Governing Bodies
FORMER FIFA HEAD BLATTER REVEALS POSITIVE TEST FOR COVID-19
Banned former FIFA President Sepp Blatter has revealed he has recovered from COVID-19 after testing positive last month.
Blatter, serving a six-year suspension from football for a “disloyal payment” he made to ex-UEFA President Michel Platini, told The Athletic he had contracted coronavirus in November.
The 84-year-old said he went to hospital in Switzerland after returning a positive COVID-19 test and underwent a two-week recovery.
“I was affected by the virus,” said Blatter, who was FIFA President for 17 years before leaving the post in June 2015 after the worldwide governing body was plunged into crisis with the arrest of several executives on suspicion of corruption.
“I was in quarantine for 14 days and now I’m back.
“I have no symptoms and I’m ready to fight again.
“It was three weeks ago.
“I had a cold and then I had a high temperature.
“It was just one night when I didn’t feel well.
“I had been in Zurich and when I got back to where I live I went to see my doctor.
“He immediately sent me to hospital and they tested me and said it was positive.
“But then I had no symptoms during the fortnight and I feel well.”
Swiss prosecutors last month reportedly instigated criminal proceedings against Blatter and Platini regarding the CHF2 million (£1.6million/$2.2million/€1.8million) payment, which the former FIFA head made to the former France international in 2011.
Criminal proceedings have opened against Blatter since the allegation was revealed in September 2015, and was extended to Platini in June.
Both maintained the payment was made as part of an oral agreement for work Platini carried out for Blatter between 1998 and 2002, but FIFA’s Ethics Committee dismissed that claim and its ruling was later upheld by the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
Blatter was also accused of once gifting $1million (£740,000/€830,000) to the Trinidad and Tobago Football Association and the now-disgraced football official Jack Warner.
It was claimed the unsecured loan was given interest-free and was later waived by FIFA.
Blatter is named as an “accused person” in the case, along with former FIFA general secretary Jérôme Valcke and finance director Markus Kattner.
–insidethegames
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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