Governing Bodies
ATHLETES TO UNDERGO DAILY SALIVA COVID-19 TESTS AT TOKYO 2020
Athletes could be tested for coronavirus every day at this year’s rescheduled Tokyo 2020 Olympics and Paralympics with organisers reportedly looking to use saliva-based tests to spot possible infections.
Citing “officials with knowledge of the planning”, Japanese news agency Kyodo News reports that competitors can expect to undergo COVID-19 tests on a daily basis.
Under current coronavirus guidelines set out by Tokyo 2020 and the Japanese Government, athletes are expected to be tested every four days.
But following the emergence of more transmissible variants, organisers are now set to increase the testing frequency.
Kyodo News understands the new ruling will be included in the second edition of the Tokyo 2020 playbook which is expected to be released next week.
Speaking last month, Tokyo 2020 President Seiko Hashimoto revealed that International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach had called on organisers to implement a stricter testing protocol to combat the virus.
“From the athletes’ perspective, I think it’s better that testing rules are strict to begin with rather than having a change in protocols announced midway through [the Games],” said Hashimoto in a report by Kyodo News.
“We do need to think about [increasing testing frequency).”
There is growing speculation in Japan that another state of emergency could be declared in Tokyo amid concerns over rising coronavirus cases.
According to reports, Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga said he was considering increasing COVID-19 measures in the capital but insisted they would not impact on the staging of the Games which is scheduled to start in less than 100 days.
It is reported that competitors will be largely tested at the Athletes’ Village with saliva-based tests carried out under surveillance to ensure there is no sample switching.
Saliva testing is seen as less invasive than nose and throat swabs which are usually done to detect COVID-19 infections.
According to Kyodo News, Tokyo 2020 organisers are believed to be considering whether to use antigen or polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests to analyse the samples.
It is also reported that athletes could be exempt from undergoing tests on the day of a competition, while those with symptoms are expected to undergo PCR testing.
-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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