Governing Bodies
SEVEN-TIME OLYMPIAN & MEDALLIST, HASHIMOTO APPOINTED TOKYO 2020 OLYMPICS PRESIDENT
Seiko Hashimoto has been appointed Tokyo 2020 President after accepting the vacant role following the resignation of Yoshirō Mori last week.
Hashimoto said she had met with Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga and had stepped down as Olympics Minister prior to taking up the position as head of the Organising Committee for the postponed Games.
The 56-year-old Olympic speed skating bronze medallist had been proposed for the job by the Candidate Selection Committee tasked with choosing Mori’s successor, but was reportedly initially reluctant to accept.
“I will spare no effort for the success of the Tokyo Games,” Hashimoto said.
Appointing a woman to the role is a highly significant move following the departure of Mori, who resigned after causing uproar with sexist comments about women.
International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach said appointing a female to lead the Organising Committee “sends a very important signal with regard to gender equality”.
“With her great Olympic experience, having won a medal, participated in seven editions of the Olympic Games and the Olympic Winter Games, and having led Japan’s delegation to the Olympic Games multiple times, she is the perfect choice for this position,” Bach added.
“She will ensure that the focus in the final months of preparation remains on the athletes’ experience while planning all the necessary COVID-19 countermeasures.”
Hashimoto, who had previously faced allegations of sexual harassment at the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics, was reportedly one of three candidates shortlisted by the Selection Committee.
Japanese media reported Yasuhiro Yamashita, the head of the Japanese Olympic Committee and gold medallist in judo at the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles, and Mikako Kotani, a double bronze medallist in synchronised swimming at Seoul 1988, were also in the running.
The Selection Committee, headed by 85-year-old Canon chief executive Fujio Mitarai, fast-tracked its process to find a replacement for Mori, with the rescheduled Tokyo 2020 Olympics set to open in just over five months.
It was established after the 83-year-old former Japanese Prime Minister bowed to widespread pressure and resigned as Tokyo 2020 President following his sexist remarks, when he suggested women talk too much.
International Paralympic Committee President Andrew Parsons said it was “essential that no time was left to waste” in replacing Mori and welcomed Hashimoto’s appointment.
“She knows the Games environment well as a seven-time Olympian and former Games Minister, is well connected politically and will bring a strong athlete viewpoint to the Organising Committee,” Parsons said.
“As the former Minister of State for Gender Equality and Minister in Charge of Women’s Empowerment, I look forward to her to using the Games as a platform to advance the diversity and inclusion agenda, not just in terms of gender, but sexuality, race and, importantly, persons with disabilities.”
Former Japan Football Association head Saburo Kawabuchi, who at 84 is a year older than Mori, had emerged as the favourite for the Tokyo 2020 Presidency but withdrew from consideration after plans to give him the role were widely criticised.
Despite initially claiming the issue was “closed” following Mori’s comments, the IOC branded Mori’s remarks “absolutely inappropriate” five days later.
The sexism row marked the latest crisis for organisers of the first postponed Olympic and Paralympic Games and came amid renewed concerns over whether the event would go ahead following a surge in COVID-19 cases across the world.
Hashimoto’s seven Olympic Games are a record for a Japanese woman, after her career as a speed skater and a cyclist.
She was best known for speed skating, competing on the ice at four Winter Olympics and winning bronze over 1500 metres in Albertville in 1992.
On the bike, Hashimoto competed at three Summer Olympics without winning a medal.
Towards the end of her sporting career she moved into politics and, as a member of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, was appointed Olympics Minister in September 2019 after a cabinet reshuffle.
She has also served as vice-president of the Japanese Olympic Committee, as a Tokyo 2020 Executive Board member and as Chef de Mission for Japan’s team at Rio 2016.
Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike, who publicly criticised Mori’s comments before he resigned, said she had “high expectations that she will approach operating the Games from an athlete’s perspective” given her experience in sport.
Hashimoto became embroiled in her own controversy at Sochi 2014 when she was seen kissing and embracing figure skater Daisuke Takahashi at a party.
Japanese magazine Shukan Bunshun claimed that Hashimoto “pounced” on the athlete, then 28, which led to allegations of sexual harassment.
Hashimoto denied the allegations and Takahashi said he had not been harassed, although she later issued an apology.
“About my reckless actions, I feel regret for an action I took seven years ago,” she said today.
“Back then as well as today, I am still reflecting on myself and what I have done – and what it has evolved into.”
-insidethegames
World football governing body, FIFA, today clocks its 122nd anniversary, celebrating more than a century of overseeing and expanding the global game.
