The Nation Newspaper

Tag: FIFA

  • FIFA suspends Njoku for 3 matches • Nigerian fined N641k

    FIFA suspends Njoku for 3 matches • Nigerian fined N641k

    Nigeria defender Ugo Njoku has been suspended for three matches and fined 641,349.27 naira by FIFA after being found guilty of elbowing Australia striker Sam Kerr in their last match.

    The substitute escaped the referee’s sanction for the action in the second half but has now been punished after a post-match video assessment.

    The Australian striker suffered a broken jaw from the incident.

    In a statement issued by FIFA on Monday morning, it said the decision became necessary after asserting the Nigerian’s poor challenge in the game which the Super Falcons lost 2-0 on Friday.

    “The FIFA Disciplinary Committee has reached a decision in the case related to Ugo Njoku of Nigeria following an incident that occurred during the FIFA Women’s World Cup Canada 2015 match between Australia and Nigeria played on 12 June 2015,” the statement reads.

    “Ugo Njoku has been suspended for three matches and fined CHF 3,000 (N641,349) as well as being issued with a warning by the FIFA Disciplinary Committee after being found to have breached art. 48 par. 1 d) of the FIFA Disciplinary Code (FDC).

    “Disciplinary proceedings had been opened in accordance with art. 77 a) of the FDC which states that the Disciplinary Committee is responsible for sanctioning serious infringements which have escaped the match officials’ attention.

    “The first of the three-match suspension is to be served in the upcoming FIFA Women’s World Cup Canada 2015 fixture between Nigeria and USA on the 16th of June, with the remaining two to be served either at any subsequent matches within the competition or, in the case that Nigeria would be eliminated, at the next official matches of the Nigerian national team in analogous application of art. 38 par. 2 lit. a) of the FDC,” it concluded.

    This development means, Njoku will miss Nigeria’s final group D clash against the USA as Edwin Okon’s ladies hope for a win to reach the round of 16.

  • FIFA Women’s World CUP: Australia shocks Nigeria

    FIFA Women’s World CUP: Australia shocks Nigeria

    The Super Falcons of Nigeria have been defeated by Australia at the second match of the Group B game in Canada.

    The Falcons were defeated by two goals to nil at the ongoing FIFA Women’s World Cup.

    The Australian team first saw the back of the Falcons’ net at about 37 minutes into the first half of the game and added another one during the second half caused by defensive error.

    The Super Falcons will be playing against the United States of America in the next Group B match.

  • Blatter’s successor to emerge December 16

    Blatter’s successor to emerge December 16

    Sepp Blatter’s 17-year reign as boss of crisis-hit FIFA could come to an end on December 16.

    The BBC gathered that is the likely date for an emergency meeting in Zurich to decide his successor.

    Representatives from all 209 member associations will be invited to the Swiss city to vote in a new presidential election.

    Blatter, 79, quit as president of world football’s governing body just four days after he was re-elected last month.

    The Swiss tended his resignation amid two corruption probes of his organisation.

    Seven FIFA officials were arrested on May 27 following a dawn raid on a luxury hotel in Zurich.

    They were among 14 officials and associates indicted by United States authorities on racketeering and bribery charges.

    Swiss prosecutors have also begun a criminal investigation into how the rights for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups were awarded.

    There is a long list of potential successors for Blatter.

    Among the possible candidates is Prince Ali bin al-Hussein, who lost out to Blatter in last month’s election.

    A final decision on the date for a presidential election is not expected to be made until July, when FIFA will hold an extraordinary meeting of its executive committee.

    But it is believed holding an emergency congress in mid-December is Blatter’s preferred option.

    That would give him just six months to devise and implement the reforms he has promised before leaving the organisation he has been a part of for more than 40 years.

    Domenico Scala, FIFA’s independent head of audit and compliance, outlined last week that the process to replace Blatter would happen between December 2015 and March 2016.

  • Simon rejects Dortmund, Fenerbache

    Simon rejects Dortmund, Fenerbache

    Nigeria international, Moses Simon has told africanFootball.com he turned down several European clubs including Borussia Dortmund, Fenerbache and Liverpool in the English Premier League to stay put at Belgian champions Gent.

    Simon, who is currently at the FIFA U-20 World Cup in New Zealand with Nigeria, said he wishes to stay at least another season at Gent before he would decide his next destination.

    The player makes history with Belgian champions Gent

    “Fenerbache, Dortmund and Liverpool were among the clubs who were interested in signing me, but I wish to stay at least another season at Gent before I decide what is next for me,” he told africanFootball.com.

    “I still have three more years left of my contract with Gent, but the league in Germany or England would interest me at some point.”

    Simon’s immediate target will be next season’s UEFA Champions League.

    “We are all looking forward to featuring in the Champions League after against all odds we won our first Belgian championship in 115 years,” he added.

    “It’s a big stage for all of us and we wish to make the most of it.”

    The left winger scored seven goals after he joined up with Gent in January. It was a performance that saw him finished as the second best African player in the Belgian top-flight league this past season.

