Governing Bodies
DOUBTS OVER SOUTH AMERICAN WORLD CUP QUALIFIERS
This month’s World Cup qualifiers in South America are in serious doubt, with European clubs unlikely to release their players to travel amid concern over the Covid-19 pandemic and quarantine restrictions.
World football’s governing body Fifa has relaxed its normal rules about player-release for internationals because of the pandemic and worries about the impact of long-distance travel to areas with high case rates. Clubs are expected to keep their players at home.
All 10 South American countries feature on the British government’s “red list” travel ban, which does not include exemptions for athletes and sports people. Any UK-based players who played in the games would face 10 days in hotel quarantine on return.
That in itself makes it difficult for clubs to consider agreeing to South American federation Conmebol’s requests.
“I think everybody agrees – we can’t let the players go and play for their country and then quarantine for 10 days in a hotel. That’s not how we can do it,” said Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp, whose team includes Brazilian trio Alisson Becker, Fabinho and Roberto Firmino.
Conmebol, which organises the qualifiers in the region for the 2022 World Cup, wants clubs to release their players for the March 25 and March 30 games, but it is running out of options.
Conmebol said its council will meet on Friday (March 5) to discuss the situation and added that it is in contact with Fifa as it searches for a solution.
Fifa said it has yet to make any demands on Conmebol.
“Fifa is in ongoing contact with all the confederations and the member associations on this matter. We are working and monitoring the situation together and Fifa hasn’t made any specific request at this stage. Further information will be provided in due course,” said the Zurich-based body.
Conmebol is reluctant to play the games without European-based players and has not considered moving the fixtures to “bubbles” in Europe. It faces a scheduling problem, however as its continental championship, the Copa America, is set for June in Argentina and Colombia.
LIMITED SPACE
With 14 rounds of matches still to be completed in the World Cup qualifying process, which is due to end in March 2022, there is limited space for the games.
“It is difficult to postpone the Fifa dates, there is no space, you cannot tighten the qualifiers,” Ecuador FA president Francisco Egas told his local station Radio La Red.
“There is strong pressure from European clubs not to give up their players for the qualifiers. Fifa must be in the middle to help get an understanding.”
However, Fifa has limited influence. Quarantine rules are set by national governments.
Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has struck a similar tone to Klopp.
“We’ve not sat down and made a proper call on that one, but it doesn’t make sense if you lose your player for 10 days of isolation, of course it doesn’t,” Solskjaer said on Wednesday.
His squad includes Brazilians Fred and Alex Telles along with Uruguayan forward Edinson Cavani.
“We’re the ones paying the players, and from what I understand Fifa have given the rules that they don’t have to be released. So I would think that’s going to be a hard call to make to let them go and play in red-list countries, yeah.”
One option could be to play the games just before the June 11 start to the Copa America. One source indicated Conmebol may ask Fifa to create a special extra “window” for rearranged games.
-Reuters
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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