Governing Bodies
NFF CONGRATULATES EGBO ON HISTORIC FEAT WITH EUROPEAN CLUB
The Nigeria Football Federation has sent congratulatory messages to former Nigeria international, Emmanuel Ndubuisi Egbo, who has become the first Nigerian and African to lead a European club to a top tier domestic title.
With three matches left in the Albanian top flight, KF Tirana coached by former Nigeria goalkeeper Egbo has an unassailable lead and thus guaranteed the diadem. In the event, he has also led the team to the UEFA Champions League.
On Monday, President of the Nigeria Football Federation, Mr. Amaju Melvin Pinnick sent a message to Egbo: “I congratulate you and wish you only the best. This is also to say that we are very proud of your wonderful achievements.”
In his response, the former goalkeeper wrote: “Thank you Sir, I appreciate it so much. We thank God for his Grace and goodness. It is not my achievements; it’s our achievements as Nigerians, Africans and the Black race. Glory be to God Almighty. Na God win Sir. Thank you again for the best wishes.”
In a letter dated 20th July 2020, NFF General Secretary, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi praised Egbo for the feat and expressed the view that the coach has laid down a marker for fellow Nigerian coaches to go out and accomplish brilliantly.
“It was with a huge sense of pride that the NFF and the entire Nigerian Football family learnt of your exemplary achievement as the first-ever Nigerian, Black and African Coach to win a major European League, as you have steered KF Tirana to the Albanian top tier championship with few matches left in the on-going season. In the process, you also became the first African to qualify a team for the UEFA Champions League competition.
“The fact that KF Tirana was unable to win any silverware since the year 2018 until your arrival in December 2019 puts your accomplishment in proper perspective.
“Certainly, your rare character traits of sobriety, quiet confidence, seamless application and effortless brilliance, so evident in your days with the Senior National Football Team, Super Eagles, steered you and your team to glory.
“This achievement is no doubt a marker for other Nigerian Coaches, including your fellow ex-internationals, that by working assiduously and diligently in a noble way, they can indeed go out there and break the proverbial glass ceiling.
“On our part, we wish you and KF Tirana an enriching and fulfilling experience in the UEFA Champions League, where you are bound to come across much tougher encounters, but you have already demonstrated that you have the capacity to be unflappable when the going gets tough.”
By Kunle Solaja.
Nigeria is set to host the 48th Ordinary General Assembly of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), marking the third time the country will stage the continent’s top football gathering.
The development was confirmed in a statement issued by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), which disclosed that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, on the sidelines of the ongoing Africa Forward Summit in Nairobi, Kenya, approved Nigeria’s proposal to host the event.
The approval followed a meeting between President Tinubu and CAF President Patrice Motsepe, attended by Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, NFF President Ibrahim Musa Gusau, former NFF President and Special Adviser to the CAF President Amaju Melvin Pinnick, as well as CAF Acting General Secretary Samson Adamu.
Sports Villages Square affirms that Nigeria previously hosted the CAF Congress at the National Theatre in Lagos in March 1980 and again in February 2009, when the late CAF President Issa Hayatou secured another four-year term in office.
In addition to this year’s 48th Ordinary General Assembly, scheduled for October, Nigeria also secured the hosting rights of the CAF Awards ceremony. The annual awards gala, which celebrates Africa’s top football performers, has been staged in Morocco over the past three years.
Nigeria had earlier hosted the CAF Awards when telecom firm, Globacom, was the headline sponsor. This year’s event will be the seventh to be held in Nigeria after those of 2005, 2008, 2009, 2013, 2014 and 2016.
The CAF Ordinary General Assembly traditionally attracts key football stakeholders from across the continent, including presidents of CAF’s 54 member associations, representatives of the six zonal unions and senior football administrators.
The CAF Awards ceremony is regarded as one of African football’s flagship events, honouring outstanding players, coaches, clubs and officials in a glamorous setting that showcases the continent’s football excellence.
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FIFA’s independent Ethics Committee has banned former Guyana Football Federation (GFF) General Secretary Ian Alves from all football-related activities for five years after finding he sexually harassed female staff members.
FIFA also fined Alves 20,000 Swiss francs ($22,000) after determining that he had breached provisions of the FIFA Code of Ethics relating to the protection of physical and mental integrity, abuse of position and general duties.
“FIFA has a strict stance against all forms of abuse in football,” the organisation said on Monday.
The decision followed a review of written statements from the victims, documents provided by the GFF, submissions from Alves, and other evidence gathered during the investigation.
Alves stepped down from his position in 2024.
The ban came into force on Monday, when the terms of the decision were notified to Alves, and the full grounds for the ruling will be communicated within 60 days in accordance with the Code of Ethics, FIFA added.
The GFF did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment. Alves could not immediately be reached for comment.
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FIFA President Gianni Infantino said on Thursday that he planned to seek re-election for a fourth term in a bid to continue to lead the governing body of world soccer.
Infantino confirmed he would run for the 2027–2031 term in the closing moments of the FIFA Congress in Vancouver, which comes less than two months before the start of the World Cup.
The election will be held on March 18 in Morocco, which is set to co-host the 2030 World Cup.
Infantino said he was “honoured and humbled” to have the chance to run for a fourth term.
The Italian-Swiss took office in 2016, replacing Sepp Blatter, and was re-elected unopposed in 2019 and 2023.
Infantino has pushed for the expansion of FIFA competitions during his tenure, with this year’s World Cup in North America the first to feature 48 teams, while the women’s tournament in 2023 has been expanded to 32 teams.
Infantino’s tenure has also drawn some criticism over issues such as high World Cup ticket prices and the decision to award the inaugural FIFA Peace Prize to U.S. President Donald Trump at the World Cup draw in December.
Earlier this month, the council of South American football’s governing body (CONMEBOL) said in a statement it would unanimously support the 56-year-old if he decided to seek another term.
-Reuters
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