Governing Bodies
OLYMPIC TORCH RELAY CANCELLED FOLLOWING TOKYO 2020 POSTPONEMENT
BY ALI IVESON
The Olympic Torch Relay throughout Japan has been cancelled after the Games were pushed back until 2021.
With the Games no longer taking place this summer and people being encouraged to practice social distancing to curb the spread of COVID-19, organisers have taken the decision not to proceed with the planned Relay.
However, the Olympic Flame will stay in Japan.
“We will not start the Torch Relay, while we will discuss countermeasures,” Tokyo 2020 President Yoshirō Mori said, reports The Mainichi.
“In response to the postponement of the Olympics, we will draw a new plan for the Relay.”
The coronavirus outbreak had already had an impact on the Olympic Flame’s journey from Ancient Olympia to Japan.
It was lit in a ceremony closed to the public and handed over to a Tokyo 2020 delegation behind closed doors – but only after the original Japanese delegation intended to receive it did not fly out to Greece.
The Greek leg of the Relay was also cancelled because too many people came out to watch it, while large crowds gathered to see the Olympic Flame in Japan despite the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
Those chosen to be Torchbearers will be given first preference when a new Relay is organised for before the Games in 2021, according to organisers.
The Torch Relay was due to formally begin on March 26 when Japan’s 2011 FIFA Women’s World Cup winners were to be Torchbearers at J-Village, a football training facility in Fukushima used as an operations base for workers battling the 2011 nuclear crisis.
Original plans were for the Flame to pass through all 47 prefectures in Japan over a period of 121 days.
COVID-19 cases continue to rise in Japan – albeit at a far slower rate than in many other countries.
-insidethegames
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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