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Governing Bodies

UEFA, FIFA to face off with rebel Super League at top EU court hearing

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Soccer bodies UEFA and FIFA will next week seek to convince Europe’s top court that they have the right to block clubs from joining a breakaway league and penalise players in a case that could break their monopoly power and lucrative media rights.

The dispute between UEFA, FIFA and the European Super League has ramifications for other sports, clubs and players eyeing lucrative deals offered by rebel bodies and hoping to cash in during relatively short career

Announced in April last year, the European Super League collapsed in less than 48 hours after an outcry by fans, governments and players forced Manchester United, Liverpool, Manchester City, Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur, Arsenal, AC Milan, Inter Milan and Atletico Madrid to pull out.

Real Madrid, Barcelona and Juventus, however, remain holdouts. The Super League took its grievance to a Spanish court which subsequently sought guidance from the Luxembourg-based Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU).

At issue is whether certain provisions in FIFA and UEFA’s statutes allowing them to block rival events conform with EU competition rules against companies or bodies abusing their dominance.

The CJEU will also have to decide whether the two bodies’ threat to bar clubs and players from taking part in the Super League or ban them from taking part in national team matches is an abuse of their power.

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UEFA and FIFA’s media rights to competition is also another issue for the Court during the July 11-12 hearing. A ruling is expected next year or later.

UEFA has previously said that it remained confident in its position in all the relevant jurisdictions. “We are confident the European Court of Justice will properly interpret EU competition law and existing precedent,” a Super League representative said.

It is time for changes in the system, said Mark Orth at law firm MEOlaw.

“The current monopoly position of sporting federations not challenged by competition but instead fortified by exclusivity provisions, which prevents the emergence of any kind of competition, is the source of numerous detrimental developments in the sporting world,” he said.

“The question of ownership of media rights is the decisive question in every sport and decides the relationship between federation and club,” Orth said.

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More than 20 European countries and the European Commission are backing UEFA and FIFA. The case is C333/21 European Superleague Compan

.-Reuters

Kunle Solaja is the author of landmark books on sports and journalism as well as being a multiple award-winning journalist and editor of long standing. He is easily Nigeria’s foremost soccer diarist and Africa's most capped FIFA World Cup journalist, having attended all FIFA World Cup finals from Italia ’90 to Qatar 2022. He was honoured at the Qatar 2022 World Cup by FIFA and AIPS.

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Governing Bodies

CAF Executive Committee to meet in Addis Ababa on Monday

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The Confédération Africaine de Football (“CAF”) will hold its Executive Committee (“EXCO”) meeting in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on Monday, 21 October 2024.

The Executive Committee meeting, to be chaired by CAF President Dr Patrice Motsepe, will start at 10h30 local time (07h30 GMT).

The meeting will be held ahead of the 46th Ordinary General Assembly which will also take place in the Ethiopian capital on Tuesday, 22 October 2024 at 10h00 local time (07h00 GMT).

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Governing Bodies

Wahid Oshodi new ATTF leader to focus on private sector involvement

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Wahid Oshodi, the newly elected President of the African Table Tennis Federation (ATTF) has made an immediate call to the private sector to boost table tennis on the continent.

 His approach focuses on not relying solely on public funds but on seeking corporate investment to elevate the sport.

He has launched an ambitious strategy to strengthen the development of table tennis in Africa.

His first step has been to solicit the backing of the private sector, which he sees as crucial to taking the sport to the next level.

 In his inaugural address, Oshodi emphasised that relying exclusively on government funding and the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) “will not be enough to boost the sport across the continent.”

“It’s time to involve private and corporate organisations to help table tennis flourish in Africa.

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“We cannot continue depending solely on government funding. We aim to raise the standards and produce more African superstars who can shine globally,” stated the new ATTF president, seeking a significant financial injection to tackle the challenges and ambitions set out for his tenure.

His election, held on 15 October in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, was unanimous. Indeed, a clear acknowledgement of his international reputation and dedication to table tennis.

Oshodi, who was previously elected Vice President of the ATTF in 2019 and Executive Vice President of the ITTF in 2021, has more than proven his ability to lead the sport’s development both in his home country and across the continent.

The Lagos-born leader is not only focused on funding but also on fostering unity among ATTF member associations. He believes that a united continent will be stronger and better positioned to succeed on the global stage. “Unity is key. Together, we can achieve more for table tennis in Africa,” he added.


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Governing Bodies

Sanusi set for record-extending tenure as Nigeria’s football politicians assemble in Asaba

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BY KUNLE SOLAJA.

Speculations gathered ahead of the 2024 Annual General Meeting of the Nigeria Football Federation holding in Asaba on Friday have it that tenure elongation for the General Secretary, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi, is a major item on the agenda.

Neither formal confirmation nor denial has been issued since one of the leading newspapers in Nigeria, ThisDay dropped the hint.  

 The agenda of the meeting is also not made public. Dr, Sanusi is the longest-serving General Secretary in history having been in office from 30 March 2015 making 3,476 days or nine years six months and four days.

It easily drowned that of his closest rival in tenure – Sani Toro whose tenure from 21 December 1993 to 3 May  1999 is merely 2020 days or five years, six months and 12 days.

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 Thus, no one had enjoyed a longer period in office than the incumbent, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi.  It is speculated that the tenure will be extended as NFF has reported that all delegates have arrived in the Delta State capital by Thursday evening.

The NFF Annual General Assembly, the first of which took place 90 years ago in Lagos on 19 February 1934, is the biggest assemblage of football administrators and stakeholders in the country.

In one such meeting on 24 July 2008 in Makurdi, the football body changed its name from NFA to NFF.

This year, according to a press release by the NFF, the plenary will have in attendance, the chairmen and secretaries of football associations in the 36 States and the Federal Capital Territory, chairmen and secretaries of the Nigeria Premier Football League, Nigeria National League, Nigeria Women Football League and the Nationwide League One, as well as chairmen and secretaries of the referees’ association, players’ union and coaches’ association. This group of 88 makes up the Congress.

 They are joined by the members of the NFF Executive Committee and the management team as well as former NFF Presidents and General Secretaries.

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The Minister of Sports Development, John Owan Enoh, is announced as the special guest. Nigeria’s Member of the FIFA Council, Amaju Melvin Pinnick is also expected as well as a representative of the West African Football Union (WAFU B).

The Governor of Delta State, Sheriff Francis Oborevwori will declare the General Assembly open. 

Venue is the Unity Hall of the Delta State Government House.

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