Governing Bodies
Premier League suspends broadcast deal with Russia because of Ukraine invasion
The Premier League has suspended its broadcast deal with Russia following the country’s invasion of neighbouring Ukraine.
The move will take effect immediately, meaning Thursday’s four matches will not be shown in the country.
The matter took only 15 minutes of a four-hour meeting of all 20 clubs in London on Tuesday to agree.
The English top flight also says it will donate £1m to support the people of Ukraine.
The TV rights for the Premier League were owned by the Rambler Group. The company was in its final year of a three-year deal to show matches in Russia.
In a separate move, the Football Association has also suspended its deal with Russia.
That means none of this month’s FA Cup quarter-final matches will be shown.
The Premier League says it condemns Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and that its clubs unanimously agreed the move.
“We call for peace and our thoughts are with all those impacted,” the Premier League said in a statement.
“The £1m donation will be made to the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) to deliver humanitarian aid directly to those in need.”
Last weekend, Premier League clubs showed solidarity with Ukraine as captains wore special armbands in Ukrainian colours, while stadium screens displayed ‘Football Stands Together’ in front of the country’s blue and yellow flag.
It is understood there will be no repeat of the pro-Ukraine branding that took place around last weekend’s games. However, clubs have been cleared to produce their own response if they wish.
The English Football League (EFL) says it has also suspended broadcast feeds of its matches in Russia.
“Echoing the views of the Premier League and other organisations around the world, the EFL remains deeply concerned by the ongoing conflict,” the EFL said in a statement.
“As has been demonstrated at EFL grounds around the country, ‘Football Stands Together’ with the people of Ukraine and all those impacted.”
Last weekend Chinese rights holders did not broadcast Premier League matches in their country, which is a close political ally of Russia.
In response to the Premier League’s announcement, Sports Minister Nigel Huddleston said it was “absolutely the right thing to do”.
He said in a statement: “We fully support the Premier League’s decision to stop broadcasting matches in Russia in response to Putin’s barbaric, senseless invasion of Ukraine.
“Russia cannot be allowed to legitimise its illegal war through sport and culture, and we must work together to ensure Putin remains a pariah on the international stage.”
Meanwhile, the Court of Arbitration for Sport said it had received an appeal by the Football Union of Russia against its ban from competitions.
On 28 February, Russian football clubs and national teams were suspended from all competitions “until further notice” by world football’s governing body Fifa and European governing body Uefa.
However, ministers from 37 nations have called for further international sporting sanctions on Russia and its ally Belarus.
The strongly-worded statement follows a virtual meeting convened by Huddleston and Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries on 3 March.
Among the signatories are France, Germany, Japan, Australia, Canada and the United States.
-BBC
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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