Governing Bodies
TOKYO 2020 TORCH RELAY “IN DISARRAY”
The Tokyo 2020 Torch Relay has suffered its most serious disruption so far on the first day of its scheduled visit to the islands of Okinawa as organisers revealed six further positive COVID-19 tests connected to the event.
The cases had been reported after the stage in Kagoshima which took place earlier in the week before a two day break whilst the Flame was taken to Okinawa.
The Mainichi Shimbun has reported that “the Torch Relay was in disarray.”
The newspaper said: “From the very beginning, the months-long event was faced with a dilemma between fostering momentum for the games and maintaining coronavirus preventive measures. And now, the virus resurgence is hitting the Relay head-on.”
Earlier today, runners did carry the Flame in a restricted Relay in Nago, a city on the Northern part of the Okinawa, but although nine stages were originally scheduled in the organisers official “day book”, almost all were held without spectators.
Japanese comedian Toshiyuki Teruya, a member of the “Garage Sale” duo better known by his stage name “Gori” received the Torch from Okinawa governor Tamaki Denny.
Former WBA light-flyweight champion Yoko Gushiken was amongst those who did get to carry the Flame along with local rock band HY.
Organisers had originally hoped that the Relay could proceed in the outlying islands tomorrow, but organisers confirmed that no events will be held in Miyakojima City because of “priority measures for containment of the spread of infection,” in what is being seen locally as the most drastic change to the schedule so far.
Hayako Shimizu, a teacher in Miyakojima, told the Associated Press News Agency “we don’t want people from outside the island coming in. Human life is at stake.”
The Flame had originally been scheduled to arrive in Miyakojima tomorrow at 3.10pm local time and a celebratory Cauldron was to have been lit at the conclusion of the stage.
The lack of spectators is in marked contrast to 1964 when Okinawa was the first staging point as the Flame arrived after an air journey from Athens which had taken it to many Asian cities en route.
The prefecture was then still under American administration but an estimated 40,000 turned out to witness its arrival.
Tokyo 2020 have announced further alterations to the Relay when it returns to the Japanese mainland next week. The Government has implemented a state of emergency for the traditional “Golden Week” holiday which runs until May 5.
The final section in Kumamoto City which was to have taken place on public roads on the evening of May 6 will now be held in the grounds of Kumamoto Castle.
There have already been truncated relays in Osaka, and Matsuyama in Ehime, where prefectural governor Tokihiro Nakamura was reported to have made a tearful apology to Torchbearers after the Relay was curtailed.
-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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