Governing Bodies
State of Cape Coast pitch gets NFF’s attention
It is two weeks to the first leg match of the Ghana-Nigeria World Cup play-off in Cape Coast. But the pitch of the arena is in deplorable state that could prompt CAF to cancel the initial approval given to the arena to host the match.
It was gathered that the Ghana Independence Day Celebration held at the arena had adverse effects on the pitch and Ghanaian authorities are battling to retore the pitch.
According to reports gathered from Nigeria’s ThisDay publication, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has confirmed that they are monitoring the developments regarding the deplorable state of the pitch that will host the March 25th in Ghana.
Over the last few days, the Ghana Media had raised concern on the state of the pitch which hosted the country’s independency ceremony last week and doubt if the turf will allow free flow of football in the 90 minutes of play against its eternal rival, Super Eagles of Nigeria.
However, Thisday gathered from the Glasshouse that the secretariat had informed the Confederation of African Football (CAF), on the development and it has received assurance that the continental football body is monitoring the host FA on the need to return the playing turf back to the global standard.
“Yes, we are not waiting to find excuse where there is none and because of this, we have regular update on the coming match in Cape Coast and we are aware of the state of the pitch which will not be conducive for our players to play at their best hence, we have notified CAF on the development.
“The response from CAF is also encouraging because they have assured Nigeria that they are monitoring Ghana FA to return the pitch back to approved standard and with that we are good to play and hoping to get good result before the next match in Abuja,” a top official in NFF said in a telephone interview.
Earlier yesterday, Ghana web had raised question on why the stadium was initially approved by CAF considering the fact that the country would stage its annual independence ceremony on same ground before the first leg match against Nigeria.
The publication even described it; it is looking more like a cassava farm because it was pounded with Independence Day activities last Sunday.
“The newly built stadium in central Ghana has been left in terrible condition following the Independence Day parade on Sunday.
“Military and police horses hit the ground for several hours during the parade to celebrate Ghana’s 65th Independence which has left the pitch looking like a cassava farm.
“The grass, that was approved by the Confederation of African Football (CAF), has suffered severe damage and the surface look brown, making it unplayable.
“The pitch would not look unrecognizable for CAF officials who gave the greenlight to the Cape Coast Stadium to host the match that would attract global attention.
“That is because global television stations will be beaming the match live on their screens and the poor state of the pitch would project Ghanaian and African football in a very bad light.
“Top stars from both sides and their foreign clubs would also be worried that their players could be prone to serious injuries if they play on a pitch of such nature.
“The players from the top clubs would also not be able to play their best football on a pitch of such nature which has been the bane of African football and how administrators take the issue of pitches for matches seriously.
“This has sparked fears that the game could be relocated to another venue to avoid any embarrassment for African football.
“However, the National Sports Authority will be racing against time to get it in shape before the first leg of the game against Nigeria. The Black Stars host Nigeria on Friday Match 24 in Cape Coast”, reports Ghanasoccernet.
The top official of NFF also confirmed that conversations between the two football federations has been cordial and both looking forward good soccer mini-fiesta that will project the continent in good light to the world.
“Despite the long-standing rivalry between the two football nations, we are on same page to be a good host to one another during the visits.
“We have been able to secure accommodations for the team and delegates from Nigeria that will attend the match. We do not need to wait for the host nation to arrange for us,” the top Management staff said last night.
Nigeria will host the second leg of the match at the MKO Abiola Stadium four days later and the best of over the two legs will pick one of the continental five tickets and represent Africa at the tournament in Qatar.
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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The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has denied reports of an outstanding debt to former captain Christian Chukwu and has challenged anyone with verifiable documents to prove otherwise.
Chukwu, a former national team captain and chief coach, died last Saturday.
The Nigeria Football Federation decried statements in a section of social media that the football-ruling body was indebted to the deceased.
Reacting to one statement on social media that claimed NFF owed the 1980 Africa Cup of Nations-winning team captain the sum of $128,000, NFF General Secretary, Dr Mohammed Sanusi, said: “There is no record in the NFF of any outstanding indebtedness to ‘Chairman’ Christian Chukwu.
“During the first term of the Board headed by Amaju Pinnick, a committee was set up to diligently peruse the papers of coaches who were being owed, even from previous NFF administrations.
“That committee was given the clear mandate to verify all debts and ensure that the coaches being owed were paid immediately. I am aware that the ‘Chairman’ was in the employ of the NFF between 2002 and 2005, before he was relieved of the post following the 1-1 draw with Angola in a FIFA World Cup qualifying match in Kano in August 2005. There is certainly no record of indebtedness to him in the NFF.”
Sanusi challenged anyone with genuine and verifiable documents of NFF indebtedness to any coach, who has worked with any of the National Teams over the past two decades, to come forward and tender those documents.
“As a credible organization that is very much alive to its responsibilities, if we are confronted with any genuine document of indebtedness to any coach, we will offset the debt immediately.”
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