Governing Bodies
Super Eagles’ camp begins to bubble ahead of World Cup qualifiers
Captain Ahmed Musa and 16 other players were being expected at the Super Eagles’ Eko Hotel & Suites abode on Monday evening, even as 11 early birds sweated out in gym sessions ahead of Tuesday’s first training of the group, with all countenancing the opening of FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 qualification race.
The three –time African champions tango with the Lone Star of Liberia at the Teslim Balogun Stadium from 5pm on Friday in one of the Day 1 clashes, with the Eagles flying out of Lagos to the island of Mindelo to take on the Blue Sharks of Cape Verde in a Day 2 fixture on Tuesday, 7th September.
Veteran defender Kenneth Omeruo was among the first arrivals that included South Africa-based goalkeeper Daniel Akpeyi, England –based quartet of Alex Iwobi, Oghenekaro Etebo, Wilfred Ndidi and Kelechi Iheanacho, former junior international Kingsley Michael, Abia Warriors’ Adekunle Adeleke, goalkeeper Francis Uzoho, and forwards Henry Onyekuru and Chidera Ejuke.
Team Administrator Dayo Enebi Achor confirmed to thenff.com that 17 other players, including Musa, defenders William Ekong, Leon Balogun, Olaoluwa Aina, Abdullahi Shehu, Tyronne Ebuehi and Chidozie Awaziem, and forwards Samuel Kalu, Victor Osimhen, Moses Simon and Terem Moffi were being expected at the team’s abode by Monday evening.
Only midfielder Joseph Ayodele-Aribo and forward Paul Onuachu are expected to come into town on Tuesday. The team will have its first training session at the Teslim Balogun Stadium on Tuesday.
Friday’s encounter will be the first FIFA World Cup qualifying game in Lagos since the Eagles defeated the Leone Stars of Sierra Leone in a 2002 FIFA World Cup qualifier at the adjacent National Stadium, Surulere in June 2000.
Sanusi to commission Egypt, Angola World Cup qualifier in Cairo
General Secretary of the Nigeria Football Federation, Dr Mohammed Sanusi has been appointed by the Confederation of African Football to serve as the match commissioner for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 qualifying match between hosts Egypt and Angola taking place in Cairo on Wednesday.
CAF has already moved the game, earlier scheduled for Thursday, 2nd September forward by a day to Wednesday, 1st September and the respected Nigerian administrator is already in the Egyptian capital to superintend proceedings of the Day 1 encounter.
Seven –time African champions Egypt will start as favourites against the Palancas Negras, who appear to have lost some of their bite in recent years and even failed to qualify for the 24-nation AFCON finals due in Cameroon early next year. The encounter will hold at the 30 June Stadium and starts at 9pm Egypt time.
Also appointed for the match are referees from Mali, with Boubou Traore to manage the centre, and his compatriots Modibo Samake, Baba Yomboliba and Mahamadou Keita to serve as assistant referee 1, assistant referee 2 and fourth official respectively.
Celestin Ntagungira from Rwanda will serve as the referee assessor.
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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