Governing Bodies
For the 2nd time, Black Stars become Eguavoen’s albatross
BY KUNLE SOLAJA.
Interim manager of the Super Eagles, Austin Eguavoen threw in the towel after the Nigerian team failed to make the qualification to the Qatar 2022 World Cup.
This is the second time, Ghana will be the last team Eguavoen faced in his last tenure as Nigeria’s manager.
The former Super Eagles’ right-sided defender was an interim coach who took over from Christian Chukwu after a 1-1 draw at home with Angola – a match that proved to be the main reason for Nigeria’s inability to qualify for the 2006 World Cup.
Eguavoen was handed the responsibility of prosecuting the Super Eagles’ remaining two matches in the series – just as he had to do for the qualification for the 2022 edition.
He was the one who handed Mikel Obi his debut Super Eagles’ appearance in a 1-0 preparatory 17 August 2005 match with Libya in Tripoli ahead of the World Cup qualifier with Algeria in Oran.
In the 2006 qualifiers, though a defender as a player, Eguavoen proved to be offensive inclined coach as Nigeria scored a massive 10-goal defeat of Algeria and Zimbabwe beating Algeria away 5-2 and Zimbabwe 5-1 in Abuja.
He later had a run of 10 matches before his interim tenure was terminated following the appointment of Germany’s Berti Vogts who signed his Nigerian contract in London on 7 February 2007.
He was thus displaced by a German just as in 14 years later, he ‘equalised’ by also displacing a German – Gernot Rohr.
On the eve of handing over to Vogts in London, Eguavoen led the Super Eagles to face Ghana in London.
Ghana won the 6 February match 4-1. Thus, the two interim tenures of Equavoen were terminated by matches with Ghana.
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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