have been temporarily put on hold pending the confirmation of new leadership within the judicial structure.
Sources indicate that once a permanent successor is appointed, CAF will move swiftly to conclude outstanding disciplinary rulings affecting both clubs and national teams.
Restoring Confidence
The move is widely seen as part of CAF’s effort to restore confidence in its judicial system following weeks of controversy surrounding disciplinary decisions at major competitions.
Robleh’s departure closes a significant chapter in CAF’s legal administration, while Egai’s interim appointment signals a potential shift in leadership and governance at a critical time for African football.
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