Governing Bodies
Double prize up for grabs for U.S. Open winner
The stakes could not be higher in Sunday’s Flushing Meadows final between Spanish teenaged phenomenon Carlos Alcaraz and Norwegian Casper Ruud, with the U.S. Open trophy and the world number one ranking awaiting the winner.
The showdown between the two breakout players of 2022 is a fitting conclusion to the year’s final major, which showcased the sport’s bright future as it transitions out of the era of the Big Three of Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer.
French Open runner-up Ruud called the winner-takes-all conclusion an “ideal situation” after he beat Russian Karen Khachanov in four sets in Friday’s semi-final.
The superhuman Alcaraz, who survived three successive five-set marathons to arrive at the precipice of Grand Slam glory, said his vision was coming into focus.
“It’s close, but at the same time is so far away, you know?” Alcaraz told reporters after beating American Frances Tiafoe on Friday night.
“It’s a final of a Grand Slam, fighting for the number one in the world, something that I dreamed (of) since I was a kid.”
The 19-year-old Spaniard has beaten Ruud in both of their previous meetings, including a straight sets win in the Miami Open final in April.
“I know him very well,” Alcaraz said.
“We shared a lot of moments in the tournaments. Of course, he’s a very nice guy off the court. I talk with him a lot, when we can.
“I played him twice. I beat him twice. He’s playing really, really well. I know that. I will have to show my best.”
Ruud knows that he faces an uphill task in toppling the on-fire Alcaraz, who has won four titles this year, including Masters trophies in Miami and Madrid.
“If I want to beat Carlos, I’ll need to play very precise with all the shots that I hit, especially try to keep him a little bit further back in the court,” he said.
“If he steps in, he can do anything with the ball. He can rip a winner. He also has great touch with the drop shot… he can do both shots back and forth. He will get you off guard sometimes with the drop shot.”
With the eyes of the tennis world on them, the mental battle could be just as important as any tactical decisions, Ruud said.
“We’re playing for the tournament and also world number one. Of course, there will be nerves and we will both feel it,” he said.
“I hope it will be a good match. He has beaten me a couple times and I will seek my revenge.”
-Reuters
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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