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TOKYO 2020 OLYMPIC GAMES NOT CERTAIN

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A high-profile member of the Olympic movement has cast doubt on whether the rescheduled Tokyo Games will proceed in the summer.

The BBC has reported Canadian Dick Pound, 78, as saying: “I can’t be certain because the ongoing elephant in the room would be the surges in the virus.”

His comments come on the back of Games host Japan declaring a limited state of emergency   in the capital, Tokyo, and three neighbouring prefectures on Thursday (Jan 7) to stem the spread of the coronavirus.

The Japanese government said the one-month emergency would run from Friday to Feb 7 in Tokyo and the Saitama, Kanagawa and Chiba prefectures, covering about 30 per cent of the country’s population.

The measure comes just over six months before the virus-postponed Tokyo 2020 Olympics are due to open, and Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga this week insisted he was still committed to holding the Games as “proof of mankind’s victory over the virus”.

But the emergency is likely to harden public opinion, with a majority already opposed to holding the quadrennial Games this year even before the third wave worsened.

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Japan has yet to approve a coronavirus vaccine, with Mr Suga saying he hopes the first jabs can begin in late February.

The situation around the rest of the world is no better, with much of Europe and the United States also in the grip of a second or third wave of the virus.

The US counted a record number of daily coronavirus deaths on Thursday at nearly 4,000, during which the country notched 265,246 new infections, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.

On Wednesday, the day England went into a lockdown, Britain recorded 62,322 new coronavirus infections and 1,041 deaths.

The same day, Portugal – a nation of just 10 million people – reported 10,000 new cases while Ireland closed its schools in a bid to bring its own infection rates under control.

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There are also two variations of Covid-19 steadily making their way around the world. The British strain and another which emerged in South Africa are both believed to be more infectious versions of the virus.

The Games, originally set to take place last year, have been postponed till July 23 to Aug 8.

Pound, the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) longest-serving member, is one of the Olympic movement’s most vocal officials. A former chief of the World Anti-Doping Agency, he was one of the first IOC members to indicate early last year that the Tokyo Olympics were in doubt because of the pandemic.

That eventually came to pass with the IOC and the Japanese government jointly announcing that in March that the Games would be delayed by a year.

On Thursday, Pound told Sky News that “the most realistic way of it going ahead” would be for athletes to be vaccinated before the Olympics, suggesting that Tokyo-bound athletes should be given priority access to the coronavirus vaccines.

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-Reuters/AFP

Kunle Solaja is the author of landmark books on sports and journalism as well as being a multiple award-winning journalist and editor of long standing. He is easily Nigeria’s foremost soccer diarist and Africa's most capped FIFA World Cup journalist, having attended all FIFA World Cup finals from Italia ’90 to Qatar 2022. He was honoured at the Qatar 2022 World Cup by FIFA and AIPS.

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Governing Bodies

FIFA Museum Unveils Groundbreaking Exhibition on Football Innovation

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The FIFA Museum in Zurich has launched a new special exhibition titled Innovation in Action: Football Technologies on and off the Pitch, offering visitors an unprecedented glimpse into how innovation is transforming the world’s most popular sport.

Opened on Monday, October 1, 2025, the immersive showcase was developed in collaboration with the FIFA Innovation Team and other departments within world football’s governing body. It explores how cutting-edge technology supports players, referees, and fans—enhancing performance, ensuring fairness, and enriching the overall football experience—while preserving the game’s passion and human spirit.

“What makes this exhibition truly special is that we can give visitors a never-before-seen behind-the-scenes look that allows them to step inside football innovation, experiencing it hands-on rather than just reading about it,” said Marco Fazzone, Managing Director of the FIFA Museum. “We offer a glimpse at technologies and tools that fans don’t normally get to experience up close, while also showing how innovation has evolved over almost 100 years of FIFA World Cup history.”

Organised around five themed sections — Broadcasting & Media, Intelligent Data, Refereeing & Fair Play, Staging the Game, and the Innovation Lab — the exhibition blends rare artefacts with interactive displays. Visitors can relive football’s broadcast evolution, from the black-and-white footage of the 1954 World Cup to today’s ultra-slow motion 4K replays, and even step into a virtual referee booth to experience the pressures of officiating in real time.

Among the standout features is the FIFA Player App, which allows fans to explore Chelsea star Cole Palmer’s performance statistics from the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 Final, illustrating how data helps players refine their craft.

