Governing Bodies
From this Saturday, Moroccan Football Museum opens to the public
From Saturday 1 February, the Moroccan Football Museum will open its doors to the public. The museum, a first of its kind, contributes to the preservation of the national football memory and enhances its historical legacy by highlighting the sport’s most significant achievements, stars, and shining moments.
It is located in the heart of the Mohammed VI Football Complex in Maâmora, near Rabat. The museum highlights His Majesty King Mohammed VI’s long-standing commitment to conserving and enhancing Morocco’s historical, cultural, and sports heritage.
This architectural masterpiece, which covers an area of 2,100 square meters, allows visitors the opportunity to view artefacts, photos, and videos, in addition to a library containing books on Moroccan and international football.
This museum intends to shed light on the history of national football, which began in 1906, by showcasing images and football-related objects, allowing all generations, particularly young people, to learn about Moroccan football players’ exploits.
It is the result of a collaboration between the Royal Moroccan Football Federation and the National Museum Foundation, which signed an agreement in March 2022 to create and operate it.
Its construction began in March 2021; and comprises a permanent exhibition area, a temporary exhibition space, a 42-seat exhibition hall, a VIP hall, a documentation hall, and other facilities.
According to the Morocco news agency, MAP, the museum offers its visitors a permanent exhibition with six spaces that focus on the rich history and memorable moments of Moroccan football:
The First Space, “The Enlightened Royal Vision,” presents a unique vision founded by three monarchs who transformed football into a distinct medium of expression for the Moroccan people.
The Second Space: “Land of Pioneers” Celebrating Morocco’s first remarkable victories while introducing the globe to national football stars and icons.
The Third Space is called the “Land of Excellence.” Examines the incredible exploits of national teams and clubs from the 1950s to the present.
The Fourth Space: “Celebrity Hall” It is a celebration of those who have had an impact on Moroccan football, whether as players, coaches, referees, or managers.
The Fifth Space “Hospitable Land” offers a journey through the memories of the most important sporting events staged by Morocco, whether they were cups, championships, or friendly matches. It also notes important visits from football figures.
The Sixth Space, “Land of Passion,” commemorates Moroccan citizens’ enthusiasm and love for football, as seen through historical events. In addition to the permanent museum, there is a temporary exhibition where visitors may learn about the paths of Moroccan national teams and clubs.
It will also include a Research and Documentation Sports Centre assigned the role of researching the history of national football, including all documents, images, cups, badges, and clothes, to preserve and display it in general, and particularly for young people, using new technology, primarily digital ones, to promote Moroccan football at the regional, continental, and international levels.
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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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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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