Governing Bodies
ARSENAL CLOSE DOOR ON FURTHER AUBAMEYANG’S PLAY FOR GABON AFTER AIRPORT HORROR
Premiership side, Arsenal have been left furious by the way Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was treated while away on international duty with Gabon, with the national team manager believing their star striker could be blocked from future call-ups.
According to Daily Mail, the Arsenal forward revealed through a series of pictures on social media how he and the rest of Gabon squad were forced to sleep on the floor after arriving at Banjul International Airport in Gambia on Monday morning.
After having their passports taken, Aubameyang revealed that he and his team-mates were made to feel like ‘hostages’ before being allowed into the country six hours later for their Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Gambia.
The incident sparked an investigation by African football’s governing body into the hold up, which left Arsenal furious with how their talismanic striker had been treated.
Gabon boss Patrice Neveu now believes that the incident will see Arsenal prevent Aubameyang from representing his country again – and he expects the same from other players’ clubs.
Neveu told reporters on Wednesday: ‘Arsenal called Pierre-Emerick. After seeing him in those conditions, it’s over… They won’t let him come again, and it will be the same for players from other clubs.
‘It’s understandable. They are high level players and when they come on international duty, they need to have a minimum of comfort.’
He added: ‘All the players tried to sleep on the airport floor. Imagine if Aubameyang, a player who costs more than €1million per month, gets injured.
‘[Arsenal] can be annoyed after what’s happened, to make a player sleep the floor.’
Aubameyang detailed the saga in social media posts and called on the Confederation of African Football (CAF) to act.
The delay had already begun before Aubameyang’s first post at 11.30pm. After further messages, including images of team-mates sleeping on the airport floor, Gabon were finally on the bus to their hotel at 5.56am, less than 12 hours before kick-off.
The incident led to accusations of dirty tricks by Gambia, who won the Group D clash 2-1.
Aubameyang said in a Twitter message to CAF: ‘Just want to know why Gambia keep our passports for hours and they keep us at the airport. Are we hostage or what? Are you gonna close your eyes.’
The 31-year-old then replied to a fan who had suggested that teams are using new Covid-19 restrictions to employ intimidation tactics so as to give their team an advantage, insisting that the Gabonese are now more motivated than before.
‘It will not demotivate us but people need to know and especially that the @CAF_Online [Confederation of African Football] take these responsibilities,’ Aubameyang replied. ‘2020 and we want Africa to grow, that’s not how we’re going to get there !!!’
CAF, who are investigating the incident, held an ‘emergency’ video conference call between the two countries on Monday.
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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