Governing Bodies
IOC MAY BAN ITALIAN FLAG & ANTHEM AT TOKYO 2020 OLYMPICS
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) will reportedly ban the Italian flag and anthem from Tokyo 2020 if a dispute over Government interference in the country’s National Olympic Committee is not resolved by Wednesday (January 27).
According to Italian newspaper la Repubblica, the IOC Executive Board is set to impose a series of measures on the Italian National Olympic Committee (CONI) when it holds its next meeting.
CONI President Giovanni Malagò appeared to confirm the country could face IOC sanctions when speaking in front of the Italian Senate today, warning an intervention by the Government “is needed to stop any decision of the IOC”.
Malagò, an IOC member, has urged Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte to issue an emergency decree to prevent CONI from being sanctioned.
A ban on the Italian flag and anthem at Tokyo 2020, effectively consigning the country to the same status at the Games as Russia, is among the punishments the IOC could impose on CONI.
A spokesperson for the IOC told insidethegames they were confident the issue would be resolved before the Executive Board meets on Wednesday.
The dispute between CONI and the IOC comes after the Italian Parliament approved a draft sports law which created a Government-controlled organisation to distribute funds to the country’s national governing bodies – a role previously held by CONI.
The IOC has repeatedly raised concerns over the formation by the Italian Government of the body – “Sport e Salute”, or Sport and Health – as it claims it represents interference in an NOC, strictly prohibited under the Olympic Charter
Term limits could also be forced on CONI as part of the new regulations, which effectively reduce the body’s role to handling preparations for the Olympic Games.
In September, IOC President Thomas Bach warned the organisation was “very concerned about the situation and the functioning of the CONI”.
Bach has also suggested the interference could lead to Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo being stripped of the 2026 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games – although this is extremely unlikely.
Typically the IOC issues such warnings to pressure the Government in question to back down, but hopes appear slim that a solution will come before the IOC Executive Board meeting.
The IOC and Italian Government officials have been in regular correspondence in recent months because of the law.
Italian Sports Minister Vincenzo Spadafora wrote to the IOC in November, insisting CONI would still have “autonomy” should the law be passed.
“The IOC position on the current situation of CONI has been clearly expressed to the Italian Government on many occasions,” the IOC spokesperson said.
“It is now expected that the solution already submitted several months ago by CONI to the relevant Government authorities will be considered favourably and implemented without any further delay so as to definitively resolve the current issues and allow CONI to fully perform its role and operations as an NOC, in accordance with the Olympic Charter.
“The Government authorities have been urged to take immediate action, in the interest of the Italian Olympic Movement and the athletes, as this situation has been ongoing for almost two years and is seriously affecting the preparations of the Italian team for the forthcoming Tokyo 2020 and Beijing 2022 Olympic Games.
“As in every meeting, the IOC Executive Board will be updated on the situation of NOCs in the forthcoming meeting.”
The Russian flag and anthem will also absent from Tokyo 2020 under a series of sanctions imposed on the country because of the state-sponsored doping scandal.
The re-arranged Olympics in the Japanese capital are scheduled to run from July 23 to August 8 after the COVID-19 pandemic forced the postponement of the Games to 2021.
Tokyo 2020, should it take place, will be Italy’s 28th appearance at the Summer Olympics having appeared at every Games since Athens 1896 with the exception of St Louis 1904.
The country earned eight gold, 12 silver and eight bronze at Rio 2016 to rank ninth overall on the final medals table.
-insidethegames
World football governing body, FIFA, today clocks its 122nd anniversary, celebrating more than a century of overseeing and expanding the global game.
Founded on May 21, 1904, in Paris, France, FIFA began with just seven member associations — France, Belgium, Denmark, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland.
From that modest beginning, the organisation has grown into the most influential sports governing body in the world, with 211 member associations spread across all continents.
Over the decades, FIFA has transformed football into a truly global phenomenon through competitions such as the FIFA World Cup, Women’s World Cup, Club World Cup, youth tournaments, and developmental programmes aimed at growing the game worldwide.
