Governing Bodies
Former Shooting Stars and Super Eagles player, Pascal blasts fire-stoking ex-internationals
Former Super Eagles’ star Patrick Pascal has admonished a few of his fellow ex-international players who have nothing doing other than gaslighting football’s political space, to get busy with more positive and worthy endeavours.
Speaking on telephone from his Bauchi base on Wednesday, Pascal a former player of the Shooting Stars of Ibadan who is also the Chairman of Bauchi State Football Association, charged this brand of ex-internationals to imbibe the culture of hard work, and to actively develop themselves and develop the social quotient and emotional intelligence to competently challenge the part of the system they have issues with, not engage in empty rabble-rousing.
“We need to sit down and reflect hard on what we actually want to pursue, cogitate and intelligently seek those things, once they are noble and presentable.
“What I see presently is just silly moves and talks to create confusion that benefits no one. If you are actually interested in helping the system, building the system and making it more robust in the interest of all, why stoke fire that could potentially burn everything down?
“If you want to be an administrator, why not take the pain to study the Statutes and see how you can come inside and gradually work your way up?
“If you want to be a coach, why not take the patience to earn your coaching badges and then seek employment even if from club level?
“I admire people like Imama Amapakabo, Kennedy Boboye, Emmanuel Amuneke and Finidi George for the steps they have taken.
“Even if you want to be a player-manager, the route is clearly defined. So, why the need to cause trouble and chaos if you actually mean well?”
Pascal is at sea on what any clear-thinking ex-international could have against an Amaju Pinnick-NFF that continues to break new grounds in attraction of corporate partnerships, international football politics, organizational branding, international teams’ travels and accommodation, support for women’s football, welfare for and recognition and honour of former players, office infrastructure for FAs across the States of the federation and many more.
“We have an NFF Board that is responsive and responsible, transparent and accountable. We have people who have the interest of the game at heart and who can knock at mighty doors and they get the ears of those who make big political decisions.
“We should support them and not make moves that will endanger the football environment and the industry itself.
“Look at it this way: for so many years now, we have been trying to get the recognition of FIFPRO so that our players can truly have a sense of belonging. No way.
“Now, we have someone in FIFA and CAF Executive Committees who cares about our case and is ready to get us back into FIFPRO.
“I was so happy seeing the President of Players’ Union, Tijjani Babangida being introduced to the CAF President in Cameroon some weeks ago. We didn’t get such recognition and honour in the past.
“Instead of us to come together, keep a calm head and work with such a man, some of us are busy writing meaningless and odious petitions all over the place. That is a total lack of focus and ambition.”
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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