Governing Bodies
FORMER FIFA PRESIDENT BLATTER IN COMA AFTER HEART OPERATION
Former FIFA President Sepp Blatter spent a week in an induced coma after having heart surgery last month, his daughter has revealed.
Blatter contracted coronavirus in November before undergoing a heart procedure at a hospital in Switzerland in December.
The 84-year-old was moved out of intensive care this week, but Blatter’s daughter said there was “still a long way to go” in his recovery.
“He makes progress every day,” said Corinne Blatter Andenmatten in an interview with Swiss media company CH Media.
“Doctors are happy with his condition but there is still a long way to go.
“It is correct that he tested positive for COVID-19 in November.
“But he survived the virus without any major symptoms.
“But this disease is insidious.
“Maybe my father lost more substance than he wanted to admit.
“Shortly before Christmas he had to go to the hospital for a heart operation.
“He assumed it was a routine operation but then everything got more complicated and dangerous.
“Overall, he was in an artificial coma for over a week and was no longer responsive.
“We were very worried.
“That was the hardest and saddest Christmas time of my life.”
Blatter was President of FIFA for 17 years until 2015 when he resigned amid a corruption scandal which led to United States prosecutors indicting several officials.
Blatter is currently serving a six-year ban from football.
FIFA issued a complaint of “criminal mismanagement” against Blatter last month relating to his involvement in the FIFA Museum project in Zurich.
Those accusations were dismissed as “baseless” by Lorenz Erni, Blatter’s lawyer.
“He doesn’t know anything about the museum lawsuit,” said Blatter Andenmatten.
“And that’s just as well.
“He would just get upset unnecessarily.
“We keep these negative things away from him for as long as possible.”
Blatter Andenmatten also spoke of her anger towards FIFA President Gianni Infantino.
“I hope I never meet him again,” she said.
“I would probably lose my temper.
“It cannot be that Infantino takes such a stubborn stance against the man who left a nest for hi
A CHF2 million (£1.66 million/$2.26 million/€1.85 million) payment made by Blatter to former UEFA President Michel Platini in 2011 is still being investigated.
In November, it was reported that Swiss prosecutors had widened proceedings against Blatter and former French international – both of whom have maintained the payment was made as part of an oral agreement for work Platini carried out for Blatter between 1998 and 2002.
FIFA’s Ethics Committee dismissed that claim when it banned Blatter from all football-related activities, and its ruling was later upheld by the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
Blatter Andenmatten suggested the legal cases were having an impact on her father’s health.
“I am not a doctor – and neither am I a psychologist,” said Blatter Andenmatten.
“But if you consider what my father has had to put up with in the last five years, what previous convictions – without a state court having pronounced a judgment against him – you can imagine that he was under great pressure.”
Blatter Andenmatten said her father deserved to enjoy the rest of his life without being “constantly torpedoed” by FIFA and urged the worldwide governing body to leave him alone.
“I vehemently appeal to leave my father in peace and give him what he needs on the way to a hospital complete recovery of rest, time and relaxation,” she added.
-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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