Governing Bodies
Afghanistan IOC member Samira Asghari calls for help to evacuate country’s female athletes
Afghanistan’s International Olympic Committee (IOC) member Samira Asghari has pleaded for help to evacuate the country’s female athletes, coaches and support teams from the country.
In a tweet posted today Asghari writes: “Please Afghanistan national female athletes, coaches and their entourage need your help, we must get them out of Taliban’s hands means out of Afghanistan in particular Kabul.
“Please do something before it is too late.”
Asghari tagged the accounts of the United States’ diplomat Ross Wilson, the US 3×3 basketball team and the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee.
The Taliban has swept back to power in Afghanistan in a development that has raised serious fears over what it will mean for women’s rights and women’s sport, which the group views as un-Islamic.
Zakia Khudadadi had been due to become the first female athlete to represent Afghanistan at a Paralympic Games at Tokyo 2020, but it was announced earlier this week that the situation and lack of flights from the country meant that she would no longer be able to participate in the Para taekwondo competition.
As reported by Kyodo News, Khudadadi has also appealed for support to reach the Paralympics.
“I am an Afghan woman, and as a representative of Afghan women, I ask you to help me,” Khudadadi said.
“My intention is to participate in the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games.
“Please hold my hand and help me.”
The 23-year-old said she is “imprisoned inside the house” with relatives in Afghanistan’s capital Kabul, and “cannot even go outside this house with confidence and with security to go out to buy a few things for myself or to train.”
Afghanistan sent five athletes to the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games and one to the Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro in 2016.
However, the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) confirmed earlier this week that the country would no longer feature at Tokyo 2020.
A spokesperson for the IOC said when asked about Asghari’s tweet: “The IOC is monitoring the situation and is in contact with the sport community in Afghanistan.
“At the same time, we have forwarded relevant information to a number of responsible Governments.
“For obvious reasons of security of concerned people, we would not comment further at this stage.”
Asghari is the first IOC member from Afghanistan.
She was elected in October 2018, and is a peace and human rights advocate in her country.
The Taliban has declared victory in Afghanistan, as well as its intention to form a new Government and establish international relations after taking the capital Kabul.
The Islamist group believes in Sharia law and vigorously restricts the freedoms of women.
Female employees in some areas taken over by the group have been told not to return to their jobs, while in others women must wear a burqa if they leave home, and must be accompanied by a male guardian.
The group said this week that it will respect’s women’s rights “within the framework of Islam”, and would welcome women in Government positions.
However, doubts remain internationally.
The Taliban imposed severe restrictions on women during its rule of Afghanistan in the late 1990s, but was removed from power in an operation led by US forces in 2001.
An “agreement for bringing peace” was signed between the Taliban and the US in February 2020 during the Donald Trump administration, and President Joe Biden announced in April this year that all US troops would leave Afghanistan by September 11.
However, in recent weeks the Taliban has advanced across Afghanistan, and the country’s President Ashraf Ghani fled on Sunday (August 15).
Kabul’s airport has been closed to commercial flights, but thousands have been desperately attempting to escape the country, with videos showing huge numbers of people on the runway, while others have fallen to their deaths after attempting to cling to an aircraft as it took off.
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Governing Bodies
Sanusi set for record-extending tenure as Nigeria’s football politicians assemble in Asaba
BY KUNLE SOLAJA.
Speculations gathered ahead of the 2024 Annual General Meeting of the Nigeria Football Federation holding in Asaba on Friday have it that tenure elongation for the General Secretary, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi, is a major item on the agenda.
Neither formal confirmation nor denial has been issued since one of the leading newspapers in Nigeria, ThisDay dropped the hint.
The agenda of the meeting is also not made public. Dr, Sanusi is the longest-serving General Secretary in history having been in office from 30 March 2015 making 3,476 days or nine years six months and four days.
It easily drowned that of his closest rival in tenure – Sani Toro whose tenure from 21 December 1993 to 3 May 1999 is merely 2020 days or five years, six months and 12 days.
