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.
FIFA’s independent Ethics Committee has banned former Guyana Football Federation (GFF) General Secretary Ian Alves from all football-related activities for five years after finding he sexually harassed female staff members.
FIFA also fined Alves 20,000 Swiss francs ($22,000) after determining that he had breached provisions of the FIFA Code of Ethics relating to the protection of physical and mental integrity, abuse of position and general duties.
“FIFA has a strict stance against all forms of abuse in football,” the organisation said on Monday.
The decision followed a review of written statements from the victims, documents provided by the GFF, submissions from Alves, and other evidence gathered during the investigation.
Alves stepped down from his position in 2024.
The ban came into force on Monday, when the terms of the decision were notified to Alves, and the full grounds for the ruling will be communicated within 60 days in accordance with the Code of Ethics, FIFA added.
The GFF did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment. Alves could not immediately be reached for comment.
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FIFA President Gianni Infantino said on Thursday that he planned to seek re-election for a fourth term in a bid to continue to lead the governing body of world soccer.
Infantino confirmed he would run for the 2027–2031 term in the closing moments of the FIFA Congress in Vancouver, which comes less than two months before the start of the World Cup.
The election will be held on March 18 in Morocco, which is set to co-host the 2030 World Cup.
Infantino said he was “honoured and humbled” to have the chance to run for a fourth term.
The Italian-Swiss took office in 2016, replacing Sepp Blatter, and was re-elected unopposed in 2019 and 2023.
Infantino has pushed for the expansion of FIFA competitions during his tenure, with this year’s World Cup in North America the first to feature 48 teams, while the women’s tournament in 2023 has been expanded to 32 teams.
Infantino’s tenure has also drawn some criticism over issues such as high World Cup ticket prices and the decision to award the inaugural FIFA Peace Prize to U.S. President Donald Trump at the World Cup draw in December.
Earlier this month, the council of South American football’s governing body (CONMEBOL) said in a statement it would unanimously support the 56-year-old if he decided to seek another term.
-Reuters
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The supporters of Vancouver Whitecaps, a professional football (soccer) club in Canada, have staged a protest outside the FIFA Congress on Thursday, voicing fears that the Major League Soccer club could be relocated as uncertainty deepens over its ownership and long-term future.
The club is one of Canada’s most historic football institutions and has long been a central part of Vancouver’s sporting identity.
Around 100 fans gathered as delegates arrived for the annual FIFA meeting in Vancouver, chanting, singing and waving club flags in a show of solidarity. The demonstration comes just days after Vancouver Whitecaps FC revealed difficulties in securing a buyer willing to keep the club in the city.
The Whitecaps disclosed earlier this week that “stadium economics, venue access and revenue limitations” have complicated efforts to sell the club, despite a 16-month search for new ownership.
Season ticket holder Derek Hawksworth said supporters felt compelled to act amid growing fears of relocation.
“I wanted to come down given the threat of the team possibly moving,” he said. “It’s a rich history with the Whitecaps in North America… we want Vancouver to stay and not relocate. The history is here, and we want to continue with that history moving forward.”
The Vancouver Whitecaps are a professional football (soccer) club based in Vancouver, Canada. They currently compete in Major League Soccer (MLS), the top-tier league in the United States and Canada.
Concerns were heightened by reports that cities such as Las Vegas and Phoenix are leading contenders should the club relocate.
Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim has urged intervention, calling on the provincial government — which owns BC Place — to negotiate a “bridge deal” that would allow the team to remain while plans for a new stadium are explored. The club’s current lease at BC Place expires at the end of the year.
Despite the off-field uncertainty, the Whitecaps have been one of the standout teams this MLS season. They currently sit second in the Western Conference with 24 points from nine matches, just three points behind the San Jose Earthquakes.
For supporters, however, performances on the pitch offer little comfort as the future of their club hangs in the balance — a situation they hope global football leaders gathering in Vancouver will not ignore.
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