Governing Bodies
Bombshell! Japan’s top shot wants IOC president banned from Tokyo 2020
Japan’s opposition leader believes International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach should be banned from attending Tokyo 2020, along with others who are not “essential” for the Games.
Yukio Edano, the head of the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, said the German, world leaders and other VIPs could take part in the Olympics remotely.
He argued that only athletes, referees and support staff should be allowed to attend while warning that Tokyo 2020 could cause an “explosion” of new coronavirus infections.
Edano’s words come amid high levels of opposition to Tokyo 2020 going ahead in Japan, due to fears the Games could be a COVID-19 “super-spreader” event.
The 57-year-old is due to challenge Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, and his ruling Liberal Democratic Party, at this year’s Japanese General Election which is due on or before October 22.
The success or failure of Tokyo 2020 will likely be a key campaign topic as politicians scramble for votes.
“We shouldn’t let anyone into Japan other than those who are absolutely essential for the events,” Edano said to Bloomberg.
“That means athletes, referees and support staff.
“Leaders and President Bach can take part in the Opening Ceremony remotely.
“It’s perfectly simple in this day and age.”
Bach said yesterday that he would not travel to Japan this month as had previously been suggested.
He instead plans to arrive in the “middle of July”, with Tokyo scheduled to hold the IOC Session and Executive Board meetings before the Olympics, which are due to open on July 23.
The IOC, Tokyo 2020 and Suga have insisted they are pressing ahead with the Games, which are scheduled to run until August 8, despite the fears among the local population.
Tokyo remains under a state of emergency after a spike in infections, with more than 2,000 cases recorded in Japan yesterday.
Vaccine roll-out has also been slower than in other developed countries, which has exacerbated anxiety.
The programme is picking up speed which has seen opposition to the Games decrease, although it remains at a significant level.
The IOC claimed this week that the number of athletes set to compete at Tokyo 2020 who have either been vaccinated or are “in the process” of being inoculated is now “over and above 80 per cent”.
International fans have already been banned, and a decision on Japanese spectators is due to be made by the end of the month.
“If you hold the Olympics, people will move around, everyone will relax,” Edano said.
“Unfortunately, there is sure to be an explosion of infections.”
-insidethegames
By Kunle Solaja.
Nigeria is set to host the 48th Ordinary General Assembly of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), marking the third time the country will stage the continent’s top football gathering.
The development was confirmed in a statement issued by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), which disclosed that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, on the sidelines of the ongoing Africa Forward Summit in Nairobi, Kenya, approved Nigeria’s proposal to host the event.
The approval followed a meeting between President Tinubu and CAF President Patrice Motsepe, attended by Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, NFF President Ibrahim Musa Gusau, former NFF President and Special Adviser to the CAF President Amaju Melvin Pinnick, as well as CAF Acting General Secretary Samson Adamu.
Sports Villages Square affirms that Nigeria previously hosted the CAF Congress at the National Theatre in Lagos in March 1980 and again in February 2009, when the late CAF President Issa Hayatou secured another four-year term in office.
In addition to this year’s 48th Ordinary General Assembly, scheduled for October, Nigeria also secured the hosting rights of the CAF Awards ceremony. The annual awards gala, which celebrates Africa’s top football performers, has been staged in Morocco over the past three years.
Nigeria had earlier hosted the CAF Awards when telecom firm, Globacom, was the headline sponsor. This year’s event will be the seventh to be held in Nigeria after those of 2005, 2008, 2009, 2013, 2014 and 2016.
The CAF Ordinary General Assembly traditionally attracts key football stakeholders from across the continent, including presidents of CAF’s 54 member associations, representatives of the six zonal unions and senior football administrators.
The CAF Awards ceremony is regarded as one of African football’s flagship events, honouring outstanding players, coaches, clubs and officials in a glamorous setting that showcases the continent’s football excellence.
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FIFA’s independent Ethics Committee has banned former Guyana Football Federation (GFF) General Secretary Ian Alves from all football-related activities for five years after finding he sexually harassed female staff members.
FIFA also fined Alves 20,000 Swiss francs ($22,000) after determining that he had breached provisions of the FIFA Code of Ethics relating to the protection of physical and mental integrity, abuse of position and general duties.
“FIFA has a strict stance against all forms of abuse in football,” the organisation said on Monday.
The decision followed a review of written statements from the victims, documents provided by the GFF, submissions from Alves, and other evidence gathered during the investigation.
Alves stepped down from his position in 2024.
The ban came into force on Monday, when the terms of the decision were notified to Alves, and the full grounds for the ruling will be communicated within 60 days in accordance with the Code of Ethics, FIFA added.
The GFF did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment. Alves could not immediately be reached for comment.
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FIFA President Gianni Infantino said on Thursday that he planned to seek re-election for a fourth term in a bid to continue to lead the governing body of world soccer.
Infantino confirmed he would run for the 2027–2031 term in the closing moments of the FIFA Congress in Vancouver, which comes less than two months before the start of the World Cup.
The election will be held on March 18 in Morocco, which is set to co-host the 2030 World Cup.
Infantino said he was “honoured and humbled” to have the chance to run for a fourth term.
The Italian-Swiss took office in 2016, replacing Sepp Blatter, and was re-elected unopposed in 2019 and 2023.
Infantino has pushed for the expansion of FIFA competitions during his tenure, with this year’s World Cup in North America the first to feature 48 teams, while the women’s tournament in 2023 has been expanded to 32 teams.
Infantino’s tenure has also drawn some criticism over issues such as high World Cup ticket prices and the decision to award the inaugural FIFA Peace Prize to U.S. President Donald Trump at the World Cup draw in December.
Earlier this month, the council of South American football’s governing body (CONMEBOL) said in a statement it would unanimously support the 56-year-old if he decided to seek another term.
-Reuters
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