Governing Bodies
Abramovich stripped of Chelsea football club directorship
The Premier League board has disqualified Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich as a director at the English top-flight soccer club after he was sanctioned by the British government over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the league said in a statement on Saturday.
Abramovich, who had been under scrutiny after Russia’s invasion, said last week he was selling the London club. But the sale is now on hold, with Chelsea operating under a special government licence.
“The Board’s decision does not impact on the club’s ability to train and play its fixtures, as set out under the terms of a licence issued by the Government which expires on 31 May 2022,” the league said.
Chelsea did not immediately reply to a Reuters request for comment.
The government welcomed the move and said it was not opposed to the sale of the club. It added that it had amended the special licence so the club could spend 900,000 pounds ($1.17 million) to stage each of the team’s matches.
“We welcome the Premier League’s action to disqualify Roman Abramovich as a Director of the football club. The Government has made clear that we need to hold to account those who have enabled the Putin regime,” a spokesman for the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport said.
“We are open to a sale of the club and would consider an application for a licence to allow that to happen,” he added.
The team can continue playing games and pay players and staff but cannot transfer players in or out, as the government tries to prevent Abramovich from benefiting in any way from such moves.
SUCCESSFUL ERA
Abramovich bought Chelsea in 2003 for a reported 140 million pounds and his investment resulted in the most successful era in their history, with the club winning five Premier League titles, five FA Cups and the Champions League twice.
On Saturday, Chelsea’s shirt sleeve sponsor, South Korean Hyundai car company, said they were suspending their deal with the club.
“Through our partnership with Chelsea FC, we are proud supporters of the players, the fans and grassroots football,” Hyundai said.
“However, in the current circumstances, we have taken the decision to suspend our marketing and communication activities with the Club until further notice.”
Chelsea’s main shirt sponsor, mobile network Three, has suspended ties, while another sponsor, Trivago, said it would stick with the club.
Russia says its actions in Ukraine are a “special military operation” designed not to occupy territory but to destroy its neighbour’s military capabilities and capture what it regards as dangerous nationalists.
The entry on the British sanctions list described Abramovich as “a prominent Russian businessman and pro-Kremlin oligarch” who enjoyed “a close relationship for decades” with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Abramovich has denied having such ties.
Chelsea, who are third in the league with 56 points from 27 matches, host Newcastle United on Sunday.
($1 = 0.7671 pounds)
-Reuters
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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