Governing Bodies
Nigeria’s Interim Management Committee tasked to rebrand the football league
President of the Nigeria Football Federation, Ibrahim Musa Gusau says it is incumbent on the Interim Management Committee of the Nigeria Professional Football League to imbue the nation’s elite domestic cadre with integrity, credibility and a firm hand on management and administration in order to turn things around for the better.
Speaking at the inauguration of the committee inside the NFF Secretariat on Friday, Gusau pinpointed lack of television broadcasting as one of the major drawbacks of the elite League.
“There is a lot of work to be done by this committee of eminent and respectable persons in Nigeria Football, people with the pedigree and real calibre to effect change. One of the changes must be to ensure that our League is back on television, and that there is a lot of integrity and credibility to the way and manner it is being administered.
“I have tremendous confidence in the chairman and members of the committee that they will justify the confidence reposed in them by the Government and people of Nigeria.”
Gusau thereafter presented to the chairman, Gbenga Elegbeleye, one-time Director General of the National Sports Commission, the terms of reference of the committee, which will be in place for three months.
In his response, Elegbeleye thanked the NFF President and his Board for the confidence they have proclaimed in the committee and assured that the Interim Management Committee will do its best within the three months lifespan to put in place building blocks that a substantive team will improve on to rejuvenate, upgrade and upscale the Nigeria Professional Football League.
“Definitely, we have a lot of problems in the League. We have problems of officiating, of lack of television and several other hiccups. Our job will be to do a lot to redress these within the short time we have, and we also appeal to the media to ensure credibility in their reporting of the League,” Elegbeleye, also a former vice chairman of the Youth and Sports Development Committee of the House of Representatives, said.
Also at the occasion were Alhaji Sharif Rabiu Inuwa and Mr. Timothy Henman Magaji (NFF Executive Committee Members); Dr. Mohammed Sanusi (NFF General Secretary); Dr. Emmanuel Ikpeme (NFF Deputy General Secretary); Alhaji Aminu Balele Kurfi (Chairman of NFF Task Force on Youth Competitions); Mr. E. C. Kadiri (Director of Finance & Admin); Mr. Augustine Eguavoen (Technical Director); Mr. Ademola Olajire (Director of Communications); Dr. Robinson Okosun (Deputy Director, Technical); Mr. Femi Adetula (Public Relations Officer, Nigeria Olympic Committee) and; Mr Kola Daniel (Media Aide to the Hon. Minister of Youth and Sports Development).
TERMS OF REFERENCE:
I. Come up with the procedure for rebranding the League with sincerity of purpose, transparency and accountability; thereby creating an enabling environment that will ensure that the inherent benefits of it as a business outfit, is fully maximised.
II. Advise on the legal framework that will attract sponsorship opportunities from reputable corporate organisations, that will make the League a sustainable and viable brand.
III. Draw up modalities for the commercialisation of TV Rights that will represent the highest value of the profit and loss for the domestic league.
IV. Restart the League and draw up a calendar in line with global best practices in achieving the desired objectives and ensure that every Premier League Club has a good playing infrastructure that is TV-friendly, in line with CAF Standards.
V. To ensure that the League is on Television for better evaluation and transparency.
VI. Furthermore, the IMC as a matter of urgency should draw up a check list of tools and activities as well as assign appropriate timelines within which they would be accomplished with a view to having a form of professionalism in the League.
VII. To put up a legal framework and set up modalities for a permanent body to run the League appropriately.
VIII. Review the Club Licensing Regulations in line with the FIFA Club Licensing Rules while incorporating legal, administrative and financing systems and putting in place a structure that will guarantee the basic club licensing requirements ensuring that PLAYERS WELFARE is adhered to strictly by the Club Owners (Payment of Players salaries, contractual terms and certified Insurance schemes).
IX. Review the League framework(s) to ensure compliance, fair and credible officiating, while disciplinary measures for hooliganism must be evaluated to prevent fans and teams from indulging in it.
MEMBERSHIP:
Gbenga Elegbeleye – Chairman
.Paul Bassey – Vice Chairman
. Davidson Owumi – Head of Operations
Kunle Soname – Member
Daniel Amokachi – Member
Calvin Emeka Onwuka – Member
Aliyu Adamu – Member
. Rep. of Nigeria Police – Member
Danladi Ibrahim – Member
Mohammed Nasiru Sa’idu- Member
Ogun – Member
Auwalu Baba Jada – Member
Olumide Bamiduro – Secretary
Dr. Ayo Abdulrahaman – Asst. Secretary
Governing Bodies
Zimbabwe sports minister among candidates for International Olympic Committee presidency
A total of seven candidates are running for the presidency of the International Olympic Committee with the winner replacing outgoing president Thomas Bach at elections in March 2025 in ancient Olympia, Greece.
