Governing Bodies
Africa Beach Soccer Union unveils headquarters in Abuja
The headquarters of the Africa Beach Soccer Union, ABSU has been officially commissioned in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja Nigeria.
NFF President and member of the FIFA Council, Amaju Pinnick who was represented by the General Secretary, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi was impressed having donated the offices earlier in 2020, pledging more support for the young continental body.
An elated Dr. Sanusi commended the ABSU President, Mahmud Hadejia and his team for the giant strides in promoting beach soccer in Nigeria and Africa as a whole.
“I remember receiving members of the body some time ago at our secretariat and they shared their vision with us which made us support them with these office spaces. I’m glad today we are here to commission the offices.
“It shows how dedicated and focused they are,” Sanusi stated.
Dr. Sanusi also used the occasion to applaud the Nigeria Beach Soccer Association for seeing through its first league season successfully, which was wrapped up in July earlier in the year, maintaining that with the commencement of a privately driven Nigeria Beach Soccer League (NBSL), there is hope on the horizon for the return of the Nigeria Beach Soccer National team at the International scene.
“You will recall Nigeria was doing very well in beach soccer, but all of a sudden we started dwindling and the problem was traced to lack of a functional league.
“That was why we put a hold on our participation in International events and said we must start our local league. “With a functional local league now, I can assure you that we will go and sit down at our level (NFF) to review our stand (on Super Sand Eagles) so that we can resume participation in International beach soccer again,” he said.
Sanusi pledged to work more closely with the Association and ABSU to promote the game in Nigeria and Africa.
Earlier, ABSU President Mahmud Hadejia said the aim of the continental body was to promote and develop a strong beach soccer culture and league across Africa.
He said the commissioning of the headquarters in Abuja will go a long way to fast-tracking the development of the game.
“Today is historic for stakeholders of beach soccer across Africa because we have been pushing for a functional headquarters for a long time as this will help facilitate the needed growth of the game in Africa,” Hadejia said.
Similarly, the Chairman of the Nigeria Beach Soccer Association, Suleiman Yahaya-Kwande in his remarks, said the association will continue to work round the clock to improve the beach soccer league in Nigeria.
Recall the Africa Beach Soccer Union was formed in 2020, with its members across the continent who are key players in their respective National Federations.
While the event was streamed lived for members across Africa who joined the historic event, present at the commissioning alongside Dr Sanusi were NFF executive committee member and Chairman of the Nigeria Beach Soccer Association and Suleiman Yahaya Kwande; the President of the Nigeria Volleyball Federation/Chairman Kaduna Beach Soccer Association, Musa Nimrod; representative of Chairman Wacot Rice Ltd a subsidiary of Tropical General Investments Group, CEO of BAM Projects and Properties Abba Bello Mohammed, Chief Operation Officers of the Nigeria National League and Nationwide League One. Emmanuel Adesanya and Shola Ogunnowo, ABSU General Secretary Taye Olajide, amongst other top personalities.
The president of the Confédération of African Football, Dr. Patrice Motsepe, has announced five new CAF Vice Presidents. They are:
- CAF First Vice President: Mr Fouzi Lekjaa (Morocco)
- CAF Second Vice President: Mr Kurt Okraku (Ghana)
- CAF Third Vice President: Mr Pierre-Alain Mounguengui (Gabon)
- CAF Fourth Vice President: Ms Bestine Kazadi Ditabala (Democratic Republic of Congo)
- CAF Fifth Vice President: Mr Feizal Sidat (Mozambique)
In addition, the CAF President has co-opted Yacine Idriss Diallo, President of Fédération Ivoirienne de football, into the CAF Executive Committee.
The CAF Executive Committee also approved the names to fill vacant positions on several CAF Committees.
Organising Committee for the African Nations Championship (CHAN)
- President: Pierre-Alain Mounguengui (Gabon)
CAF Technical and Development Committee
- President: Samuel Eto’o (Cameroon)
- Vice President: Malouche Belhassen (Tunisia)
CAF Medical Committee:
- President: Dr. Mohammed Bouya (Mauritania)
- Vice President: Dr. Thulani Ngwenya (South Africa)
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Governing Bodies
Nigeria becoming an epicentre of global badminton as Francis Orbih enters the Badminton World Federation Council
Laurels on the courts and now glory in the boardroom sums up the mark that badminton is making in Nigeria.
The President, Badminton Federation of Nigeria (BFN), Francis Orbih, has been elected as a council member of the Badminton World Federation (BWF).
The election took place during the BWF Annual General Meeting on Saturday in Xiamen, China.
Orbih emerged victorious over top contenders from other African countries.
He will join Cameroon’s Odette Assembe Engoulou on the council, while Chipo Zumburani (Zimbabwe) and Hadia ElSaid (Egypt) missed out.
An elated Orbih expressed his gratitude to fellow badminton presidents across the globe for their trust and support.
He said, “I am deeply honoured by the trust placed in me by my peers across the badminton world.
“I look forward to quality representation, driving development initiatives, and strengthening badminton’s global reach over the next four years.”
Orbih also acknowledged the support of the Federal Government of Nigeria, particularly the National Sports Commission (NSC), which he said played a significant role in his successful bid.
“The Chairman and the Director General of the NSC monitored the entire process. I’m grateful for their involvement and confident Nigeria will benefit from this,” he stated.
He further appreciated the BFN board members and the Nigerian badminton community for their prayers and continued belief in his leadership.
“From the day I declared my intentions, the board members of BFN have been supportive, and I promise not to disappoint them,” Orbih concluded.
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A former member of the FIFA Council, Mamoutou Toure, has been released from jail in Mali after almost two years in detention for alleged corruption, Malian media reports said on Wednesday.
Toure, president of the Malian Football Federation since 2019, was released after 622 days in prison on Tuesday.
He served on the FIFA Council, world football’s all-powerful decision-making body, for four years until last month when he lost his seat after failing to contest new elections.
The 67-year-old was arrested in August 2023 on allegations of embezzling $28 million of public funds but was granted a provisional release order by the Malian courts, reports said.
He was accused of misconduct during his time as the National Assembly’s financial and administrative director from 2013-2019.
Toure denied all charges and, during his time in jail, was last August re-elected as Malian Football Federation president for a second consecutive term, with his supporters claiming he was a victim of a conspiracy fuelled by detractors.
While in jail, he received a letter of support from FIFA president Gianni Infantino. However, as of last month, Toure is no longer a member of the FIFA Council or the Confederation of African Football’s executive committee.
-Reuters
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