Founded on May 21, 1904, in Paris, France, FIFA began with just seven member associations — France, Belgium, Denmark, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland.
From that modest beginning, the organisation has grown into the most influential sports governing body in the world, with 211 member associations spread across all continents.
Over the decades, FIFA has transformed football into a truly global phenomenon through competitions such as the FIFA World Cup, Women’s World Cup, Club World Cup, youth tournaments, and developmental programmes aimed at growing the game worldwide.
The organisation has also witnessed remarkable milestones, including the expansion of the men’s World Cup from 13 teams in 1930 to 48 teams beginning from the 2026 edition to be jointly hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
FIFA’s journey has equally reflected football’s growing influence beyond sport, with the game becoming a major tool for diplomacy, social inclusion, youth empowerment, and economic development across the world.
As FIFA celebrates 122 years of existence, attention is now focused on the future of the game, technological innovations, expanded competitions, women’s football growth, and the continued globalisation of football.
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UEFA has issued a lifetime ban to Petr Vlachovsky, a Czech women’s soccer coach who secretly filmed his players, the governing body announced on Tuesday.
Czech media reported that the coach was convicted in May 2025 and initially received a suspended one-year prison sentence and a five-year domestic coaching ban for filming FC Slovacko’s players in changing rooms, the youngest of whom was 17.
In a statement, UEFA’s Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body (CEDB) said it had decided to ban Vlachovsky “from exercising any football-related activity for life” following the appointment of an Ethics and Disciplinary Inspector to investigate allegations of potential misconduct.
“The CEDB further decided to request FIFA to extend the abovementioned ban on a worldwide level and to order the Football Association of the Czech Republic to revoke Mr Petr Vlachovsky’s coaching licence,” the statement added.
FC Slovacko did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment.
Football players’ union FIFPRO welcomed the ban as well as UEFA’s request for world soccer governing body FIFA to impose an international ban on Vlachovsky.
“This outcome sends a strong and necessary message that abusive and inappropriate behaviour has no place in football and that safeguarding the well-being of players must remain a priority at every level of the game,” FIFPRO added in a statement.
Vlachovsky had also previously served as coach of the Czech women’s Under-19s team.
RELATED STORY: https://sportsvillagesquare.com/2026/04/08/outrage-as-male-coach-who-secretly-filmed-women-players-still-free-to-work-in-football/
-Reuters
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Southampton have been kicked out of the Championship playoff final after being found guilty of spying on semi-final opponents Middlesbrough, the English Football League said on Tuesday.
Middlesbrough, who lost 2-1 to Southampton on aggregate in the semi, have been reinstated and will face Hull City on Saturday in what is dubbed the world’s richest soccer match.
Promotion to the Premier League, even with an immediate relegation, is estimated to be worth in the region of 200 million pounds ($268.10 million) over three seasons.
Southampton, who admitted the charges, were also found guilty of filming training sessions involving Oxford United in December and Ipswich Town in April during the regular season.
They have also been deducted four points from the start of next season in England’s second tier.
“An Independent Disciplinary Commission has today expelled Southampton from the Championship play-offs after the club admitted multiple breaches of EFL regulations related to the unauthorised filming of other clubs’ training,” the EFL said.
“Southampton admitted breaches of Regulations requiring Clubs to act with the utmost good faith and prohibiting the observation of another Club’s training session within 72 hours of a scheduled match.
“The effect of today’s order is that Middlesbrough are reinstated into the 2026 play-offs and will proceed to the play-off final against Hull City. The final remains scheduled for Saturday 23 May, with the kick-off time to be confirmed.”
The EFL confirmed that Southampton could appeal against the decision and that “parties are working to try and resolve any appeal on Wednesday 20 May.
“Subject to the outcome, it could result in a further change to Saturday’s fixture,” the statement said.
‘BORO CALLED FOR SOUTHAMPTON EXPULSION
Middlesbrough had called for Southampton’s expulsion after having a training session at their Rockliffe Park site filmed 48 hours ahead of the first leg of their playoff semi-final with Southampton which ended 0-0.
The north-east club said they welcomed the decision.
“We believe this sends out a clear message for the future of our game regarding sporting integrity and conduct,” the north Middlesbrough said in a statement.
“As a club, we are now focused on our game against Hull City at Wembley on Saturday.”
Southampton were relegated from the Premier League last season and were struggling in the early part of this campaign until a storming finish in which they went unbeaten in 19 league games to finish fourth and enter the playoffs.
The south-coast club are the first to fall foul of the Football League’s regulation 127 — brought in after Leeds United were found guilty of spying on Derby County seven years ago, an offence for which they were fined 200,000 pounds.
-Reuters
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