Kirsty Coventry:
Age: 41
Country: Zimbabwe
Entry into the IOC: 2013
An Olympic swimming champion and Zimbabwe’s most successful Olympian, Coventry is Zimbabwe’s Sports Minister. She is the only woman among the candidates and the only one from Africa.
Prince Feisal Al Hussein:
Age: 60
Country: Jordan
Entry into the IOC: 2010
Prince Feisal heads the Jordan Olympic Committee and has been an IOC executive board member since 2019. An Executive Board member of the Olympic Council of Asia, Prince Feisal has also held several posts at the Royal Jordanian Air Force.
Sebastian Coe:
Age: 67
Country: Britain
Entry into the IOC: 2020
An Olympic track and field champion and head of World Athletics, Coe also led the organisation for the 2012 London Olympics. A former Conservative Member of Parliament, Coe is also involved in sports consultancy and is a former head of the British Olympic Association.
Johan Eliasch:
Age: 62
Country: Britain
Entry into the IOC: 2024
The wealthy Swedish-born entrepreneur with a variety of business interests has headed the international skiing federation since 2021. He only joined the IOC in July at its session in the Paris Olympics.
David Lappartient:
Age: 51
Country: France
Entry into the IOC: 2022
A rising figure in world sports administration. He heads the international cycling body, UCI, and is in charge of esports within the IOC, having helped seal a 12-year deal with Saudi Arabia earlier this year for the Olympic esports Games.
Juan Antonio Samaranch:
Age: 64
Country: Spain
Entry into the IOC: 2001
The son of the late former IOC president, Samaranch has considerable IOC experience and influence in his six years as vice president and 23 as a member. He headed the coordination commission for the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics.
Morinari Watanabe:
Age: 65
Country: Japan
Entry into the IOC: 2018
Watanabe has headed the gymnastics federation (FIG) since 2016, having been re-elected twice since. He is the first Japanese candidate to run for the IOC presidency.
Governing Bodies
World Athletics boss, Coe and multi-millionaire Eliasch among seven candidates for IOC presidency
World athletics chief Sebastian Coe, multi-millionaire and Olympic newcomer Johan Eliasch and Zimbabwe’s Sports Minister Kirsty Coventry are among seven candidates for next year’s International Olympic Committee presidency election, the IOC said on Monday.
IOC Vice President Juan Antonio Samaranch, son of the late former IOC president, international cycling chief David Lappartient, Prince Feisal Al Hussein of Jordan and international gymnastics federation head Morinari Watanabe are also in the running to succeed current president Thomas Bach.
The 70-year-old German is stepping down next year after 12 years at the helm. The election will be held at the IOC session in ancient Olympia, Greece in March 2025.
The candidates will all present their programmes, behind closed doors, to the full IOC membership in January 2025.
The IOC, with 111 members currently, is in charge of the Olympic Games and the multi-billion dollar industry linked to the world’s biggest multi-sports event.
Bach’s departure comes with the organisation in a financially robust position, having secured $7.3 billion for the years 2025-28 and $6.2 billion already in deals for 2029-2032.
The president is elected to an eight-year first term with the possibility of a second term of four years, if re-elected.
Coe, 67, only joined the IOC in 2020 after a rocky relationship between World Athletics and the IOC over Coe’s ban of Russian track and field athletes almost a decade ago following the country’s doping scandal.
A former Olympic champion with a wealth of experience in the sports world, Coe was previously head of the London 2012 Games and the British Olympic Association. He is also a former Conservative Member of Parliament.
Coventry, 41, is the only woman running for president and the former Olympic swimming champion, who is Zimbabwe’s most decorated Olympian, could become not only the first female president but also the first from Africa.
MALE PRESIDENTS
All IOC presidents have been men, with eight of the nine from Europe and one from the United States.
The 62-year-old Eliasch, head of the International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS), only joined the IOC in July, with the Swedish-born British businessman’s candidacy a surprise for some.
Prince Feisal, 60, is a member of the IOC executive board, having joined the organisation in 2010, while Spaniard Samaranch, with considerable IOC experience in his six years as vice president, headed the coordination commission for the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics.
“The IOC and Olympic movement have made enormous strides over the past decade under the leadership of Mr Bach,” said Samaranch in a statement.
“The IOC now needs a new leader with deep experience of the Olympic movement who can help steer it through this period of upheaval.”
UCI chief Lappartient has been a rapidly rising figure within the sports world after joining the IOC in 2022.
