Governing Bodies
AMAJU PINNICK SET TO BECOME 3RD NIGERIAN IN FIFA COUNCIL
The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) in its twitter handle has announced that its president, Amaju Pinnick has been cleared to contest for a place in the FIFA Council.
The election holds in the sidelines of the CAF Executive Committee meeting holding in Rabat, Morocco on 12 March.
If he wins, Pinnick will be the third Nigerian to be in the governing board of FIFA after those of Oyo Orok Oyo (1980-1988) and Amos Adamu (2006 -2012).
Pinnick, through his verified twitter handle, also confirmed his clearance to contest the election.
:”As part of my commitment to keep pushing Nigerian and African football forwards and upwards, I would like to announce that I have now been cleared by the FIFA Review Committee to seek a position on the FIFA Council at the forthcoming elections scheduled for the 43rd Ordinary General Assembly of the Confederation of African Football; CAF, coming up in Rabat, Morocco on the 12th of March, later this year.
“The FIFA Review Committee has extremely stringent integrity, eligibility and security checks, and it is the first major step in seeking a seat at World Football’s governing table.
“With that extremely important test passed, I can continue to push for more representation of the African continent in world football.
“Since 2014, when I first got into the office of the President of the Nigeria Football Federation, I have always maintained that Nigeria and Africa deserves to be more visible in the administration of World Football and this is still part of that quest.
“Before our board came, Nigeria football was almost 100% Govt.-dependent. Now, we have attained 60% self-sufficiency with our drive to be totally financially independent still in effect.
“Hopefully, the next President of the Federation will build on what we have done and are doing, while ensuring that the relationships we have nurtured with Corporate Nigeria over time continues.
“I have been a member of the Executive Committee of the Confederation of African Football, and remain a member, while also becoming a member of the Organizing Committee for FIFA Competitions.
“The experience I have gathered over time has been truly invaluable and I know I can contribute a lot more to the World game while championing African interests as well.
“I’m hoping to get the support of my friends and critics alike, as I take the next inevitable step, while counting on the massive goodwill I have gotten over the years from the football press and public.”
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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