A Rio de Janeiro court ordered the board of Brazil’s Football Confederation (CBF) to be removed from their positions, including president Ednaldo Rodrigues on Thursday.

Fernando Sarney, one of the CBF’s vice-presidents who requested Rodrigues’ removal, was appointed interim president and was tasked with holding elections “as soon as possible”.

The CBF told Reuters it would not comment immediately.

The court case concerns the alleged forgery of former CBF president Antonio Carlos Nunes de Lima’s signature on an agreement with Rodrigues earlier this year.

The agreement effectively allowed Rodrigues to be re-elected as leader of the organisation until 2030.

In his decision, Rio de Janeiro court judge Gabriel de Oliveira Zefiro said that Nunes’ defence cited health issues that prevented him from attending a hearing, adding that the former president’s mental capacity had been in doubt since 2018, when he was diagnosed with brain cancer.

“I declare null and void the agreement signed between the parties, previously approved by the Superior Court, due to the mental incapacity and possible forgery of the signature of Antonio Carlos Nunes de Lima,” the judge said.

“As a result the logical consequence is the recognition of the illegitimacy of the current CBF administration. The entity cannot remain leaderless, and it is imperative that lawful elections be held, in accordance with the law,” he added.

Rodrigues had previously been removed as president in December 2023, following a ruling by the Rio de Janeiro Court of Justice, after a dispute over the CBF’s electoral process.

However, a month later, Brazilian Justice Minister Gilmar Mendes ordered his reinstatement, citing the risk of the Brazil national team being barred by FIFA.

FIFA, nonetheless, ruled out sanctions following Rodrigues’ return, as it does not accept government interference in football affairs.

Rodrigues, who was successfully re-elected in March, is facing his second removal just three days after the announcement of Italian coach Carlo Ancelotti as the new manager of the Brazilian national team, in preparation for the 2026 World Cup.

–Reuters

FIFA has sanctioned two lower division clubs in Kenya and Vietnam for match manipulation, relegating them to the third tier, world soccer’s governing body said on Friday.

FIFA’s Disciplinary Committee found Kenyan side Muhoroni Youth guilty of “activities related to the manipulation of football matches and competitions”, expelling the club from the second-tier National Super League.

“The FIFA Disciplinary Committee has further ordered the relegation of the Muhoroni Youth senior team to the Football Kenya Federation Division One League (third tier) ahead of next season,” FIFA said.

Vietnamese club Phu Tho was also found guilty of match manipulation. The club’s senior team was expelled from the Vietnamese Football League Second Division and relegated to the third division.

FIFA said the clubs had been notified and can appeal the decision.

-Reuters

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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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