The Frenchman also is in charge of esports within the IOC, having helped seal a 12-year deal with Saudi Arabia earlier this year for the Olympic esports Games.
Japan’s Watanabe, 65, has headed the gymnastics federation (FIG) since 2016, having been re-elected twice since, and is his country’s first ever candidate for the IOC presidency.
Under current rules members have to step down when they reach 70, the IOC’s age limit, unless they are given a four-year extension.
-Reuters
Governing Bodies
Storm in CAF over proposed statutes amendments
There is currently insinuations that proposed certain elements may have smuggled modifications to amend the Statutes of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) when the body holds its General Assembly next month in Kinshasa, Congo next month.
The confederation will be having its 46th General Assembly on 10th October. It is at such gatherings that amendments are made to existing rules.
According to an article authored by Mansour Loum, the editor of Sports News Africa, some national football federations have denied being party to proposed amendments which were linked to them.
One of such is coming from the Equatorial Guinea Football Federation which has denied signing proposals being circulated relating to amendments to CAF Statutes.
It is claimed that a circular dated 8 September has been sent to CAF member associations. Signed by CAF General Secretary, Véron Mosengo-Omba, it is titled: “Proposals for amendments to the CAF statutes and regulations for the application of the statutes, as well as the rules of procedure of the CAF General Assembly, presented by the national associations.”
Seven member associations were quoted as sponsoring the amendments. They are: Botswana, Comoros, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea, Liberia, Mauritania and Niger.
But Equatorial Guinea has denied being party to the proposed amendment which seek to remove age barrier for candidates seeking to be CAF Presidents and also removing zonal considerations in election into FIFA Council.
The current Statute stipulates that a presidential candidate must not be older than 70 as at the date of election.
Most of the national federation members are already approaching that age. In the estimation of the author of the article, Mansour Loum, the current CAF president, Patrice Motsepe, is 62 years old. With the age limit, he could, for example, only run for two more terms.
Continuing, Loum wrote that regarding the elections to the FIFA Council, each zone has a representative on the FIFA Council and candidates for these positions can only be elected by the presidents of the member associations of their group zone.
Thus, the presidents of French-speaking federations can only vote for a French-speaking representative, the English-speakers for the English-speaking group, and so on.
The distribution of seats on the FIFA Council is currently as follows:
Francophone Group – Two members
Anglophone Group – Two members
Arabophone/Lusophone/Hispanophone Group – Two members
One female member elected from among the female candidates, regardless of language groups
The modification of the grouping by zonal unions would mean that all presidents could vote for candidates outside their group, or that the candidates would also no longer be limited to a group.
Several candidates from the same group could be elected to the FIFA Council, while at the same time some groups could no longer be represented.
Equatorial Guinea disputes any request for modification. The football federation president, Venancio Tomas Ndong Micha has reportedly denied being party to the proposed amendments.
“I am writing to you to present the disagreement of the Equatorial Guinean Football Federation with part of the content of the document sent to the CAF Executive Council on September 8, 2024 signed by you (…)
“In this document, there are amendments presented by the Equatorial Guinean Football Federation (…) By this letter, we confirm that the Equatorial Guinean Football Federation has not submitted any amendments to the CAF administration for the 46th CAF Ordinary General Assembly to be held on Thursday, October 10, 2024 in Kinshasa,” he denounces.
Enough to cast doubt on this document sent by the CAF secretary general and the objective targeted. Contacted, a federation president, whose body is not mentioned in the letter, is surprised by these two requests for amendments and wonders about their intentions.
The press release from the Equatorial Guinean Football Federation has sown doubt and now he is questioning the originality of the attachments included in this document which is likely to be talked about between now and the CAF General Assembly.
– Mansour Loum
-
AFCON1 week ago
Super Eagles lead Afcon Group D qualifiers despite Benin’s defeat of Libya
-
AFCON1 week ago
Austin Eguavoen remains the ‘Big Boss’, says NFF
-
AFCON1 week ago
Why I benched Osimhen again – Eguavoen
-
AFCON1 week ago
Rwanda newspaper gives 5 lessons gleaned from Rwanda-Nigeria clash
-
Nigerian Football1 week ago
Westerhof recommends Siasia for Super Eagles’ job
-
AFCON1 week ago
Nigeria’s managerial crisis resumes as Eguavoen reportedly declines to continue
-
AFCON1 week ago
Present and Past as CAF Coaches Symposium unites Rohr, Peseiro and Eguavoen
-
CAF Confederation Cup7 days ago
Enyimba continues unbeaten run against Burkina Faso clubs