Governing Bodies
Interim Management Committee carries the day as NPFL rolls out abridged league fixtures 16 years after last adopted
The debate on the format for the Nigeria Professional Football League has finally been settled as the Interim Management Committee (IMC) on Wednesday rolled out the fixtures for Season 2023.
Like in Seasons 2006 and 2007, an abridged format has been adopted.
Most of the clubs had opposed the format, calling for a full league, even if the top four of the league will not emerge at the deadline of submission of teams that will contest in the 2023/24 CAF intercubs.
The IMC announced a winner’s prize for the season to the sum of N 100 Million.
The draw ceremony grouped the 20 teams into two pools of A and B, with Matchday 1 set for 8th January 2023.
At a ceremony held inside the press conference hall of the Sandralia Hotel, the 20 NPFL teams were calibrated into two different groups for the purpose of the abridged League season, already approved by the NFF.
The NFF president was represented by the NFF’s Director of Communications, Ademola Olajire. Also, the sports minister, Sunday Dare was represented by his Chief of Staff, Abba Abdullahi Yola.
GROUP A
- Kwara United
- Nasarawa United
- Plateau United
- Gombe United
- El-Kanemi Warriors
- Enyimba FC
- Akwa United
- Bendel Insurance
- Shooting Stars
- Remo Stars
GROUP B
- Niger Tornadoes
- Doma United
- Wikki Tourists
- Lobi Stars
- Rivers United
- Abia Warriors
- Dakkada FC
- Rangers Int’l
- Sunshine Stars
- Bayelsa United
MATCHDAY 1 (A)
- Nasarawa United Vs Enyimba FC
- Akwa United Vs Bendel Insurance
- Plateau United Vs Shooting Stars
- Kwara United Vs Gombe United
- Remo Stars Vs El-Kanemi Warriors
MATCHDAY 1 (B)
- Bayelsa United Vs Dakkada FC
- Wikki Tourists Vs Niger Tornadoes
- Doma United Vs Sunshine Stars
- Rivers United Vs Lobi Stars
- Rangers Int’l Vs Abia Warriors
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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