Governing Bodies
COVID-19 PATIENT, AHMAD DISCHARGED FROM HOSPITAL
Confederation of African Football (CAF) president Ahmad has been released from hospital after ten days in isolation with the coronavirus in Cairo.
Described as ‘with minimal risk of complications’ and ‘not contagious anymore’, the 60-year-old has returned to his home in the Egyptian capital.
The FIFA vice-president was taken to hospital hours after testing positive for Covid-19 on 30 October.
“Doctors have prescribed at least 20 days of convalescence, during which he will have to limit his efforts in order to fully recover his energy,” said a CAF statement.
The Malagasy is at the start of his campaign for re-election, while also facing an ongoing Fifa ethics case.
In a month, he is scheduled to lead Africa’s General Assembly.
“President Ahmad would like to personally and sincerely thank all the medical staff of AS Salam International Hospital for their support,” CAF added.
“He would also like to thank the work of (CAF’s) Vice-Presidents, as well as the General Secretary, who have carried out certain missions that the President was unable to accomplish at the time.”
Both Ahmad and CAF are facing a critical period, with candidates for next March’s presidential elections needing to register by the end of Thursday 12 November.
Three rivals came forward during Ahmad’s Covid-enforced stay – Jacques Anouma of Cote d’Ivoire, South African Patrice Motsepe and Mauritania’s Ahmed Yahya all announcing bids.
Ahmad tested positive for coronavirus two days after his campaign for a second term began, with news of a possible ban by FIFA emerging shortly afterwards.
BBC Sport Africa understands he has been found to have breached various codes of ethics, with Ahmad previously denying any wrongdoing.
A decision from football’s world governing body is expected towards the end of the month.
On 11 December, CAF- which has had a turbulent 18 months, during a third of which FIFA worked in its Cairo headquarters in a bid to improve governance – holds its General Assembly in Ethiopia, by video conference as back-up if also affected by Covid-19.
CAF’s elections are scheduled to take place in the Moroccan capital Rabat on 12 March.
-BBC
The president of the Confédération of African Football, Dr. Patrice Motsepe, has announced five new CAF Vice Presidents. They are:
- CAF First Vice President: Mr Fouzi Lekjaa (Morocco)
- CAF Second Vice President: Mr Kurt Okraku (Ghana)
- CAF Third Vice President: Mr Pierre-Alain Mounguengui (Gabon)
- CAF Fourth Vice President: Ms Bestine Kazadi Ditabala (Democratic Republic of Congo)
- CAF Fifth Vice President: Mr Feizal Sidat (Mozambique)
In addition, the CAF President has co-opted Yacine Idriss Diallo, President of Fédération Ivoirienne de football, into the CAF Executive Committee.
The CAF Executive Committee also approved the names to fill vacant positions on several CAF Committees.
Organising Committee for the African Nations Championship (CHAN)
- President: Pierre-Alain Mounguengui (Gabon)
CAF Technical and Development Committee
- President: Samuel Eto’o (Cameroon)
- Vice President: Malouche Belhassen (Tunisia)
CAF Medical Committee:
- President: Dr. Mohammed Bouya (Mauritania)
- Vice President: Dr. Thulani Ngwenya (South Africa)
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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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