Governing Bodies
THOUSANDS WANT IRAN OUT OF OLYMPICS PETITIONS OVER WRESTLER’S EXECUTION
BY MICHAEL HOUSTON
Thousands of people from 39 countries have signed a letter from the American Jewish Committee (AJC), urging the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to ban Iran from the Tokyo 2020 Olympics following the state execution of wrestler Navid Afkari.
The letter was delivered to IOC President Thomas Bach prior to the IOC Executive Board meeting yesterday, although the matter did not receive an update after the German reiterated his efforts to stop the execution occurring.
“Iran’s record of abuse against its own athletes is abysmal,” read the AJC letter to Bach.
The alleged arrest, torture and execution of Iranian national wrestling champion Afkari, who was given a death sentence for an alleged murder during the 2018 Iranian protests, is outlined in the letter.
His death prompted a huge outcry in sport with claims he was tortured into making a false confession.
Human-rights groups and activists also believe Afkari was unjustly targeted by the Iranian authorities to intimidate others who might choose to participate in peaceful protests.
“His only crime was that he dared to protest the oppressive regime that ultimately killed him,” the AJC said.
Political and religious persecution was also mentioned in the letter, which has prompted athletes such as Iran’s only female Olympic medallist, taekwondo player Kimia Alizadeh, to leave the country.
Others factors mentioned include the ban on Iranians competing against Israeli athletes, which led to Saeid Mollaei – an Iranian judo fighter – to flee.
The former world champion had been forced to lose a match against Israel’s Sagi Muki.
Restrictions on women in sport were also mentioned in the letter.
“To allow Iran to participate in the Tokyo Games would be to signal approval of the country’s gross and systematic violations of human rights,” the letter reads.
“Barring Iran would send a powerful message: that athletes are to be protected, that sport is to be practiced freely, and that discrimination and abuse by any country that is part of the Olympic family will not be tolerated.
“Only thus will the Olympic spirit, a spirit of peace, freedom and coexistence, truly be upheld.”
Global Athlete, a representative body for athletes worldwide, criticised the IOC for not taking further action against Iran following Afkari’s execution.
“The IOC’s failure to stand up for athletes’ human rights – their willingness to stand by while athletes are jailed, tortured, and executed – is a gross abdication of duty,” said two-time Olympian Noah Hoffman, a member of Global Athlete.
“Navid was targeted because he was an athlete.
“Any semblance of due process or the rule of law was nothing more than a sham and the IOC turned away, claiming that Navid is not their problem.
“In doing so, they have sent a message to all athletes that they do not have our backs; they don’t care what happens to us as long as the Games go on and the farce of global unity is preserved.”
Previously, the vice-president of the IOC John Coates hinted that a ban on Iran for Tokyo 2020 was “unlikely” .
“The difficulty for us is this execution didn’t relate to a sporting event,” said Coates.
“He was certainly a great athlete.
“And the other difficulty is of course that there is probably 50 of the National Olympic Committees that come from territories that still have capital punishment.
“We’ve been getting two sides to the story as to whether he got a fair go or didn’t get a fair go.”
The Tokyo 2020 Olympics are currently scheduled for 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, from July 23 to August 8.
-Insidethegames
Governing Bodies
FIFA opens disciplinary proceedings against Congo officials over financial misconduct
FIFA’s ethics committee launched disciplinary proceedings against three senior Congolese Football Federation (FECOFOOT) officials on Wednesday, including president Jean-Guy Mayolas, over allegations of financial misconduct.
Mayolas, his wife and his son were sentenced to life in prison earlier this month after a criminal court in the Congolese capital, Brazzaville, convicted them of embezzling $1.1 million in FIFA funds. Media reports said their whereabouts were not known , and they were tried in absentia.
FECOFOOT general secretary Wantete Badji and treasurer Raoul Kanda are also subject to the disciplinary proceedings, FIFA said. Badji and Kanda were sentenced to five years each in prison by the court in Brazzaville for related charges.
“These proceedings follow the receipt of information and documents during an audit,” FIFA said in a statement.
