Governing Bodies
QATAR TO BID FOR 2032 OLYMPIC AND PARALYMPIC GAMES
The Qatar Olympic Committee has announced its interest in hosting an Olympic and Paralympics as early as 2032. It confirmed it had formally requested to join the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) non-committal “continuous dialogue” about hosting the Games.
In doing so, Qatar joins Australia, India, Indonesia and Germany in expressing an interest to bid for the 2032 Olympics and Paralympics.
There had also been hopes for a historic joint-bid between North and South Korea, but this looks to be at an end as relations deteriorate between the two neighbours.
In an interview with Qatari-owned network beIN SPORTS, IOC President Thomas Bach said he welcomed the interest from the Middle Eastern country.
“We in the IOC are happy with the huge interest in the 2032 Summer Olympics, 12 years before the launch of the Games,” he said.
“We are in a great position.
“We made sure that our new approach to this kind of intentions works well.
“We launched a dialogue between the interested National Olympic Committees and a special commission in the IOC.
“Naturally, we welcome Qatar to join this dialogue.”
Qatar unsuccessfully bid to host the Olympic and Paralympic Games in both 2016 and 2020.
The Qatari capital of Doha hosted the 2006 Asian Games, an event which was seen to have encouraged them to bid for other global events.
This included the FIFA World Cup, which Qatar will host in 2022 after being controversially awarded the tournament in 2010.
This was despite the bid process being the subject of allegations of bribery and corruption.
Similar allegations also surrounded the World Athletics Championships, which the country hosted last year.
Opponents have claimed Qatar has used major sporting events to improve its image amid a poor human rights record, and criticism of migrants’ rights at World Cup construction sites.
Qatar is also bidding for the 2027 Asian Cup, and is set to be in a head-to-head battle with Saudi Arabia for the hosting rights for the 2030 Asian Games, with the two neighbours locked in a diplomatic crisis.
Following the announcement of the two bidding countries, Amnesty International called on the Olympic Council of Asia to ensure all bids are assessed to identify potential risks.
The organisation said the Games should be used to bolster and defend human rights in host 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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