Governing Bodies
NFF put to rest, Maureen Mmadu 101 official match claim
Like Sports Village Square has always believed, Maureen Mmadu, a former Super Falcon player did not have up to 100 international appeareances as had been errorneously believed by the player and some football followers.
Her claim as a centurion has now been officially faulted by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).
According to a press release by the federation on Monday, October 31, 2022, the former Super Falcons’ player and one-time assistant coach of the team did not play up to 101 official matches for Nigeria as is being claimed by the former player and promoted in certain quarters.
NFF’s Director of Media and Communications, Ademola Olajire, said on Monday that the Federation’s records showed that the former midfielder played 52 matches for the team between 1995 and 2007 when she called it quits with the National Team.
“Our records show that between 16th February 1991 when they played their first official game (a FIFA World Cup qualifier against Ghana’s Black Queens at the National Stadium, Lagos) and 18th September 2007 (when Mmadu featured in her last match for Nigeria against USA in Shanghai during the 2007 FIFA Women’s World Cup), the Super Falcons played a total of 103 official matches.
“Maureen Mmadu, who did excellently well for Nigeria while wearing the green-white-green, only started playing for the team during a FIFA Women’s World Cup match against Canada in Helsingborg (which ended 3-3) on 8th June 1995, when she came in for Ann Mukoro. Mmadu won about 52 caps in all, and certainly not 101 as claimed in some quarters.”
The NFF insisted that it had become necessary to put the facts out in the public space after accusations of gender discrimination against the Federation by some former Super Falcons’ players that the body had honoured players like Joseph Yobo, Vincent Enyeama and Ahmed Musa who won up to 100 caps for Nigeria but discountenanced Madu.
“Before the NFF honoured Yobo, Enyeama and Musa, we put out the official matches played by each of them. The NFF has never identified, confirmed, celebrated or promoted Maureen Mmadu as having won up to 100 caps for Nigeria. Anyone domiciling such information anywhere is hanging on to unsubstantiable claims.
“There was no doubt that Madu gave her heart out and worked assiduously hard on the field during her time representing Nigeria. But she did not win up to 101 caps. We challenge those promoting this fallacy to come up with those 101 official matches.
“For avoidance of doubt, official matches (that qualifies for a cap) are matches played wearing the green-white-green colours of Nigeria against a team wearing the colours of another country, and certified as such by FIFA. Matches against selected teams, clubs or warm-up games do not qualify in this direction.”
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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