The organisation has also witnessed remarkable milestones, including the expansion of the men’s World Cup from 13 teams in 1930 to 48 teams beginning from the 2026 edition to be jointly hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
FIFA’s journey has equally reflected football’s growing influence beyond sport, with the game becoming a major tool for diplomacy, social inclusion, youth empowerment, and economic development across the world.
As FIFA celebrates 122 years of existence, attention is now focused on the future of the game, technological innovations, expanded competitions, women’s football growth, and the continued globalisation of football.
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UEFA has issued a lifetime ban to Petr Vlachovsky, a Czech women’s soccer coach who secretly filmed his players, the governing body announced on Tuesday.
Czech media reported that the coach was convicted in May 2025 and initially received a suspended one-year prison sentence and a five-year domestic coaching ban for filming FC Slovacko’s players in changing rooms, the youngest of whom was 17.
In a statement, UEFA’s Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body (CEDB) said it had decided to ban Vlachovsky “from exercising any football-related activity for life” following the appointment of an Ethics and Disciplinary Inspector to investigate allegations of potential misconduct.
“The CEDB further decided to request FIFA to extend the abovementioned ban on a worldwide level and to order the Football Association of the Czech Republic to revoke Mr Petr Vlachovsky’s coaching licence,” the statement added.
FC Slovacko did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment.
Football players’ union FIFPRO welcomed the ban as well as UEFA’s request for world soccer governing body FIFA to impose an international ban on Vlachovsky.
“This outcome sends a strong and necessary message that abusive and inappropriate behaviour has no place in football and that safeguarding the well-being of players must remain a priority at every level of the game,” FIFPRO added in a statement.
Vlachovsky had also previously served as coach of the Czech women’s Under-19s team.
RELATED STORY: https://sportsvillagesquare.com/2026/04/08/outrage-as-male-coach-who-secretly-filmed-women-players-still-free-to-work-in-football/
-Reuters
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Southampton have been kicked out of the Championship playoff final after being found guilty of spying on semi-final opponents Middlesbrough, the English Football League said on Tuesday.
Middlesbrough, who lost 2-1 to Southampton on aggregate in the semi, have been reinstated and will face Hull City on Saturday in what is dubbed the world’s richest soccer match.
Promotion to the Premier League, even with an immediate relegation, is estimated to be worth in the region of 200 million pounds ($268.10 million) over three seasons.
Southampton, who admitted the charges, were also found guilty of filming training sessions involving Oxford United in December and Ipswich Town in April during the regular season.
They have also been deducted four points from the start of next season in England’s second tier.
“An Independent Disciplinary Commission has today expelled Southampton from the Championship play-offs after the club admitted multiple breaches of EFL regulations related to the unauthorised filming of other clubs’ training,” the EFL said.
“Southampton admitted breaches of Regulations requiring Clubs to act with the utmost good faith and prohibiting the observation of another Club’s training session within 72 hours of a scheduled match.
“The effect of today’s order is that Middlesbrough are reinstated into the 2026 play-offs and will proceed to the play-off final against Hull City. The final remains scheduled for Saturday 23 May, with the kick-off time to be confirmed.”
The EFL confirmed that Southampton could appeal against the decision and that “parties are working to try and resolve any appeal on Wednesday 20 May.
“Subject to the outcome, it could result in a further change to Saturday’s fixture,” the statement said.
‘BORO CALLED FOR SOUTHAMPTON EXPULSION
Middlesbrough had called for Southampton’s expulsion after having a training session at their Rockliffe Park site filmed 48 hours ahead of the first leg of their playoff semi-final with Southampton which ended 0-0.
The north-east club said they welcomed the decision.
“We believe this sends out a clear message for the future of our game regarding sporting integrity and conduct,” the north Middlesbrough said in a statement.
“As a club, we are now focused on our game against Hull City at Wembley on Saturday.”
Southampton were relegated from the Premier League last season and were struggling in the early part of this campaign until a storming finish in which they went unbeaten in 19 league games to finish fourth and enter the playoffs.
The south-coast club are the first to fall foul of the Football League’s regulation 127 — brought in after Leeds United were found guilty of spying on Derby County seven years ago, an offence for which they were fined 200,000 pounds.
-Reuters
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