Governing Bodies
FIFA’s Fatma Samoura champions women on International Women’s Day
FIFA General Secretary Fatma Samoura applauded the eight nations who are debuting at the Women’s World Cup in celebration of International Women’s Day on Wednesday, urging the players to take pride in their ability to inspire.
Haiti, Morocco, Panama, Philippines, Portugal, Ireland, Vietnam and Zambia will debut at the global women’s soccer showcase that runs from July 20-Aug. 20 in Australia and New Zealand.
“Seeing you ladies who are mothers, sisters, students and athletes. Women they identify with, excelling on the pitch,” Samoura said in a statement.
“This will encourage a generation of young girls and women to aim high, to aim big. To advocate for themselves and to take themselves beyond greatness, on the pitch but also, in life.”
Several other sports figures championed women and applauded progress on International Women’s Day, which has its roots in the U.S. socialist and labour movements of the early 20th century when many women were fighting for better working conditions and the right to vote.
England’s Lionesses cheered a UK government pledge that every girl in Britain will have equal access to soccer in school – a cause the national women’s team had been supporting since capturing the Euro 2022 title last August.
Schools will be expected to deliver a minimum of two hours of P.E. (physical education) per week and ensure that girls have equal access to all school sport, including soccer.
“An announcement that will change women’s football in England forever, and the start of something truly special,” the Lionesses said in a statement. “We see this as only the beginning.”
Hayley Wickenheiser, a four-time Olympic hockey champion for Canada, praised her parents in a celebratory Instagram post.
“My mom was an amazing female role model who advocated for women’s rights, and my dad an amazing male role model who believed a little girl could do anything a little boy could do,” she said. “They were a big reason I was able to break down barriers and finish medical school.”
International Tennis Federation president David Haggerty called on men to step up in the fight for gender equality.
“The role of men cannot be underestimated,” Haggerty said in a statement. “It is our combined duty and responsibility to work out the best way to redress gender imbalance.”
The ITF launched the Men as Allies programme, an element of the ITF Advantage All gender equality strategy.
“It’s time to start championing the champions,” said Haggerty, who is a United Nations HeForShe Champion. “We invite male leaders across all aspects of tennis to become Advantage All Male Allies.”
According to the ITF, allies will be expected to commit to make a tangible contribution toward gender equality goals.
Sebastian Coe championed female leadership in a Twitter video, saying having women in positions of influence makes for a better organisation.
Adding that “I’ll be maybe a little controversial,” Coe suggested that if World Athletics had more women in leadership positions during some of the organization’s darker years of the past, the challenges might not have been so profound.
-Reuters
Governing Bodies
Sanusi set for record-extending tenure as Nigeria’s football politicians assemble in Asaba
BY KUNLE SOLAJA.
Speculations gathered ahead of the 2024 Annual General Meeting of the Nigeria Football Federation holding in Asaba on Friday have it that tenure elongation for the General Secretary, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi, is a major item on the agenda.
Neither formal confirmation nor denial has been issued since one of the leading newspapers in Nigeria, ThisDay dropped the hint.
The agenda of the meeting is also not made public. Dr, Sanusi is the longest-serving General Secretary in history having been in office from 30 March 2015 making 3,476 days or nine years six months and four days.
It easily drowned that of his closest rival in tenure – Sani Toro whose tenure from 21 December 1993 to 3 May 1999 is merely 2020 days or five years, six months and 12 days.
Thus, no one had enjoyed a longer period in office than the incumbent, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi. It is speculated that the tenure will be extended as NFF has reported that all delegates have arrived in the Delta State capital by Thursday evening.
The NFF Annual General Assembly, the first of which took place 90 years ago in Lagos on 19 February 1934, is the biggest assemblage of football administrators and stakeholders in the country.
In one such meeting on 24 July 2008 in Makurdi, the football body changed its name from NFA to NFF.
This year, according to a press release by the NFF, the plenary will have in attendance, the chairmen and secretaries of football associations in the 36 States and the Federal Capital Territory, chairmen and secretaries of the Nigeria Premier Football League, Nigeria National League, Nigeria Women Football League and the Nationwide League One, as well as chairmen and secretaries of the referees’ association, players’ union and coaches’ association. This group of 88 makes up the Congress.
They are joined by the members of the NFF Executive Committee and the management team as well as former NFF Presidents and General Secretaries.
The Minister of Sports Development, John Owan Enoh, is announced as the special guest. Nigeria’s Member of the FIFA Council, Amaju Melvin Pinnick is also expected as well as a representative of the West African Football Union (WAFU B).
The Governor of Delta State, Sheriff Francis Oborevwori will declare the General Assembly open.
Venue is the Unity Hall of the Delta State Government House.
Governing Bodies
Like in Egypt, former Nigerian Olympian, Sadiq Abdulahi wants Tinubu to declare ‘State of Emergency’ in Sports
Former Nigerian tennis player and Olympian, Prof. Sadiq Abdulahi has called for drastic action to arrest the decline of Nigeria in global sporting events.
The former tennis player who is now a professor in the United States declared that the “failure to win a medal at the regular 2024 Paris Olympics, the few medals at the Paris Paralympic and the fallout at the National Youth Sports Festival has exposed the deep problems facing the sport’s sector.”
He wants Nigeria to have the same approach that the Egyptian president has taken while reacting to the country’s performance at the Paris 2024 Olypics.
Egypt’s President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi ordered a comprehensive evaluation of sports federations that participated at the Paris Olympic Games, following a mission report submitted by the country’s sports minister.
According to Prof. Abdulahi, the National Sports Federations charged with the preparation of elite athletes have failed to do their job despite the cry for funding from the government.
“Federal Government cannot adequately fund all the Olympics sports. It is impossible.
“By declaring a state of emergency, new people, new approaches and new funding models will be identified. More importantly, the Federal Government will redefine grassroots sports development.
“We will lay sustainable foundation for sports development.”
Continuing, he called for the return of the National Sports Commission (NSC) which enabling decree was abolished through Decree No. 7 of 1991, but came back through presidential proclamation under Sani Abacha before it was abolished again.
The original NSC was established in 1964 as National Sports Council before the promulgation of Decree 34 of 1971 which legalised it as the apex Federal Government agency to control, regulate and organize sports.
“The FG may now bring back the National Sports Commission or the National Sports Authority. Our emerging national economy with the full participation of the private sector can support this new beginning. I hope this helps.”
RELATED STORY: President Al-Sisi orders sports system overhaul
Governing Bodies
CAF gives Yoruba and Arabic interpretations of ‘OLA’ the Super Cup 2024 Official Match Ball
The Confédération African of Football, CAF, has given the linguistics interpretation of OLA, the confederation’s official match balls produced by Puma which has also unveiled a special edition for the Super Cup duel holding on Friday in Saudi Arabia.
According to CAF, OLA, symbolizing the dynamic and energetic nature of African football, means “wealth,” “honour,” and “respect” in Yoruba and “rise” and “success” in Arabic.
The OLA ball stands out with its vibrant design and cultural significance. “OLA”
The ball is a mix of black and gold, representing power and sophistication. The ball will be the centrepiece of the eagerly-awaited match between the two giants of African football.
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