Governing Bodies
NFF will play key role in efforts to immortalize ‘Thunder’ Balogun, says Sanusi
General Secretary of the Nigeria Football Federation, Dr Mohammed Sanusi on Tuesday assured that the nation’s supreme football-ruling body will be available to contribute to the efforts being harnessed presently to celebrate and imoortalize a former captain and coach of the Senior Men National Team of Nigeria, Teslim ‘Thunder’ Balogun.
“Teslim Balogun played profound and remarkable roles in Nigeria Football, both as a player and as coach. His giant footprints are there for all to see. It is important that we play a key role in the ongoing efforts to celebrate and immortalize him, because that will send the right signals to both present and upcoming players that Nigeria do care.
“When we received the letter from your committee, the NFF President said he was interested in NFF being part of the programme and he insisted that we nominate someone to represent the Federation and give us feedback on all that was being done to celebrate ‘Thunder’ Balogun.
“He was an achiever and a role model, and the NFF will work with the committee to celebrate a legend of the Nigeria game.”
Sanusi made the statements when the organizing committee of the Thunder Balogun 50th Anniversary Celebrations paid him a courtesy call in his office at the NFF Secretariat, Moshood Abiola National Stadium, Abuja.
Chairman of the Organizing Committee, Dr Rafiu Oladipo stated that Teslim Balogun, who died in July 1972, was Nigeria’s first professional football player who made name and robust fame playing at home and abroad and also coached the Senior National Team. He said the committee has the mission of organizing a book launch, a seminar, football matches and airing documentaries on the legend during the one-week celebration in the month of July 2022.
Sanusi added that the NFF will be ready to liaise with fellow Football Associations in the African continent with regards to the planned international football matches, and also support the committee with some logistics to ensure the success of the event.
Other members of the committee present were Mr Jibola Balogun (son of the legend), Mr Lanre Arogundade, Mr Kunle Solaja, Mr Ademola Olajire and Pastor Emmanuel Olaseinde, secretary of the committee.
FIFA has sanctioned two lower division clubs in Kenya and Vietnam for match manipulation, relegating them to the third tier, world soccer’s governing body said on Friday.
FIFA’s Disciplinary Committee found Kenyan side Muhoroni Youth guilty of “activities related to the manipulation of football matches and competitions”, expelling the club from the second-tier National Super League.
“The FIFA Disciplinary Committee has further ordered the relegation of the Muhoroni Youth senior team to the Football Kenya Federation Division One League (third tier) ahead of next season,” FIFA said.
Vietnamese club Phu Tho was also found guilty of match manipulation. The club’s senior team was expelled from the Vietnamese Football League Second Division and relegated to the third division.
FIFA said the clubs had been notified and can appeal the decision.
-Reuters
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The president of the Confédération of African Football, Dr. Patrice Motsepe, has announced five new CAF Vice Presidents. They are:
- CAF First Vice President: Mr Fouzi Lekjaa (Morocco)
- CAF Second Vice President: Mr Kurt Okraku (Ghana)
- CAF Third Vice President: Mr Pierre-Alain Mounguengui (Gabon)
- CAF Fourth Vice President: Ms Bestine Kazadi Ditabala (Democratic Republic of Congo)
- CAF Fifth Vice President: Mr Feizal Sidat (Mozambique)
In addition, the CAF President has co-opted Yacine Idriss Diallo, President of Fédération Ivoirienne de football, into the CAF Executive Committee.
The CAF Executive Committee also approved the names to fill vacant positions on several CAF Committees.
Organising Committee for the African Nations Championship (CHAN)
- President: Pierre-Alain Mounguengui (Gabon)
CAF Technical and Development Committee
- President: Samuel Eto’o (Cameroon)
- Vice President: Malouche Belhassen (Tunisia)
CAF Medical Committee:
- President: Dr. Mohammed Bouya (Mauritania)
- Vice President: Dr. Thulani Ngwenya (South Africa)
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Governing Bodies
Nigeria becoming an epicentre of global badminton as Francis Orbih enters the Badminton World Federation Council
Laurels on the courts and now glory in the boardroom sums up the mark that badminton is making in Nigeria.
The President, Badminton Federation of Nigeria (BFN), Francis Orbih, has been elected as a council member of the Badminton World Federation (BWF).
The election took place during the BWF Annual General Meeting on Saturday in Xiamen, China.
Orbih emerged victorious over top contenders from other African countries.
He will join Cameroon’s Odette Assembe Engoulou on the council, while Chipo Zumburani (Zimbabwe) and Hadia ElSaid (Egypt) missed out.
An elated Orbih expressed his gratitude to fellow badminton presidents across the globe for their trust and support.
He said, “I am deeply honoured by the trust placed in me by my peers across the badminton world.
“I look forward to quality representation, driving development initiatives, and strengthening badminton’s global reach over the next four years.”
Orbih also acknowledged the support of the Federal Government of Nigeria, particularly the National Sports Commission (NSC), which he said played a significant role in his successful bid.
“The Chairman and the Director General of the NSC monitored the entire process. I’m grateful for their involvement and confident Nigeria will benefit from this,” he stated.
He further appreciated the BFN board members and the Nigerian badminton community for their prayers and continued belief in his leadership.
“From the day I declared my intentions, the board members of BFN have been supportive, and I promise not to disappoint them,” Orbih concluded.
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