Governing Bodies
Finally, spectators are barred from all Tokyo 2020 Olympic events
Olympics Minister Tamayo Marukawa has confirmed that fans will be banned from all Olympic venues in Japanese capital Tokyo in response to the new coronavirus state of emergency.
Organisers had planned to allow 10,000 fans or 50 per cent of a venue’s capacity, but this was under the assumption that Tokyo would not even be under a quasi-state of emergency, and they have performed a U-turn following today’s announcement that Tokyo will be under a state of emergency for the duration of the Games.
It comes amid a fresh spike in COVID-19 infections in Tokyo and on the day International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach arrived in the city.
Tokyo’s state of emergency is provisionally set to end on August 22 – two weeks after the conclusion of the Olympics and two days before the Opening Ceremony of the Paralympics.
This new policy was agreed on at a meeting attended by Bach and representatives from the IOC, the International Paralympic Committee, Tokyo 2020, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government and the Japanese Government.
A joint statement between the five parties was released confirming this, while allowing room for other prefectures to allow spectators.
“No spectators will be allowed into any venues in Tokyo during the Olympic Games,” read the statement.
“Under this policy, in areas where emergency measures are not in force, local Government authorities will meet and decide specific measures in consultation with the local governors based on the situation in each area.”
Seiko Hashimoto, President of Tokyo 2020, said she was “sorry” for the ticket holders who could no longer attend the Games.
“It is extremely regrettable that the Games will be staged in a very limited manner in the face of the spread of novel coronavirus infections,” said Hashimoto.
“I am very sorry for ticket holders and local residents who were looking forward to the Games.”
The results of a ticket lottery system was expected to be announced on Saturday (July 10), but this will now be scrapped.
“We have shown this responsibility since the day of the postponement and we will also show it today and we will support any measure which is necessary to have a safe and secure Olympic and Paralympic Games for the Japanese people and all the participants,” said Bach.
In the event of significant change in the state of infection, a meeting between the five parties will be convened immediately to review the spectator capacity.
Yesterday Tokyo reported 920 new COVID-19 infections, registering the highest daily count since mid-May, which factored into the Government’s decision to implement the state of emergency and the ban on spectators at the Games.
Initially, projected ticket revenue for Tokyo 2020 was approximately 90 billion yen (£596 million/$821 million/€692 million).
The Tokyo 2020 Olympics is scheduled to take place from July 23 to August 8.
A decision was to be made on the policy for the Paralympic Games on July 16, a week before the Olympics Opening Ceremony, however this will now be delayed until after the Olympics ends.
-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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