Governing Bodies
SWISS PROSECUTOR IN FIFA PROBE SUMMONED BY PARLIAMENT
Switzerland’s attorney-general, who is conducting investigations into alleged corruption at FIFA, will be hauled in front of the Swiss parliament’s judicial committee, the body said on Wednesday (May 13).
Michael Lauber, the Alpine nation’s top prosecutor, will be quizzed at the committee’s next meeting on May 20.
The committee of lawmakers “then intends to decide on the possible opening of a revocation procedure against him,” it said in a statement.
In Switzerland, the attorney general is chosen by parliamentarians.
Lauber was investigated by the supervisory authority watchdog that oversees his office with regard to his informal meetings with FIFA president Gianni Infantino, the head of world football’s governing body, in 2016 and 2017.
The committee said it had noted the disciplinary decision taken by the watchdog on March 2 to sanction Lauber by cutting his salary.
That investigation found that Lauber committed “very serious breaches” before, but also during the disciplinary proceedings, said the committee.
“These included statements contrary to the truth, violation of the duty of loyalty or obstruction of the disciplinary investigation,” it said.
Lauber appealed against that decision.
The prosecutor accuses the watchdog of having made several procedural errors, exceeding its powers and “being biased”, the committee said.
If the committee is aware of facts “seriously implicating the professional and personal suitability of the attorney general”, then it “must decide whether or not to initiate revocation proceedings,” the body said.
“In view of the current situation, it decided to hear from Mr Lauber at its meeting on May 20.”
FIFA has never denied the meetings between Infantino and Lauber, saying they were intended to show that the federation was “ready to cooperate with the Swiss justice system”.
But the legal uncertainty in which these meetings took place raised the question of potential collusion between Swiss prosecutors and FIFA, which is based in Zurich.
Switzerland has pursued a number of cases since a raid on a luxury hotel in Zurich in May 2015 led to the arrests of a several FIFA executives and exposed an allegedly corrupt underbelly in world football.
In total, more than 20 FIFA proceedings have been opened in Switzerland over the past five years into allegations of corruption and vote-buying, and allegations over the awarding of television rights contracts.
In an interview with the Swiss magazine L’Illustre published on Wednesday, former Uefa president Michel Platini called on Infantino to resign.
He alleged that Infantino and Lauber thought themselves “untouchable and above the law”.
-AFP
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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