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FORMER FIFA PRESIDENT BLATTER IN COMA AFTER HEART OPERATION

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Former FIFA President Sepp Blatter spent a week in an induced coma after having heart surgery last month, his daughter has revealed.

Blatter contracted coronavirus in November before undergoing a heart procedure at a hospital in Switzerland in December.

The 84-year-old was moved out of intensive care this week, but Blatter’s daughter said there was “still a long way to go” in his recovery.

“He makes progress every day,” said Corinne Blatter Andenmatten in an interview with Swiss media company CH Media.

“Doctors are happy with his condition but there is still a long way to go.

“It is correct that he tested positive for COVID-19 in November.

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“But he survived the virus without any major symptoms.

“But this disease is insidious.

“Maybe my father lost more substance than he wanted to admit.

“Shortly before Christmas he had to go to the hospital for a heart operation.

“He assumed it was a routine operation but then everything got more complicated and dangerous.

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“Overall, he was in an artificial coma for over a week and was no longer responsive.

“We were very worried.

“That was the hardest and saddest Christmas time of my life.”

Blatter was President of FIFA for 17 years until 2015 when he resigned amid a corruption scandal which led to United States prosecutors indicting several officials.

Blatter is currently serving a six-year ban from football.

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FIFA issued a complaint of “criminal mismanagement” against Blatter last month relating to his involvement in the FIFA Museum project in Zurich.

Those accusations were dismissed as “baseless” by Lorenz Erni, Blatter’s lawyer.

“He doesn’t know anything about the museum lawsuit,” said Blatter Andenmatten.

“And that’s just as well.

“He would just get upset unnecessarily.

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“We keep these negative things away from him for as long as possible.”

Blatter Andenmatten also spoke of her anger towards FIFA President Gianni Infantino.

“I hope I never meet him again,” she said.

“I would probably lose my temper.

“It cannot be that Infantino takes such a stubborn stance against the man who left a nest for hi

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A CHF2 million (£1.66 million/$2.26 million/€1.85 million) payment made by Blatter to former UEFA President Michel Platini in 2011 is still being investigated.

In November, it was reported that Swiss prosecutors had widened proceedings against Blatter and former French international – both of whom have maintained the payment was made as part of an oral agreement for work Platini carried out for Blatter between 1998 and 2002.

FIFA’s Ethics Committee dismissed that claim when it banned Blatter from all football-related activities, and its ruling was later upheld by the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

Blatter Andenmatten suggested the legal cases were having an impact on her father’s health.

“I am not a doctor – and neither am I a psychologist,” said Blatter Andenmatten.

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“But if you consider what my father has had to put up with in the last five years, what previous convictions – without a state court having pronounced a judgment against him – you can imagine that he was under great pressure.”

Blatter Andenmatten said her father deserved to enjoy the rest of his life without being “constantly torpedoed” by FIFA and urged the worldwide governing body to leave him alone.

“I vehemently appeal to leave my father in peace and give him what he needs on the way to a hospital complete recovery of rest, time and relaxation,” she added.

-insidethegames

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Kunle Solaja is the author of landmark books on sports and journalism as well as being a multiple award-winning journalist and editor of long standing. He is easily Nigeria’s foremost soccer diarist and Africa's most capped FIFA World Cup journalist, having attended all FIFA World Cup finals from Italia ’90 to Qatar 2022. He was honoured at the Qatar 2022 World Cup by FIFA and AIPS.

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Governing Bodies

Sanusi set for record-extending tenure as Nigeria’s football politicians assemble in Asaba

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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.

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 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.

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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.

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Like in Egypt, former Nigerian Olympian, Sadiq Abdulahi wants Tinubu to declare ‘State of Emergency’ in Sports

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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.

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“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.

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  “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

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Governing Bodies

CAF gives Yoruba and Arabic interpretations of  ‘OLA’ the Super Cup 2024 Official Match Ball

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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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