Governing Bodies
Clubs to receive over US$200 million World Cup compensation
Fifa will distribute US$209 million (S$300 million) to clubs that release their international players for the Qatar World Cup, the same amount as four years ago in Russia, football’s world governing body announced on Tuesday.
Each club will receive “approximately US$10,000” for each day the relevant player remains with his national team during the tournament, including the preparation period.
This compensation will be paid to “all clubs” for which the footballer has played in the two years before the World Cup.
Fifa originally set up the system ahead of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, in agreement with the powerful European Clubs Association, whose members provide most of the participants in international competitions.
During the 2018 World Cup, 416 clubs from 63 national federations shared the same amount.
Meanwhile, the Nordic countries of Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden will submit a joint bid to host the 2025 Women’s European Championship, they announced on Wednesday, supported by the Faroe Islands and Iceland.
“Women’s football in the Nordic countries has so much to offer,” said Lise Klaveness, president of the Norwegian Football Federation.
“We offer to share with the rest of Europe our joint ambition to leave a long-lasting legacy of truly equal opportunities in football.”
The venues planned for the tournament are Copenhagen, Stockholm, Oslo, Helsinki, Odense, Gothenburg, Trondheim and Tampere.
“Together we will provide a unique experience for both players and supporters,” said Swedish Football Association president Karl-Erik Nilsson.
“All Nordic football associations agree about the importance of organising major championships in our countries, and together we have great ambitions for the development of women’s football.”
Submission of bids closed on Wednesday, with France, Poland and Switzerland also seeking to host the event. Ukraine had expressed interest before the Russian invasion. Uefa’s executive committee will decide on the winning bid on Jan 25.
England hosted and won the last edition, which was postponed from 2021 to the summer of 2022 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The women’s World Cup is scheduled to be staged in Australia and New Zealand in 2023.
–AFP, Reuters
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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A former member of the FIFA Council, Mamoutou Toure, has been released from jail in Mali after almost two years in detention for alleged corruption, Malian media reports said on Wednesday.
Toure, president of the Malian Football Federation since 2019, was released after 622 days in prison on Tuesday.
He served on the FIFA Council, world football’s all-powerful decision-making body, for four years until last month when he lost his seat after failing to contest new elections.
The 67-year-old was arrested in August 2023 on allegations of embezzling $28 million of public funds but was granted a provisional release order by the Malian courts, reports said.
He was accused of misconduct during his time as the National Assembly’s financial and administrative director from 2013-2019.
Toure denied all charges and, during his time in jail, was last August re-elected as Malian Football Federation president for a second consecutive term, with his supporters claiming he was a victim of a conspiracy fuelled by detractors.
While in jail, he received a letter of support from FIFA president Gianni Infantino. However, as of last month, Toure is no longer a member of the FIFA Council or the Confederation of African Football’s executive committee.
-Reuters
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