Governing Bodies
TOKYO 2020 POSTPONEMENT HEADLINES IOC EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING
BY DAN PALMER
The International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) ruling Executive Board will discuss the latest situation regarding the postponed Tokyo 2020 Games during a video conference tomorrow.
Reports will be provided by both the Organising Committee and John Coates, the chairman of the Tokyo 2020 Coordination Commission.
An update on the Tokyo 2020 “Here We Go” taskforce, established to navigate the challenges caused after the Games were moved to next year because of coronavirus, will also be heard.
Organisers have been left with severe logistical headaches with the Olympics now scheduled to open on July 23 next year.
Issues for the taskforce, which includes members from both the Organising Committee and the IOC-led Coordination Commission, include extra costs, securing venues, qualification, ticketing and accommodation.
Doubts also still remain about the Games going ahead in their new slot, due to fears that coronavirus restrictions will not significantly ease in time.
Officials have already admitted that some areas of the mega-event are likely to be “scaled back” if competition is held as planned in 2021.
The video conference will open with a report from IOC President Thomas Bach while there will also be presentations on the Beijing 2022 and Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
Pierre-Olivier Beckers-Vieujant, the chairman of the Paris 2024 Coordination Commission, will report on the Games in the French capital.
The Belgian claimed last week that a final decision on whether Tokyo 2020 can go ahead will be made “in the spring” if questions over the coronavirus crisis persist.
Discussions will also be held tomorrow on preparations for the virtual IOC Session which will be held on July 17.
It was agreed last month to hold the major decision-making gathering entirely online as the physical meeting planned before Tokyo 2020 this year will not go ahead.
The video conference is due to run between 12 and 3pm CEST and will be followed by a media call.
-insidethegames
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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