Governing Bodies
POSTPONEMENT OF TOKYO 2020 OLYMPICS TO COST IOC $800 MILLION
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) expects the postponement of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games to cost the organisation $800 million (£656 million/€741 million), $150 million (£123 million/€139 million) of which will form an “aid package” for the Olympic Movement.
IOC President Thomas Bach announced the figure following a remote meeting of the ruling Executive Board today.
It is the first time the IOC has publicly revealed the extent of the additional costs it expects to bear for its part in organising the rescheduled Games.
The $150 million has been set aside for International Federations (IFs) and National Olympic Committees (NOCs), but it is not clear how they can apply for the funding or whether there is a cap on the amount they can receive.
IFs in particular have been left counting the cost of the postponement of Tokyo 2020 because of the coronavirus pandemic, and the money is set to plug the financial hole created by the absence of their share of the Olympic revenue that they would have received from the IOC after the Games.
Bach confirmed the IOC would still consider advance payments to IFs and the aid package did not mean it would now reject requests for assistance, adding discussions with some Federations over financial support were at an advanced stage.
IFs based in Switzerland are also able to apply for repayable loans as part of a joint IOC and Swiss Government support programme, in addition to the funding approved by the IOC Executive Board today, Bach said.
The scheme, designed to mitigate the financial impact of the pandemic on the organisations, will be funded equally by the IOC and the Swiss Government, who will each provide 50 per cent of the loans.
Only Swiss-based IFs are eligible for the Government loans, while all 32 International Federations on the Tokyo 2020 programme can receive money from the IOC package.
The $650 million (£533 million/€603 million) will go towards the organisation of the postponed Games.
The majority of the additional costs stemming from the decision to delay the event by one year in response to the coronavirus pandemic are set to be covered by Japan under the terms of the Host City Contract it signed with the IOC in 2013.
The issue has been a contentious one in Japan owing to the economic crisis in the host country sparked by the COVID-19 pandemic and was at the centre of a public dispute between the IOC and organisers last month.
Bach claimed the $800 million would help “address the financial consequences of the COVID-19 crisis”.
The figure does not include any costs Tokyo Games organisers and the Japanese Government have to incur following the first postponement of an Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Bach refused to be drawn on recent suggestions that Tokyo 2020, rescheduled for July 23 to August 8 in 2021, cannot take place unless a COVID-19 vaccine is found.
“We are now working with full engagement for the success of Tokyo 2020 in 2021 and to have these Games in a safe environment for all participants,” he said.
“We are one year and two months away from the opening of these postponed Olympic Games.
“We should not fuel any speculation on any future development.”
-insidethegames
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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The supporters of Vancouver Whitecaps, a professional football (soccer) club in Canada, have staged a protest outside the FIFA Congress on Thursday, voicing fears that the Major League Soccer club could be relocated as uncertainty deepens over its ownership and long-term future.
The club is one of Canada’s most historic football institutions and has long been a central part of Vancouver’s sporting identity.
Around 100 fans gathered as delegates arrived for the annual FIFA meeting in Vancouver, chanting, singing and waving club flags in a show of solidarity. The demonstration comes just days after Vancouver Whitecaps FC revealed difficulties in securing a buyer willing to keep the club in the city.
The Whitecaps disclosed earlier this week that “stadium economics, venue access and revenue limitations” have complicated efforts to sell the club, despite a 16-month search for new ownership.
Season ticket holder Derek Hawksworth said supporters felt compelled to act amid growing fears of relocation.
“I wanted to come down given the threat of the team possibly moving,” he said. “It’s a rich history with the Whitecaps in North America… we want Vancouver to stay and not relocate. The history is here, and we want to continue with that history moving forward.”
The Vancouver Whitecaps are a professional football (soccer) club based in Vancouver, Canada. They currently compete in Major League Soccer (MLS), the top-tier league in the United States and Canada.
Concerns were heightened by reports that cities such as Las Vegas and Phoenix are leading contenders should the club relocate.
Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim has urged intervention, calling on the provincial government — which owns BC Place — to negotiate a “bridge deal” that would allow the team to remain while plans for a new stadium are explored. The club’s current lease at BC Place expires at the end of the year.
Despite the off-field uncertainty, the Whitecaps have been one of the standout teams this MLS season. They currently sit second in the Western Conference with 24 points from nine matches, just three points behind the San Jose Earthquakes.
For supporters, however, performances on the pitch offer little comfort as the future of their club hangs in the balance — a situation they hope global football leaders gathering in Vancouver will not ignore.
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