Governing Bodies
JAPAN MAY EASE ENTRY RULES FOR TOKYO 2020 ATHLETES, MUTŌ HINTS
Tokyo 2020 chief executive Toshirō Mutō has hinted the Japanese Government may relax entry restrictions to allow athletes to train during a 14-day quarantine period prior to next year’s Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Mutō said it was important to “consider the uniqueness of the athletes” and “their activities” after a meeting to consider measures to combat COVID-19.
According to a draft plan of countermeasures, foreign athletes would be tested for COVID-19 before they leave and upon arrival in Japan.
But Mutō reportedly raised the issue of how the pandemic and the level of testing is at very different stages in many countries.
“Depending on the country, the reliability of the testing is still an issue,” said Muto.
“The accuracy of the tests may not be uniform.”
The frequency of tests is believed to be among a number of coronavirus measures that are still under discussion.
Mutō is hoping the discussions with the IOC and various International Federations will be finalised by December.
A coronavirus countermeasures task force, formed of officials from the Japanese Government, Tokyo Metropolitan Government and the Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee, are also assessing possible scenarios and measures that could allow the Games to run as expected.
As well as the quarantine exemption for athletes, they may also have to detail their base camp locations, training sites and host towns, and organisers will discuss with the IOC the possibility of athletes limiting their movement in Japan to these locations.
It is also understood that new Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga spoke to International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach by phone today and discussed about holding a successful Games which is scheduled to take place from July 23 to August 8.
Bach is expected to address an online Coordination Commission meeting tomorrow as the IOC, Tokyo city, Government officials and members of the Organising Committee discuss ways to stage the Games during the pandemic.
Earlier this week, Bach wrote a letter to the Olympic Movement where he stated his “confidence in our preparations” for Tokyo 2020.
Bach also mentioned “encouraging signals” coming from scientists which suggest a vaccine for COVID-19 could be developed as early as the end of the year.
“On the one hand, these recent weeks have shown that we can organise big sports events in a safe way even without a vaccine,” Bach wrote.
“On the other hand, we have to realise that even testing methods and vaccines are not the ‘silver bullet’ that will solve all our problems.”
In a report by Japanese news agency Kyodo News, Government sources claim Japan is planning to ease travel restrictions for foreign travellers from next month.
It is understood the Government is considering allowing about 1,000 foreigners to enter the country a day for stays of three months or longer, with increased testing capacity at airports to accommodate them.
Japan has seen more than 80,000 COVID-19 infections with a death toll of over 1,500 and has an entry ban for 159 countries and regions.
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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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