Governing Bodies
2023 WOMEN’S WORLD CUP SET TO GO ‘DOWN UNDER’ AS SOUTH AFRICA WITHDRAWS
As the formal bid for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup closes this Friday, South Africa has sensationally withdrawn from the race, opening the way for Australia and New Zealand who have now merged their bids into one.
With that, the competition is set to go ‘Down Under’, a colloquialism that refers to Australia and New Zealand.
It comes from the fact that these two countries are located in the Southern Hemisphere, ‘below’ many other countries on the globe.
South Africa’s withdrawal came less than 24 hours to the deadline for submitting bid books.
The South African Football Association (SAFA) claimed it wants to focus on improving the women’s game, particularly the fledgling national league, before bidding for another international tournament,
But SAFA has been in dispute recently with South Africa’s Sports Minister Nathi Mthethwa, whose support they would need to secure Government guarantees.
South Africa as a country is also facing economic problems.
“We resolved that as an Association we should not proceed with the bid,” SAFA acting chief executive Hay Mokoena told Reuters.
“We want to strengthen our women’s national league first before we invite the world to come and play.
“Definitely, we will consider doing 2027 and we think, by that time, we will have a stronger women’s league and a much stronger women’s national team.”
Australia and New Zealand, meanwhile, have decided to join forces in their bid to host the 2023 women’s tournament after reaching an 11th-hour agreement before tomorrow’s deadline.
The joint bid is proposing to host the final of the quadrennial international women’s tournament in Sydney, at the newly renovated 75,000 capacity ANZ Stadium in the Olympic Park.
The Football Federation Association had recently abandoned plans to submit a standalone bid for the competition as it believes, according to the Sydney Morning Herald, that the best chance to beat the bids from Japan and Colombia was to join forces with its neighbour New Zealand.
FIFA’s decision to expand the tournament from 24 to 32 teams was apparently not a factor, according to the Sydney Morning Herald.
The Japan Football Association (JFA) has also confirmed they have submitted their bid.
“We don’t want to one-up other bids, and we don’t want to compare ourselves to other bids,” JFA President Kozo Tashima told the Japan Times.
“We’ve submitted a bid that contains the best tournament Japan can run.
“Between next year’s Olympics, the professionalisation of the women’s league from 2021 and this Women’s World Cup, we want to give a significant boost to women’s soccer and that is why this bid is so important.
“With Japan’s proven ability to host international tournaments and our spirit of omotenashi (hospitality), we want to put on a Women’s World Cup that will bring joy not only to participating nations, but to us as hosts.”
Japan’s bid features eight stadiums, including the recently completed National Stadium and seven football-specific venues.
Those sites include the new Kyoto Stadium, which will serve as the home of the J. League’s Kyoto Sanga from 2020, and Rugby World Cup hosts Sapporo Dome, Toyota Stadium and Kobe Misaki Stadium.
Saitama Stadium, another Tokyo Olympic venue, as well as Sendai Stadium and Suita Stadium also made the list.
“FIFA requested a tournament with eight venues, and adding one more would increase costs significantly,” Tashima said.
“We’re a small country and can take advantage of our transit system, including the bullet train and air routes.
“With eight stadiums we can run a smooth tournament and keep our costs down.”
Argentina, Brazil, Colombia and possibly South Korea – maybe in a joint bid with North Korea – are the other interested parties, with the successful candidate due to be announced in May.
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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