Governing Bodies
EX- GENERAL SECRETARY VALCKE COMPLAINS OF FINANCIAL PROBLEMS SINCE LOSING FIFA JOB
Jérôme Valcke told a Swiss court of his financial difficulties since being sacked from his role as FIFA secretary general during the second day of his television rights corruption trial.
Valcke said he had struggled “with no income” and had been forced to sell expensive items such as his yacht and jewellery after losing his job in 2016.
The Frenchman took the stand after a last-ditch attempt from his lawyers to get the case dismissed was rejected by the three judges.
Valcke’s defence team argued the trial was “muddied” and “contaminated” following revelations of secret meetings between FIFA President Gianni Infantino and Swiss Attorney General Michael Lauber.
The 59-year-old is standing trial after being charged with accepting bribes, several counts of aggravated criminal mismanagement and falsification of documents in connection with the awarding of media rights for various World Cup and Confederations Cup tournaments.
Paris Saint-Germain President Nasser Al-Khelaifi has been charged with inciting Valcke to commit aggravated criminal mismanagement and is also on trial.
Valcke, who was banned from football by FIFA for 10 years, took the stand to complain of his financial problems since his exile from the sport.
He claimed he has been unable to open a bank account in Europe since 2017 and accused FIFA of “polluting” his attempts to make a fresh start.
“Without work, with a family, I assure you that the money burns very quickly,” he said.
“I have started an agriculture project in a country and I hope that the harvests will provide income in the coming months.”
Al-Khelaifi, the beIN chairman and a member of the UEFA Executive Committee, is alleged to have provided Valcke with exclusive use of a luxury villa in Sardinia.
Prosecutors claim this has been linked to beIN extending its Middle East and North Africa broadcasting rights for the 2026 and 2030 FIFA World Cups.
Both men, who face up to five years in jail if convicted, have denied the charges.
-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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