Governing Bodies
CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION: I HAVE NOTHING TO HIDE, SAYS FIFA BOSS, INFANTINO
Gianni Infantino has insisted that he had “nothing to hide” in a letter to member federations of football’s governing body Fifa, despite Swiss prosecutors launching a criminal probe against him.
In the letter, sent on Thursday and seen by Agence France-Presse, the FIFA president told the body’s 211 members that there were no “factual grounds for the opening of a criminal investigation” announced last week.
The special prosecutor has been investigating suspected collusion between Infantino and Swiss Attorney-General Michael Lauber, who resigned last month over his handling of a corruption investigation targeting FIFA.
Infantino and Lauber are said to have held secret meetings in 2016 and 2017, but the FIFAchief said the meetings were about restoring “public trust in our institution” after a series of scandals.
He claims those meetings “were in no way secret and most certainly not illegal”.
“I went to these meetings with the most senior law officer in the country in order to offer our full support and assistance in connection with the ongoing investigations, because Fifa has an interest and is a damaged party in these investigations,” Infantino wrote.
Gianni Infantino has insisted that he had “nothing to hide” in a letter to member federations of football’s governing body Fifa, despite Swiss prosecutors launching a criminal probe against him.
In the letter, sent on Thursday and seen by Agence France-Presse, the FIFA president told the body’s 211 members that there were no “factual grounds for the opening of a criminal investigation” announced last week.
The special prosecutor has been investigating suspected collusion between Infantino and Swiss Attorney-General Michael Lauber, who resigned last month over his handling of a corruption investigation targeting FIFA.
Infantino and Lauber are said to have held secret meetings in 2016 and 2017, but the FIFAchief said the meetings were about restoring “public trust in our institution” after a series of scandals.
He claims those meetings “were in no way secret and most certainly not illegal”.
“I went to these meetings with the most senior law officer in the country in order to offer our full support and assistance in connection with the ongoing investigations, because Fifa has an interest and is a damaged party in these investigations,” Infantino wrote.
Last Sunday, FIFA insisted Infantino would continue to fulfil his duties as president and blasted the Swiss probe, while its former head Sepp Blatter called for his successor to be suspended.
Speaking to AFP, Infantino’s lawyer David Zollinger said that since the announcement of the investigation, his client has not received “any information” from the prosecutor and “has not been summoned” to any hearings.
A former prosecutor, Zollinger was a member of the supervisory authority of the Swiss public prosecutor’s office – which oversaw Lauber – between 2011 and 2016.
“I went to these meetings… to offer our full support and assistance in connection with the ongoing investigations, because FIFA has an interest and is a damaged party in these investigations.” – Infantino
He denies any conflict of interest, saying that his last meetings at the supervisory authority “took place in June and July of 2016 and at that time no one was aware of the meetings between Lauber and Infantino”.
Last Sunday, FIFA insisted Infantino would continue to fulfil his duties as president and blasted the Swiss probe, while its former head Sepp Blatter called for his successor to be suspended.
Speaking to AFP, Infantino’s lawyer David Zollinger said that since the announcement of the investigation, his client has not received “any information” from the prosecutor and “has not been summoned” to any hearings.
A former prosecutor, Zollinger was a member of the supervisory authority of the Swiss public prosecutor’s office – which oversaw Lauber – between 2011 and 2016.
He denies any conflict of interest, saying that his last meetings at the supervisory authority “took place in June and July of 2016 and at that time no one was aware of the meetings between Lauber and Infantino”.
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, REUTERS
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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