Governing Bodies
FIFA TEAMS UP WITH AMUNEKE, OSHOALA, ON CAMPAIGN AGAINST DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IN AFRICA
FIFA is joining forces with the African Union, the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the Confederation of African Football (CAF) to jointly address the issue of domestic violence by launching the #SafeHome campaign across the African continent.
Nigeria’s duo of Emmanuel Amunike and Asisat Oshoala are among leading African football personalities in the #SafeHome campaign launched yesterday across Africa is part of a wider global initiative to raise awareness on this critical issue.
In Africa, the awareness videos feature other seven football stars – Abel Xavier, Sarah Essam, Khalilou Fadiga, Geremi, Rabah Madjer, Lúcia Moçambique and Clémentine Touré – who convey a series of key messages to the public.
The campaign is being published on various FIFA digital channels and African Union and WHO channels. #SafeHome is also being supported by multimedia toolkits for FIFA’s member associations and for media to help facilitate additional localisation and to further amplify the message worldwide.
The initiative is designed to support women and children victims of domestic violence, particularly as stay-at-home measures in response to COVID-19 have put them at greater risk.
A number of African football stars are supporting the campaign via video awareness messages distributed on social and traditional media.
The African Union-FIFA-CAF memorandum of understanding, which was concluded in February 2019, covers joint campaigns on topics of mutual interest and the promotion of gender equality, a key principle.
Other areas of collaboration include education through football, sports integrity and safety and security at football matches.
“I am glad that today we can launch this campaign on the important topic of domestic violence, which is significantly exacerbated by COVID-19 lockdown conditions and movement restrictions, together with our partners, the African Union, WHO and CAF,” said FIFA President Gianni Infantino.
“It is our duty to leverage the immense popularity of football in Africa to raise awareness on this societal challenge with a very clear message: violence has no place in homes, just as it has no place in football.”
H.E. Amira Elfadil, African Union Commissioner for Social Affairs, emphasised: ’’The African Union Commission is resolute and committed to the protection of women and girls.
“We recognise and align ourselves with FIFA, CAF and the World Health Organization and other stakeholders on the efforts aimed at preventing abuse and domestic-based violence through collaborative programming that links reconstruction, access to the continuum of service, addressing the underlying social norms and harmful practices that continue to perpetuate gender-based violence and inequality, as well as community awareness and empowerment.
“We align ourselves to leverage the popular appeal of football to raise awareness against domestic violence, particularly as stay-at-home measures in response to COVID-19 are in place.’’
“Violence against women is a major threat to women’s health and that of their children,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General.
”It is also a grave violation of human rights – and it must end now. WHO is proud to stand with FIFA, the African Union and CAF to launch this campaign across Africa to bring attention to this critical issue. We are committed to a world where women live free from violence and discrimination.”
CAF President Ahmad Ahmad stated: “Whether at home or on the pitch, everyone is entitled to respect and safety. Domestic, physical or moral violence, especially against women and children, must be condemned.
“Do not be afraid or ashamed to seek help if you are a victim of violence in your own home. If you are a witness to violence, intervene or get help, but do not stay silent: remaining silent is to be guilty of complicity. Never forget that everyone has a right to live in safety in their own home.”
FIFA is calling upon its member associations to actively publish details of national or local helplines and support services that can help victims and anyone who feels they are at risk of domestic violence in their locality.
The world governing body also calls upon its members to review their own safeguarding measures using the FIFA Guardians toolkit to ensure that football is fun and safe for everyone in the game, especially women and the youngest members of the football family.
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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