Governing Bodies
Former Shooting Stars and Super Eagles player, Pascal blasts fire-stoking ex-internationals
Former Super Eagles’ star Patrick Pascal has admonished a few of his fellow ex-international players who have nothing doing other than gaslighting football’s political space, to get busy with more positive and worthy endeavours.
Speaking on telephone from his Bauchi base on Wednesday, Pascal a former player of the Shooting Stars of Ibadan who is also the Chairman of Bauchi State Football Association, charged this brand of ex-internationals to imbibe the culture of hard work, and to actively develop themselves and develop the social quotient and emotional intelligence to competently challenge the part of the system they have issues with, not engage in empty rabble-rousing.
“We need to sit down and reflect hard on what we actually want to pursue, cogitate and intelligently seek those things, once they are noble and presentable.
“What I see presently is just silly moves and talks to create confusion that benefits no one. If you are actually interested in helping the system, building the system and making it more robust in the interest of all, why stoke fire that could potentially burn everything down?
“If you want to be an administrator, why not take the pain to study the Statutes and see how you can come inside and gradually work your way up?
“If you want to be a coach, why not take the patience to earn your coaching badges and then seek employment even if from club level?
“I admire people like Imama Amapakabo, Kennedy Boboye, Emmanuel Amuneke and Finidi George for the steps they have taken.
“Even if you want to be a player-manager, the route is clearly defined. So, why the need to cause trouble and chaos if you actually mean well?”
Pascal is at sea on what any clear-thinking ex-international could have against an Amaju Pinnick-NFF that continues to break new grounds in attraction of corporate partnerships, international football politics, organizational branding, international teams’ travels and accommodation, support for women’s football, welfare for and recognition and honour of former players, office infrastructure for FAs across the States of the federation and many more.
“We have an NFF Board that is responsive and responsible, transparent and accountable. We have people who have the interest of the game at heart and who can knock at mighty doors and they get the ears of those who make big political decisions.
“We should support them and not make moves that will endanger the football environment and the industry itself.
“Look at it this way: for so many years now, we have been trying to get the recognition of FIFPRO so that our players can truly have a sense of belonging. No way.
“Now, we have someone in FIFA and CAF Executive Committees who cares about our case and is ready to get us back into FIFPRO.
“I was so happy seeing the President of Players’ Union, Tijjani Babangida being introduced to the CAF President in Cameroon some weeks ago. We didn’t get such recognition and honour in the past.
“Instead of us to come together, keep a calm head and work with such a man, some of us are busy writing meaningless and odious petitions all over the place. That is a total lack of focus and ambition.”
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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