Governing Bodies
DECISION DAY FOR AMAJU PINNICK
BY KUNLE SOLAJA.
To be or not to be? That is the poser before the president of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Amaju Pinnick as the 43rd General Assembly of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) gets under way in Rabat, Morocco.
At about noon today, he ceases to be a member of the Executive Committee of CAF, having dropped a reelection for a more elevating position of FIFA Council.
He will hope to be among the top two in a field of six contestants in the English-speaking bloc of African football jostling to belong to the 37-member ruling class of global football.
Among his fellow contestants is an incumbent, Malawi’s Walter Nyamilandu.
Considering the incumbency factor in Africa’s political set up, be it in core politics, business or sports, it may be safe to assume that Pinnick will only be hoping to join the Malawi FA boss in the recently expanded FIFA Council.
In other word, there is strong indication that Nyamilandu could pick one of the two tickets, leaving Pinnick and the four others struggling for one.
Like Sports Village Square recalled earlier in the week, the other contestants on the field include Gambia’s Lamin Kaba Bajo, Zambia’s Andrew Kamanga, Kenya’s Nicholas Mwendwa and Tanzania’s Wallace Karia.
As could be seen, the crowded pool is spread across geographical divide –West Africa, East and Central Africa and Southern Africa making it a bit challenging for any of the six contestants to lay claim to any ‘home’.
Everywhere looks a battleground. But for two candidates from Southern Africa, Pinnick would have relied heavily on his now well known alliance with South Africa where he is the frontline supporter of the CAF President-Elect, Patrice Motsepe.
In fact, Pinnick did not only drop his presidential aspiration for Motsepe, he was on ground and took to the podium when Motsepe unveiled his 10-point agenda in Johannesburg.
Pinnick could have relied on his home region of West Africa, but there is another candidate from Gambia which could also lead to split vote, especially since two previous presidential candidates – Augustin Senghor of Senegal and Jacques Anouma of Cote d’Ivoire did not find favour in the Nigerian FA chieftain.
He could however rely on votes from the Ghana FA and Isha Johansen of Sierra Leone. It is expected that personal friendship with Morocco’s FA boss, Fouzi Lekjaa can help in garnering the votes from the Arab/Portuguese and Spanish bloc.
Similarly, Lekjaa who is also eyeing a position in the FIFA Council from the Arab/Portuguese/Spanish bloc will be expecting a reciprocal support from Pinnick.
It all now boils down to alliances and counter-alliances as Pinnick is hoping to become the third Nigerian ever in the FIFA ruling body. Before him were Oyo Orok Oyo from 1980 to 1988; Amos Adamu from 2006 to 2010.
Oyo lost his FIFA seat to Gambia’s Omar Sey in 1988 at the General Assembly held in Morocco, the same country hosting the 2021 elections. Like Oyo and Adamu who started their FIFA journey by winning executive committee seats in CAF in 1972 and 2002 respectively, Pinnick is following the same path having won a CAF seat four years ago.
But unlike the duo, Pinnick will not hold the two positions simultaneously as he is not listed to contest for CAF seat today. His position is therefore vacant and candidates will contest the WAFU zone B slots.
If Pinnick wins, it is another feather on his cap and Nigeria gaining another position in the committee of Nations. But if he fails, the only executive position he will be holding will be that of NFF of which he is half-way done in his second term.
It is however expected that he may gain standing committee positions in both CAF and FIFA having been an arrowhead supporter of the chieftains of both bodies.
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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