Governing Bodies
FIFA “DEEPLY DISAPPOINTED” AS 2006 WORLD CUP FRAUD TRIAL ENDS WITH NO VERDICT
The Swiss trial of four officials linked to the 2006 FIFA World Cup has ended without a verdict after the five-year statute of limitations passed.
Three figures from the German Football Association (DFB) – ex-President Theo Zwanziger, Wolfgang Niersbach and Horst Schmidt – were charged with fraud alongside ex-FIFA general secretary Urs Linsi in relation to a CFH10 million (£8.3 million/$10.3 million/€9.5 million) payment.
Legendary German footballer Franz Beckenbauer, who led Germany’s bid for the 2006 World Cup and was chairman of the Organising Committee, was under investigation but never charged owing to his health, according to the Office of the Attorney General.
Prosecutors alleged that the accused misled the DFB over the payment, alleging it was used to help bribe members of FIFA’s Executive Committee – which has since been rebranded as the Council – who had a vote to decide the host of the 2006 World Cup.
The four officials all deny wrongdoing and the DFB claims the payment was the return of a personal loan taken out by Beckenbauer from Robert Louis-Dreyfus, who was Adidas’ chief executive at the time, which went through FIFA.
Beckenbauer allegedly sent the same amount to money into accounts linked to disgraced former Asian Football Confederation President Mohamed Bin Hammam.
Germany won the right to host the tournament by the narrowest of margins, beating South Africa 12-11 in the final vote, and allegations of vote-rigging have since emerged.
The trial had been delayed by the coronavirus pandemic and too much time has now elapsed to secure a conviction.
FIFA said it was “deeply disappointed” at the development.
“For its part, FIFA fully cooperated with this investigation over the years, responding to many requests made by the Office of the Attorney General and incurring significant costs and management time in doing so.
“The fact that the case has now ended without a result of any kind is very worrying, not only for football but also for the administration of justice in Switzerland.
“We hope that the truth around the CHF10 million payment will one day come to light and that those having committed wrongful acts will be duly sanctioned, if not in Switzerland, then maybe somewhere else.”
FIFA added that the case was “certainly not over” in its eyes and vowed that its Ethics Committee would continue to investigate.
Swiss Attorney General Michael Lauber has faced criticism for his handling of football corruption cases and the manner in which this one has ended will only add fuel to that fire.
Lauber, who was recently sanctioned for disloyalty, lying and breaching his office’s code of conduct, is under further pressure after it emerged he held undocumented meetings with FIFA President Gianni Infantino.
-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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