Governing Bodies
NFF BOSS, PINNICK CHARGES ADHOC COMMITTEE TO WORK IN GAME’S INTEREST
President of the Nigeria Football Federation, Amaju Melvin Pinnick on Tuesday inaugurated the ad-hoc committee set up by the football –governing body to investigate the death of Nasarawa United player Chineme Martins, charging the panel to come up with robust and sincere recommendations that will constitute the standard protocols for football organization in the country going forward.
“I am happy at the calibre of the people who make up the membership of this committee and I have no doubt you will come up with the right protocols that must be adhered to before any football match takes place anywhere in Nigeria. This is the time to make difficult decisions and I trust you to make them for us.
“Your job is a very serious one. You are free to tinker with the terms of reference and avail us the steps that will safeguard the future of our players in the areas of medical, safety and security.
“We pray that the soul of Chineme Martins rest in peace but we are pained by his death and we must use it as a wake-up call to enforce compliance with the provisions of Club Licensing as well as the fresh medical and security protocols that this committee will draw up.”
Pinnick and members of the committee, as well as NFF Executive Committee member Aisha Falode who was present at the inauguration observed a one- minute silence in honour of the departed Chineme Martins, who slumped and died during a Nigeria Professional Football League match between his club Nasarawa United and Katsina United at the Lafia City Stadium on Sunday, 8th March 2020.
Chairman of the committee, Dr. Peter Singabele, who is a member of the CAF committee on sports medicine, thanked the NFF President for the opportunity given the committee to take a very critical look at organization of football matches in Nigeria, pledging that with the experience, energy, assiduity and sincerity of members, the committee will draw up recommendations that will ensure that such lapses as led to the unfortunate death of Chineme Martins never recur in the country’s football.
After the inauguration, committee members paid a visit to the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, venue of the now postponed National Sports Festival to conduct checks on safety, security and medical facilities and equipment, and provided advice on areas in need of uplift and upgrade.
Specifically, it advised that three more exit gates being constructed at the arena be finished quickly, ambulance’s cylinder must always be filled with oxygen, the clinic should have a sterilizer and that examination tables and showers are non-negotiable in the doping control room.
The committee will also visit Lafia City Stadium for similar checks, before concluding its work and submitting its report to the NFF President.
Other members are Mazi Amanze Uchegbulam (Chairman of the Imo State Football Association, former 1st Vice President of the NFF and former Vice President of the CAF Appeal Board); respected technocrat and retired senior civil servant, Abba Abdullahi Yola; Dr. Paul Onyeudo, head of sports medicine of the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports; Tade Azeez, President of the Nigeria Referees Association; Tijani Babangida, President of National Association of Nigeria Professional Footballers and; Salihu Abubakar, chief operating officer of the League Management Company.
Commissioner of Police Umar Baba, Oladunni Oyekale, Francis Adejoh, Dr. Ibrahim Gyaran and Miss Kisu Remi Sulola are the other members, with China Acheru as secretary.
Member of the NFF Executive Committee, Ibrahim Musa Gusau, NFF’s Director of Communications Ademola Olajire and NFF’s Head of Legal/CAF Safety and Security Officer Okey Obi are co-opted members.
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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