Governing Bodies
NIGERIA’S SPORTS MINISTER, DARE TO SPONSOR TWO AIR WARRIORS PLAYERS TO TOKYO 2020
In fulfilment of his promise to host the Air Warriors of Lagos for emerging champions of the Zenith Bank Women’s Basketball League, Youth and Sports Development Minister Sunday Dare has promised to sponsor two players from the victorious team to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
The Minister made this pledge while receiving the players in his office at the
Moshood Abiola Stadium, Abuja, even as he expressed delight in their debut
participation in the tournament.
“It is very exciting to receive the Air Warriors Basketball Club. When I
watched them in Lagos, I saw a team with talents and skills and predicted that
they would go a long way.
Their story is very compelling as it was their first time competing in the
basketball league and they came out unbeaten. No team has ever set that record.
That is hugely commendable.”
The Minister said the decision to sponsor two members of the team to the Tokyo
2020 Olympics is to ensure that they have first-hand experience
while learning from D’Tigers and D’Tigress.
He assured that the Nigerian Basketball Federation would work closely
with the team to make them stronger.
Dare, while attributing Air Warriors’ success to the role of private
investors and individuals, he urged others to come on board
to make sports a viable business.
“If you look at their narrative, they are supported by a private
individual not government, not the sports ministry but with a bit of logistics
support by NBBF. This says a lot about the role private individuals can play in
developing our sports, discovering talents and nurturing them.”
In his response, the Chairman/CEO of Air Warriors, Abduldumajeed Solademi
thanked the Minister for honouring the team, describing him as a father.
Solademi said the reception will further motivate the players and
himself to do more for sports generally.
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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