Governing Bodies
WRESTLER’S EXECUTION: WORLD PLAYERS ASSOCIATION DEMANDS IRAN’S EXPULSION FROM OLYMPICS
BY NANCY GILLEN
World Players Association executive director Brendan Schwab has outlined five commitments the pressure group wants the sporting world to make following the execution of wrestler Navid Afkari in Iran.
Iranian state media reported that Afkari was executed on Saturday (September 12).
The 27-year-old had been given two death sentences for allegedly stabbing a security guard to death and his involvement in demonstrations against the country’s regime in 2018.
Afkari had claimed he was tortured into making a false confession and human-rights groups and activists believe he was unjustly targeted by the Iranian authorities to intimidate others who might choose to participate in peaceful protests.
His execution caused fury among athlete representation groups such as Global Athlete, which demanded the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and United World Wrestling (UWW) expel Iran from world sport.
This demand is also included in the document detailing the World Players Association’s “five essential commitments”, signed by Schwab.
Iran’s immediate exclusion from the international sports community and from events such as next year’s Olympic and Paralympic Games in Tokyo and international wrestling contests is the first commitment.
Schwab also argues that Iran be excluded from any consideration to host sporting events such as the 2027 Asian Football Confederation Asian Cup, which the country has bid for.
“To the extent possible, sporting sanctions should be tailored to avoid impacting the right of Iranian athletes to compete,” he said.
“However, it also needs to be recognised that the right of any athlete to compete can only be enjoyed if the internationally recognised human rights of all athletes – including the rights to life and freedom of association and expression – are respected, protected and guaranteed.”
Schwab then demands that the IOC and International Federations condemn the use of the death penalty and torture on athletes, and also show support for athlete activism.
The fourth requested commitment is a “joint acceleration of a collective effort to embed human and athlete rights in international sport.”
Schwab asks that the “long-awaited IOC’s human rights responsibility, commitment and strategy” be embedded within the governance of international sport, in place in time for Tokyo 2020, and developed in partnership with civil society including the Sport and Rights Alliance.
Finally, Schwab requests an investigation into the targeting of athlete activists for political purposes.
Both the IOC and UWW have suggested that an expulsion for Iran was unlikely, with IOC vice-president John Coates hinting an Olympic ban was doubtful as “this execution didn’t relate to a sporting event” and numerous other nations competing at the Olympics also still have the death penalty.
Schwab seemed to respond to this claim in the World Players Association’s document.
“Some within the international sports community have already claimed Navid’s execution is unrelated to sport,” he said.
“Athletes sit at the heart of sport and are, first and foremost, human beings.
“They are entitled to due process and a fair trial free of any threat of torture or execution.”
Afkari’s case had attracted global attention and led to the likes of United States President Donald Trump pleading for clemency.
The IOC called his execution “very sad news”.
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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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