Governing Bodies
CANCER SURVIVOR, STARS IN TOKYO 2020 NEW ONE-YEAR-TO-GO COUNTDOWN
But for the postponement occasioned by the coronavirus pandemic, the Tokyo 2020 Olympics would have opened this day (Thursday 24 July).
The postponement till 2021 meant a new one-year-to-go countdown has to be done, cancelling the one done this time last year.
Sports Village Square has gathered that the Japanese organisers of the Games have released a new video for a new countdown.
The video features cancer survivor and Japanese swimmer, Rikako Ikee. According to Inside The Games, Ikee was featured in the empty Tokyo Olympic Stadium, speaking of her return to sport after being diagnosed with leukemia in early 2019.
The swimmer remains hopeful of qualifying for the Olympics, having returned to training in March, with the six-time Asian Games gold medallist looking to represent her nation in her home city.
During the broadcast, Ikee spoke about the similarities between her comeback to sport and the pandemic, and urged athletes to bounce back from the disappointment of the postponement.
She mentioned the work of healthcare workers, who helped her survive cancer and are now aiding in the battle against COVID-19, which forced the postponement of the Olympics.
Holding the Olympic Flame, she also asked athletes to not take their hard work and talent for granted – something that she admits to doing before being stricken by cancer.
“It was my dream to be part of these Games,” said Ikee.
“Seeing such a once-in-a-lifetime goal disappear in front of their eyes, must have given athletes a sense of loss that cannot be put into words.
“I understand what that’s like because I experienced the same when I was diagnosed with leukemia.
“The future I took for granted transformed overnight into something completely different.”
Ikee explained her love for sport and was soon joined by a “+1” symbol that was emblazoned on the screen, representing the Games taking place a year later than planned.
She added: “Through this experience, I have learned that sport is about more than just athletes.
“It takes the support of many different people to make sport happen – this has never been more true.
“Think of the coming year, not simply as a one-year postponement, but as a plus one.
“To overcome adversity, what we need most is hope – a flame of hope glowing in the distance allows us to keep trying, to keep moving forward no matter how hard it is.
“For me, it was the swimming pool, the thought of swimming in a pool again got me through painful medical treatment.
“I have faith that a year from now the flame of hope will light these very grounds.”
Twenty-year-old Ikee won an incredible six gold medals at the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta, and was set to be a Tokyo 2020 poster athlete for hosts Japan before her diagnosis.
Following her announcement a promotional video played which showed some of the moments in Olympic history where adversity has been defeated.
Ikee narrated the story that she told in the empty stadium.
The “Stronger Together” message was then played by the International Olympic Committee to promote equality and togetherness in light of the postponed Games, while the world deals with the effects of COVID-19.
The full video can be found on the Tokyo 2020 website.
Tokyo 2020 also organised a surprise illumination of some of the venues for the Games, exactly a year before the Opening Ceremony in 2021.
It paid tribute to the healthcare workers who are working to stop the spread of the coronavirus, and also supported athletes preparing for the Games.
The venues were first blue, with the colours of the Olympic Rings – blue, yellow, black, green and red – then featuring.
The venues lit up are the Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium, Tokyo Stadium, Ariake Arena, Tokyo Aquatics Centre, Olympic Tower in Komazawa Olympic Park and the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Number 1 Building.
Tokyo 2020 had pledged to mark their second one year to go countdown on a small scale and without the usual razzmatazz the occasion attracts.
The city’s Governor Yuriko Koike was among others to acknowledge the day.
“Response to the novel coronavirus disease is a challenge facing all humankind,” she said.
“The Tokyo Metropolitan Government will continue to dedicate its resources to fighting this battle and to delivering a safe Games.
“In addition, while devising ways to curb costs in order to gain the understanding of the people of Tokyo and the rest of Japan, we will ensure that the success of the Games leads to the further development of Tokyo and Japan.
“The Tokyo 2020 Games provide enormous hope for athletes training hard for next summer and for children who hold the future in their hands.
“The local Governments and people of the communities are also engaging in preparations for the Games.
“We will work closely with all parties concerned and advance preparations to hold a successful Games brimming with hope, which will serve as a symbol of humankind bonding even more strongly as the world came together as one to overcome this difficult situation.”
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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