Governing Bodies
Indonesia FA plans FIFA talks amid protests over Israel at U20 World Cup
The head of the Indonesia Football Association (PSSI) plans to hold talks with FIFA officials after the draw for the Under-20 World Cup due to take place in the Southeast Asian country was postponed amid protests over Israel’s participation.
Erick Thohir, who is also a senior cabinet minister and a former chairman of Inter Milan, will fly to Zurich for the talks, PSSI Executive Committee member Arya Sinulingga said.
Arya told Reuters flight arrangements were still being made and did not say which FIFA officials he was expected to meet.
Indonesia is due to host the 24-team tournament from May 20-June 11. However, PSSI last Sunday said it had cancelled the draw scheduled to take place on Friday after the governor of the largely Hindu island of Bali refused to host Israel’s team. read more
Wayan Koster had urged the Ministry of Youth and Sports to “adopt a policy forbidding the Israeli team from competing in Bali” due to the conflict with the Palestinians, media reported, citing a letter sent by Koster.
Koster’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The governor told media on Monday he was following a “government stance”.
Indonesia’s population is predominately Muslim and most practice a moderate version of Islam, though a rise in religious conservatism has crept into politics in recent years.
The country does not have formal diplomatic ties with Israel and protesters have recently held marches in Jakarta, demanding Israel not be allowed to participate.
Reuters contacted the Israeli FA for comment.
The cancellation of the draw has raised fears Indonesia might lose its hosting rights for the tournament and plunge the sport in the country into isolation again after it was suspended from FIFA for a year until May 2016 due to government interference.
Indonesia is also trying to rebuild its reputation after a stampede at a stadium in East Java last year led to the deaths of 135 spectators. Many were crushed as they fled for exits after police fired tear gas into the crowd.
Arya has said PSSI hoped through coordinating with the government a solution could be reached whereby politics could be separated from sport.
Muhadjir Effendy, Indonesia’s coordinating minister for Human Development and Cultural Affairs, was quoted by state news agency Antara as saying the PSSI chief’s talks meant “at least FIFA will understand Indonesia’s position”.
-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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