Thus, no one had enjoyed a longer period in office than the incumbent, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi. It is speculated that the tenure will be extended as NFF has reported that all delegates have arrived in the Delta State capital by Thursday evening.
The NFF Annual General Assembly, the first of which took place 90 years ago in Lagos on 19 February 1934, is the biggest assemblage of football administrators and stakeholders in the country.
In one such meeting on 24 July 2008 in Makurdi, the football body changed its name from NFA to NFF.
This year, according to a press release by the NFF, the plenary will have in attendance, the chairmen and secretaries of football associations in the 36 States and the Federal Capital Territory, chairmen and secretaries of the Nigeria Premier Football League, Nigeria National League, Nigeria Women Football League and the Nationwide League One, as well as chairmen and secretaries of the referees’ association, players’ union and coaches’ association. This group of 88 makes up the Congress.
They are joined by the members of the NFF Executive Committee and the management team as well as former NFF Presidents and General Secretaries.
The Minister of Sports Development, John Owan Enoh, is announced as the special guest. Nigeria’s Member of the FIFA Council, Amaju Melvin Pinnick is also expected as well as a representative of the West African Football Union (WAFU B).
The Governor of Delta State, Sheriff Francis Oborevwori will declare the General Assembly open.
Venue is the Unity Hall of the Delta State Government House.
Governing Bodies
Like in Egypt, former Nigerian Olympian, Sadiq Abdulahi wants Tinubu to declare ‘State of Emergency’ in Sports
Former Nigerian tennis player and Olympian, Prof. Sadiq Abdulahi has called for drastic action to arrest the decline of Nigeria in global sporting events.
The former tennis player who is now a professor in the United States declared that the “failure to win a medal at the regular 2024 Paris Olympics, the few medals at the Paris Paralympic and the fallout at the National Youth Sports Festival has exposed the deep problems facing the sport’s sector.”
He wants Nigeria to have the same approach that the Egyptian president has taken while reacting to the country’s performance at the Paris 2024 Olypics.
Egypt’s President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi ordered a comprehensive evaluation of sports federations that participated at the Paris Olympic Games, following a mission report submitted by the country’s sports minister.
According to Prof. Abdulahi, the National Sports Federations charged with the preparation of elite athletes have failed to do their job despite the cry for funding from the government.
“Federal Government cannot adequately fund all the Olympics sports. It is impossible.
“By declaring a state of emergency, new people, new approaches and new funding models will be identified. More importantly, the Federal Government will redefine grassroots sports development.
“We will lay sustainable foundation for sports development.”
Continuing, he called for the return of the National Sports Commission (NSC) which enabling decree was abolished through Decree No. 7 of 1991, but came back through presidential proclamation under Sani Abacha before it was abolished again.
The original NSC was established in 1964 as National Sports Council before the promulgation of Decree 34 of 1971 which legalised it as the apex Federal Government agency to control, regulate and organize sports.
“The FG may now bring back the National Sports Commission or the National Sports Authority. Our emerging national economy with the full participation of the private sector can support this new beginning. I hope this helps.”
RELATED STORY: President Al-Sisi orders sports system overhaul
Governing Bodies
CAF gives Yoruba and Arabic interpretations of ‘OLA’ the Super Cup 2024 Official Match Ball
The Confédération African of Football, CAF, has given the linguistics interpretation of OLA, the confederation’s official match balls produced by Puma which has also unveiled a special edition for the Super Cup duel holding on Friday in Saudi Arabia.
According to CAF, OLA, symbolizing the dynamic and energetic nature of African football, means “wealth,” “honour,” and “respect” in Yoruba and “rise” and “success” in Arabic.
The OLA ball stands out with its vibrant design and cultural significance. “OLA”
The ball is a mix of black and gold, representing power and sophistication. The ball will be the centrepiece of the eagerly-awaited match between the two giants of African football.
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