-Reuters
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The World Anti-Doping Agency is considering rewriting its rules to try barring President Donald Trump and all U.S. government officials from attending the LA Olympics in 2028, in a move that could also have implications for the World Cup being hosted by the U.S. this summer.
The proposal, on the agenda for next Tuesday’s meeting of the global drug-fighting watchdog’s executive committee, is the latest manoeuvre to come out of a yearslong refusal of the U.S. government to pay its annual dues to WADA.
The refusal is part of the American government’s unanimous, bipartisan protest of the agency’s handling of a case involving Chinese swimmers and other issues.
The Associated Press learned of the agenda item through correspondence it obtained between WADA and European officials involved in the agency’s decision-making. Two others with knowledge of the agenda confirmed the existence of the rules proposal to AP; they were not authorised to speak publicly about the agenda, which has not been released publicly.
The proposal was, in fact, first brought up in 2024, when U.S. authorities successfully lobbied for its rejection. The U.S. has since lost its seat on the executive committee.
“In spite of WADA’s increasing threats, we continue to stand firm in our demand for accountability and transparency from WADA to ensure fair competition in sport,” said Sara Carter, the director of the U.S. Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP).
The rule, if passed, would figure to be mostly symbolic, given the limits an international sports federation could have on the president of a country attending an event inside his own borders.
“I have never heard of a $50-million-budget Swiss foundation being able to enforce a rule to, for example, prevent the United States president from going anywhere,” said Carter’s predecessor at ONDCP, Rahul Gupta, who was on the WADA executive committee two years ago and led the movement to reject the proposal. “And the next question you have to ask is: How are you going to enforce it? Are they going to post a red notice from Interpol? It’s ludicrous. It’s clear they have not thought this through.”
In a news release after this story published, WADA said the AP story was “entirely misleading,” focusing on Fitzgerald’s statement to the AP that if proposals being discussed were “introduced, given that the rules would not apply retroactively, the FIFA World Cup, LA and Salt Lake City Games (in 2034) would not be covered.”
Fitzgerald’s only answer to three emails from AP seeking clarification on his initial response — specifically about how a rule that had not yet been adopted could or couldn’t be applied retroactively on events that are scheduled for the future — was: “I’m trying to say that it would not apply retroactively so those events would not be covered. Given that and the next meeting of the Board being scheduled for November, I don’t see how it could come into play for this year’s World Cup.”
-AP
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The Confederation of African Football has dismissed Yasin Osman Robleh, the Djiboutian official who headed its judicial bodies for the past six years, in a move aimed at restoring confidence in the organisation’s disciplinary processes.
According to reports from convergence sources, the decision was confirmed on Saturday by CAF Secretary General Veron Mosengo-Omba, bringing an abrupt end to Robleh’s tenure overseeing the confederation’s disciplinary and investigative committees since 2019.
Robleh’s position reportedly came under increasing pressure following the controversy surrounding sanctions imposed after the Africa Cup of Nations Final between Morocco and Senegal. The disciplinary decisions that followed the match sparked criticism from several quarters and placed CAF’s legal framework under intense scrutiny.
In response to the situation, CAF’s Executive Committee has appointed Togolese lawyer Cedric Egai, currently the confederation’s Director of Legal Affairs, as interim head of the judicial bodies.
Egai is expected to stabilise the organisation’s legal arm while CAF works toward appointing a permanent successor to Robleh.
Disciplinary Decisions Delayed
The leadership change has already affected ongoing disciplinary processes within the confederation. CAF’s disciplinary committee reportedly held hearings last Thursday on several cases, including the high-profile encounter involving Egypt’s Al Ahly and Morocco’s AS FAR.
However, decisions on those matters have been temporarily put on hold pending the confirmation of new leadership within the judicial structure.
Sources indicate that once a permanent successor is appointed, CAF will move swiftly to conclude outstanding disciplinary rulings affecting both clubs and national teams.
Restoring Confidence
The move is widely seen as part of CAF’s effort to restore confidence in its judicial system following weeks of controversy surrounding disciplinary decisions at major competitions.
Robleh’s departure closes a significant chapter in CAF’s legal administration, while Egai’s interim appointment signals a potential shift in leadership and governance at a critical time for African football.
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