Governing Bodies
Fifa president, Infantino dragged into Israel-Palestine ‘battle’!
A planned visit by FIFA President Gianni Infantino to Palestine has been cancelled at the last minute, after a trip to Israel during which he appeared at two events organised by a former official linked to former United States President Donald Trump.
Infantino, making his first official visit to Israel, appeared at the opening of The Friedman Center for Peace through Strength at the Museum of Tolerance in Jerusalem set up by the former Trump-administration Ambassador to Israel David Friedman.
Infantino’s participation in the event angered the Palestinians, who cancelled a meeting between him and the President of the Palestinian Football Association (PFA), Jibril Rajoub, in Ramallah.
The Palestinians were angry both over the association with a Trump official whose policies they claim led to the Palestinians severing ties with the US, and the location at the Museum of Tolerance in Jerusalem.
The Palestinian Authority Foreign Ministry criticised the event, alleging that Friedman is “notorious for his extremist positions and support for annexation, colonisation and other crimes under international law in addition to his notorious efforts at denying the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people”.
The Palestinian Authority noted that the Museum of Tolerance was built on the site of Muslim graves.
“One of the basic requirements for peace is respect of religious sites, maintaining their status quo, and their status, and in the particular case of the Mamilla cemetery, to allow for its restoration rather than to continue the process of desecration,” it said in a statement.
The Palestinians, who had only been contacted by FIFA to arrange a visit for Infantino last Thursday (October 7), were arranging a series of meetings and events that would have included laying the foundation stone for the PFA Technical Centre.
They claimed that they understood Infantino was visiting football leaders in both countries and that it was a set of meetings that would discuss the issues that have hindered the development of football in Palestine, and find possible solutions to pending problems, not least the free movement of football players and equipment across borders.
When they discovered that Infantino, a member of the International Olympic Committee, had in fact attended the glitzy event alongside several high-ranking Trump administration officials, including former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and former Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin, they cancelled his visit.
This evening, Infantino was accompanied by Friedman and Mnuchin to watch Israel’s under-21 team play Latvia in Petah Tikva.
“The Palestine Football Association regrets the decision of FIFA President, Mr. Gianni Infantino, to take part in two events that take place at the so-called ‘Museum of Tolerance’, an edifice built over the Ma’manullah Islamic cemetery – the oldest Muslim cemetery in Jerusalem dating back to the 11th century – which we view as a total affrontment to the values of religious tolerance and peaceful coexistence, both endorsed by the FIFA statutes,” they said in a statement.
Rajoub had earlier written an urgent letter to Infantino, the PFA statement revealed, urging him not to take part in events since that would convey a message that is contradictory with “his public messages regarding FIFA’s commitment to human rights and the values of peaceful co-existence”.
In his letter, Rajoub warned Infantino that “this participation will be seen by many FIFA members as a politicisation of football, something which the FIFA President so adamantly opposed” and claimed, “that the FIFA President’s participation will be seen as a desecration of the Holy Site and will not contribute to bringing people together, but rather pull them apart”.
The PFA statement added that, “by deciding to ignore our concerns, and since we do not have the right to interfere in the agenda of a FIFA President, our only remaining alternative was to send our regrets for being unable to receive the FIFA delegation under such circumstances”.
During the visit to Israel, when he also appeared at the 10th Annual Jerusalem Post Conference, Infantino had claimed that the signing of the Abraham Accords, the US-brokered normalisation deals Israel signed last year with the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Sudan and Morocco, could eventually lead to Israel co-hosting the FIFA World Cup with its Arab neighbours.
Infantino had made sure to include Palestine among the countries that Israel could co-host the World Cup with.
“Why can’t we dream of the World Cup in Israel and its neighbours?” he asked.
“With the Abraham Accords, why should we not do it here in Israel with her neighbours in the Middle East and the Palestinians?
“Nothing is impossible.”
-insidethegames
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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