Governing Bodies
GLOBAL CALL FOR IRAN EXPULSION FROM IOC
Global Athlete has demanded the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and United World Wrestling (UWW) expel Iran following the execution of wrestling champion Navid Afkari.
Iranian state media reported that Afkari was executed yesterday, despite the case attracting global attention and leading to the likes of United States President Donald Trump pleading for clemency.
The 27-year-old had been given two death sentences for allegedly stabbing a security guard to death and his involvement in demonstrations against the country’s regime in 2018.
Afkari had claimed he was tortured into making a false confession and human rights groups and activists believe he was unjustly targeted by the Iranian authorities to intimidate others who might choose to participate in peaceful protests.
The IOC and UWW claimed they were in “constant contact” with the Iranian National Olympic Committee and the Iranian Wrestling Federation to “facilitate a solution”, but were ultimately unsuccessful.
Since the execution, the IOC and UWW described the news as “very sad” and “devastating”, but Global Athlete has urged the organisations to take further action.
“The Global Athlete extends our sincere condolences to Navid Afkari’s family and friends,” a statement said.
“The Iranian Government took the life of an innocent human, an athlete, and a wrestler.
“Our thoughts are also with Navid’s two brothers who are still incarcerated in inhumane conditions.
“We call on athlete solidarity to demand that the International Olympic Committee and United World Wrestling immediately implement sanctions that expel Iran from world sport for this heinous execution.
“The actions of the Iranian Government are a clear breach of human rights; such acts cannot go unpunished.
“For executing an athlete, this Government no longer deserves the privilege of competing in international sport.”
Other athlete representation groups, including the World Players Association (WPA), which had urged the IOC to use its influence to stop the execution, have also commented.
“The shocking injustice of Navid’s case sparked a global outpouring of support by courageous champions of human rights in sport – but tragically the Iranian regime still took his life,” said WPA executive director Brendan Schwab.
“Navid was targeted because of his success and popularity as an athlete, and this brutality was held up as an example to terrorise the public and silence dissent.
“We must now unite in his memory to ensure that others do not suffer this fate.”
World Olympians Association (WOA) President Joël Bouzou expressed “profound shock and sadness”.
“WOA stood with the IOC and President Thomas Bach OLY in their appeals for mercy and are gravely upset that their combined efforts were not successful,” he said.
“Navid’s dream to become an Olympian was cruelly ended, but this terrible time makes us even more motivated to build up athletes and Olympians as role models within society.
“They possess the power to transcend sport to promote diversity, tolerance and positive values that make a difference everywhere.”
The UWW Executive Committee is expected to meet tomorrow and may provide an update on the situation.
Bobby Green, a lightweight in the Ultimate Fighting Championship, cut short a post-fight interview after learning of Afkari’s execution, saying it “broke his heart”.
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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The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has denied reports of an outstanding debt to former captain Christian Chukwu and has challenged anyone with verifiable documents to prove otherwise.
Chukwu, a former national team captain and chief coach, died last Saturday.
The Nigeria Football Federation decried statements in a section of social media that the football-ruling body was indebted to the deceased.
Reacting to one statement on social media that claimed NFF owed the 1980 Africa Cup of Nations-winning team captain the sum of $128,000, NFF General Secretary, Dr Mohammed Sanusi, said: “There is no record in the NFF of any outstanding indebtedness to ‘Chairman’ Christian Chukwu.
“During the first term of the Board headed by Amaju Pinnick, a committee was set up to diligently peruse the papers of coaches who were being owed, even from previous NFF administrations.
“That committee was given the clear mandate to verify all debts and ensure that the coaches being owed were paid immediately. I am aware that the ‘Chairman’ was in the employ of the NFF between 2002 and 2005, before he was relieved of the post following the 1-1 draw with Angola in a FIFA World Cup qualifying match in Kano in August 2005. There is certainly no record of indebtedness to him in the NFF.”
Sanusi challenged anyone with genuine and verifiable documents of NFF indebtedness to any coach, who has worked with any of the National Teams over the past two decades, to come forward and tender those documents.
“As a credible organization that is very much alive to its responsibilities, if we are confronted with any genuine document of indebtedness to any coach, we will offset the debt immediately.”
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