Governing Bodies
Lagos SWAN’s highest honour for Sanwo-Olu and Soname
Plans have been concluded to honour the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu by the Lagos State Chapter of the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria at its 2021 Award Night ceremony.
The Award of Excellence for Accelerated Sports Development will be conferred on Sanwo-Olu for his immense contribution to sports development in the state since he took over as the Executive Governor of Lagos state in 2019.
Making this announcement as part of activities marking the 2021 Bet9ja Lagos SWAN Week holding between Friday, 3rd of December and Friday, 10th of December, the Lagos State SWAN Chairman, Debo Oshundun said, “Without doubt, since Mr Governor took over the reins of governance in Lagos State, the state has witnessed an unprecedented and accelerated growth with special focus on sports development”.
“His effort to reposition sports as a major tool for entertainment and tourism in line with his campaign agenda tagged THEME has not gone unnoticed.”
“Under his watch, the Mobolaji Olufunso Johnson Sports Centre which recently played host to the Super Falcons’ World Cup qualifiers as well as the Aisha Buhari Cup was completed and commissioned”.
It will be noted that the Lagos State Government also facilitated the return of the Super Eagles to its natural habitat following the regressing and renovation of the Teslim Balogun stadium which has brought a new lease of life to all stakeholders in the sports and hospitality business.
Others to be honoured include the Lagos State Sports Commission as well as Chairman of Bet9ja (leading Sports Betting Company in Nigeria), Otunba Kunle Soname who also doubles as Remo Stars Football Club owner.
“Otunba Kunle Soname is a huge investor in Nigerian sports who has continued to hugely invest in the industry”.
“His company- Bet9ja has continued to sponsor many sports activities across Nigeria with the latest being the partnership with the League Management Company ahead of the 2021 Nigeria Professional Football League season”.
“His investment in sports is second to none after completing and commissioning the ultramodern football village with world class facilities in Remo, Ogun State and we felt he deserved an award”.
The award ceremony comes up at the Lagos SWAN Secretariat situated inside the National Stadium Complex on Friday, 10th of December, 2021.
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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