Governing Bodies
IOC BATTLING TO SAVE IRANIAN WRESTLING CHAMPION SENTENCED TO DEATH
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) is “extremely concerned” by the case involving Iranian wrestler Navid Afkari after he was given two death sentences for the alleged murder of a security guard during anti-Government protests, according to President Thomas Bach.
Bach claimed the National Olympic Committee (NOC) of the Islamic Republic of Iran and the country’s wrestling federation are “doing their utmost to facilitate a solution” – echoing an earlier statement from the organisation – for Afkari, who was scheduled to be executed today.
The IOC President did not elaborate on what was being done to help the Iranian wrestling champion and said the IOC was unable to comment further as the case is ongoing.
Iran’s Supreme Court gave Afkari two death sentences for his involvement in protests against the country’s regime in 2018.
Supporters claim Afkari was tortured into making a false confession over the murder of a security officer during the demonstrations.
The World Players Association and other organisations, which have rallied behind Afkari in recent weeks, believe he has been unjustly targeted by the Iranian authorities to intimidate others who might choose to participate in peaceful protests.
Persian-language broadcaster Iran International reported Afkari and two of his brothers – Vahid and Habib – had been charged with 20 different crimes, including “attending illegal gatherings, assembly and conspiracy to commit crimes against national security and insulting the supreme leader”.
The IOC has been urged to act by the WPA and in a petition launched on the Change.org platform last week, which has been signed by more than 23,000 people at the time of writing and had been due to be delivered to the Executive Board today.
“First of all, we have to stick to our principles, and this principle is to respect the sovereignty and judicial system of sovereign countries,” Bach said following the latest remote IOC Executive Board meeting.
“On the other hand, Navid Afkari is an athlete.
“Therefore, we feel close to him.
“This is why the IOC, together with United World Wrestling (UWW), were and are extremely concerned about the case of Navid Afkari and we have taken contact with our respective partners.
“The NOC and the National Federation are doing their utmost to facilitate a solution for the case of Navid Afkari.
“You may understand that due to the particular circumstances – and the still ongoing efforts – I cannot offer more details at this stage.”
Dozens of wrestlers, athletes and officials from several sports have spoken out in support of Afkari since the death sentencing, which has attracted widespread criticism from across the world.
Iranian authorities have not announced when executions will happen in previous cases, according to Hadi Ghaemi, executive director of the Center for Human Rights in Iran.
The Iranian Government has in recent days given signals that it will carry out the sentence, the New York Times reported.
Requests to UWW for comment have not been answered.
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Governing Bodies
FIFA opens disciplinary proceedings against Congo officials over financial misconduct
FIFA’s ethics committee launched disciplinary proceedings against three senior Congolese Football Federation (FECOFOOT) officials on Wednesday, including president Jean-Guy Mayolas, over allegations of financial misconduct.
Mayolas, his wife and his son were sentenced to life in prison earlier this month after a criminal court in the Congolese capital, Brazzaville, convicted them of embezzling $1.1 million in FIFA funds. Media reports said their whereabouts were not known , and they were tried in absentia.
FECOFOOT general secretary Wantete Badji and treasurer Raoul Kanda are also subject to the disciplinary proceedings, FIFA said. Badji and Kanda were sentenced to five years each in prison by the court in Brazzaville for related charges.
“These proceedings follow the receipt of information and documents during an audit,” FIFA said in a statement.
-Reuters
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The World Anti-Doping Agency is considering rewriting its rules to try barring President Donald Trump and all U.S. government officials from attending the LA Olympics in 2028, in a move that could also have implications for the World Cup being hosted by the U.S. this summer.
The proposal, on the agenda for next Tuesday’s meeting of the global drug-fighting watchdog’s executive committee, is the latest manoeuvre to come out of a yearslong refusal of the U.S. government to pay its annual dues to WADA.
The refusal is part of the American government’s unanimous, bipartisan protest of the agency’s handling of a case involving Chinese swimmers and other issues.
The Associated Press learned of the agenda item through correspondence it obtained between WADA and European officials involved in the agency’s decision-making. Two others with knowledge of the agenda confirmed the existence of the rules proposal to AP; they were not authorised to speak publicly about the agenda, which has not been released publicly.
The proposal was, in fact, first brought up in 2024, when U.S. authorities successfully lobbied for its rejection. The U.S. has since lost its seat on the executive committee.
“In spite of WADA’s increasing threats, we continue to stand firm in our demand for accountability and transparency from WADA to ensure fair competition in sport,” said Sara Carter, the director of the U.S. Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP).
The rule, if passed, would figure to be mostly symbolic, given the limits an international sports federation could have on the president of a country attending an event inside his own borders.
“I have never heard of a $50-million-budget Swiss foundation being able to enforce a rule to, for example, prevent the United States president from going anywhere,” said Carter’s predecessor at ONDCP, Rahul Gupta, who was on the WADA executive committee two years ago and led the movement to reject the proposal. “And the next question you have to ask is: How are you going to enforce it? Are they going to post a red notice from Interpol? It’s ludicrous. It’s clear they have not thought this through.”
In a news release after this story published, WADA said the AP story was “entirely misleading,” focusing on Fitzgerald’s statement to the AP that if proposals being discussed were “introduced, given that the rules would not apply retroactively, the FIFA World Cup, LA and Salt Lake City Games (in 2034) would not be covered.”
Fitzgerald’s only answer to three emails from AP seeking clarification on his initial response — specifically about how a rule that had not yet been adopted could or couldn’t be applied retroactively on events that are scheduled for the future — was: “I’m trying to say that it would not apply retroactively so those events would not be covered. Given that and the next meeting of the Board being scheduled for November, I don’t see how it could come into play for this year’s World Cup.”
-AP
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The Confederation of African Football has dismissed Yasin Osman Robleh, the Djiboutian official who headed its judicial bodies for the past six years, in a move aimed at restoring confidence in the organisation’s disciplinary processes.
According to reports from convergence sources, the decision was confirmed on Saturday by CAF Secretary General Veron Mosengo-Omba, bringing an abrupt end to Robleh’s tenure overseeing the confederation’s disciplinary and investigative committees since 2019.
Robleh’s position reportedly came under increasing pressure following the controversy surrounding sanctions imposed after the Africa Cup of Nations Final between Morocco and Senegal. The disciplinary decisions that followed the match sparked criticism from several quarters and placed CAF’s legal framework under intense scrutiny.
In response to the situation, CAF’s Executive Committee has appointed Togolese lawyer Cedric Egai, currently the confederation’s Director of Legal Affairs, as interim head of the judicial bodies.
Egai is expected to stabilise the organisation’s legal arm while CAF works toward appointing a permanent successor to Robleh.
Disciplinary Decisions Delayed
The leadership change has already affected ongoing disciplinary processes within the confederation. CAF’s disciplinary committee reportedly held hearings last Thursday on several cases, including the high-profile encounter involving Egypt’s Al Ahly and Morocco’s AS FAR.
However, decisions on those matters have been temporarily put on hold pending the confirmation of new leadership within the judicial structure.
Sources indicate that once a permanent successor is appointed, CAF will move swiftly to conclude outstanding disciplinary rulings affecting both clubs and national teams.
Restoring Confidence
The move is widely seen as part of CAF’s effort to restore confidence in its judicial system following weeks of controversy surrounding disciplinary decisions at major competitions.
Robleh’s departure closes a significant chapter in CAF’s legal administration, while Egai’s interim appointment signals a potential shift in leadership and governance at a critical time for African football.
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