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Another exhibit showcases Canada goalkeeper Kailen Sheridan’s water bottle from the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 — marked with opponents’ penalty data — revealing how analytics influence critical moments.

Visitors can also view a referee body camera used at the FIFA Club World Cup 2025, giving a fresh perspective on decision-making from the official’s point of view.

The exhibition invites visitors to engage directly with football technology. They can test their reflexes and judgment as referees, operate goal-line technology systems, or assume the role of a broadcast director managing live match feeds. Data enthusiasts can analyse player movements, while aspiring innovators can design their own football tech concepts inside the Innovation Lab.

Innovation in Action runs until 31 March 2026 at the FIFA Museum in Zurich. Entry is included with a standard museum ticket.

With its rich mix of storytelling, interactivity, and history, the exhibition promises to be a must-see experience for anyone passionate about the future of the beautiful game.

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Football cannot solve conflict but carries message of peace, says FIFA’s Infantino

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FIFA President Gianni Infantino Media Briefing - Shangri-La Bosphorus Hotel, Istanbul, Turkey - February 15, 2019 FIFA President Gianni Infantino during a media briefing REUTERS/Murad Sezer

 FIFA President Gianni Infantino said on Thursday that football could not solve conflicts, but it must carry a message of peace and unity as Israel’s military operation in Gaza and other global tensions fuel calls for the sport to take a stand.

“At FIFA, we are committed to using the power of football to bring people together in a divided world,” Infantino told a FIFA Council meeting in Zurich where he met Palestinian federation president Jibril Rajoub.

“Our thoughts are with those who are suffering in the many conflicts that exist around the world today, and the most important message that football can convey right now is one of peace and unity.”

Infantino said world football’s governing body could not solve geopolitical crises, but “it can and must promote football around the world by harnessing its unifying, educational, cultural and humanitarian values.”

“I met Palestinian Football Association (PFA) President Jibril Rajoub today at the Home of FIFA in Zurich to discuss the ongoing situation in the Middle East region,” Infantino later wrote on Instagram.

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“I commend President Rajoub and the PFA for their resilience at this time and I reiterated to him FIFA’s commitment to using the power of football to bring people together in a divided world.”

FIFA has faced repeated calls to act over the war in Gaza, with Palestinian officials pressing for Israel to be suspended from international football.

The issue has been under review by FIFA for months, but no decision has been taken. Infantino has consistently said such matters require consensus with the confederations and must be handled with caution.

The comments came a day after FIFA Vice President Victor Montagliani noted that any decision over Israel’s participation in European competitions, including World Cup qualifiers, was a matter for UEFA to decide, effectively putting the onus on the European body.

“First and foremost, it (Israel) is a member of UEFA, no different than I have to deal with a member of my region for whatever reason… They have to deal with that,” Montagliani told reporters at the Leaders sports business conference on Wednesday.

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Israel are third in Europe’s Group I of the qualifying stage for next year’s World Cup in the U.S., Canada and Mexico. Amnesty International on Wednesday sent a letter to FIFA and UEFA calling on them to suspend the Israel Football Association.

-Reuters

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NFF Clarifies Position on Statutes, Denies Plans for Immediate Amendments

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The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has dismissed reports suggesting that its Statutes will be amended at this year’s Annual General Assembly (AGA), insisting that no such plans are on the table for the September 27 meeting.

In a statement, the Federation stressed that the ongoing conversation around its Statutes remains at a preliminary stage and that suggestions of imminent changes are unfounded.

Ahead of the AGA, the NFF will host a workshop on September 26, bringing together representatives of its members, as well as officials from FIFA and CAF. According to the Federation, the forum is strictly consultative, designed to deliberate on proposals for new Statutes in line with the principles of good governance and international best practices.

The NFF explained that only after consensus is reached with its members will a separate General Assembly be convened to formally consider and adopt any proposed Statute changes.

“The NFF remains committed to due process, transparency, and working hand-in-hand with its General Assembly Members, FIFA, and CAF,” the statement read.

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“The ultimate goal is to establish enduring Statutes that will strengthen governance, broaden representation, and promote inclusivity within Nigerian football.”

The Federation added that the long-term reform framework is aimed at ensuring stability and progress across its structures and enhancing the participation of all stakeholders in the country’s football administration.

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