  • CAF opposes postponement of FIFA elections

    CAF opposes postponement of FIFA elections

    The Confederation of Africa Football (CAF) on Thursday said it is opposed to a postponement of the 65th FIFA Election/Congress into the presidency of the world soccer body, scheduled to hold on May 29 in Zurich.

    CAF in its website said the confederation at its meeting held on May 27 in Zurich reiterated its support for the candidacy of incumbent Sepp Blatter during the election.

    “CAF is following with particular attention the events happening in the football family at this time.

    “the commitment of CAF to work and to cooperate in safeguarding the ethical and moral values that underlie the practice of the sport, its organisation and administration,” the Africa soccer governing body said.

    Furthermore, it noted that the body offers full support to measures initiated by FIFA in recent years at improving good governance.

    CAF however, re-affirmed its readiness to cooperate in this direction with all the institutions that engage and subscribe to zero tolerance, vis-a-vis offenders, regardless of their profile or origin.

     

  • FIFA officials arrested in corruption probes

    FIFA officials arrested in corruption probes

    Two criminal investigations into corruption at football’s world governing body FIFA are under way, with seven senior officials arrested in Zurich on United States charges.

    Separately, Swiss prosecutors have launched a criminal case into the bids for the 2018 and 2022 world Cups, to be held in Russia and Qatar respectively, the BBC reports.

    The seven are among 14 indicted on corruption charges, U.S authorities said.

    FIFA said it plans to go ahead with elections for president on Friday.

    Incumbent president Sepp Blatter, who is seeking a fifth term, was not one of the seven high-ranking officials arrested.

    FIFA also said on Wednesday there would be no rerun of the World Cup bidding processes which saw Russia awarded the tournament in 2018 and Qatar in 2022, despite the Swiss inquiry.

    Prince Ali Bin al-Hussein of Jordan – Mr. Blatter’s rival for the FIFA presidency – described the arrests as “a sad day for football.”

    FIFA’s Zurich headquarters has also been raided, with electronic data and documents seized.

    The U.S justice department said 14 individuals were under investigation worldwide, including high-ranking FIFA officials, for allegedly accepting bribes and kickbacks worth $150m (£97m) over a 24-year period. They include:

    Jeffrey Webb – head of the confederation for North and Central America and the Caribbean, CONCACAF, and FIFA vice-president

    Jack Warner, former FIFA vice-president and former CONCACAF president

    Costa Rica’s national football chief, Eduardo Li, who was due to join FIFA’s executive committee on Friday

    Uruguay’s Eugenio Figueredo, president of South American football governing body, CONMEBOL

    Brazil’s Jose Maria Marin, a member of FIFAs club committee

    Seven of those under investigation were arrested in a police operation at a five-star hotel in Zurich earlier on Wednesday.

     

  • FIFA celebrates Ribery at 32

    FIFA celebrates Ribery at 32

    The Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) has sent congratulatory messages to former French national footballer, Franck Ribery on his birthday.

    Ribery, who currently plays his football for German Bundesliga side, Bayern Munich, on Tuesday clocks 32.

    FIFA, the international governing body of football associations, futsal and beach soccer, posted on its Instagram handle saying: “…Like to wish the Frenchman a happy birthday!”

    Ribery celebrating his birthday back in 2010.

    The French player primarily plays as a winger, who prefers playing from the left side despite being right-footed.

    Ribery, known for his pace, energy, skill and precise passing, is described as a player who is fast, tricky and an excellent dribbler, who has great control with the ball at his feet.

    Since joining Bayern, he has been recognised on the world stage as one of the best French players of his generation.

    To his homour, former talisman of the French national team, Zinedine Zidane, called Ribéry the “jewel of French football”.

  • FIFA WORLD RANKING: Super Falcons are 33rd

    FIFA WORLD RANKING: Super Falcons are 33rd

    • World Cup opponents, USA, others in top 10

    Super Falcons of Nigeria have dropped to the 33rd position in the latest FIFA ranking released yesterday. The Africa champions dropped one place from 32 but remained the best African team.

    Germany retained its number one spot while all the African teams dropped points except for South Africa’s Banyana Banyana and Madagascar that were non-movers.

    With the FIFA Women’s World Cup expected to commence in 70 days time in Canada, Nigeria will play against three nations that have been ranked in the top 10 of Women’s football.

    A glance at the respective strengths of the World Cup groups reveals that Group D, which contains the USA (2nd), Australia (10th), Sweden (5th) and Nigeria (33rd), is the strongest on paper with an average ranking of 12.5, while Group C, with Japan (4th), Switzerland (19th), Cameroon (53rd) and Ecuador (48th), is the weakest (31).

  • NFF drags Bolivia to FIFA, seeks replacement

    NFF drags Bolivia to FIFA, seeks replacement

    The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has dragged Bolivia to FIFA following its unilateral cancellation of next week’s international friendly game with the Super Eagles of Nigeria at the Akwa Ibom International Stadium in Uyo.

    Amaju Pinnick,president of the NFF, told SportingLife that the federation has written a strongly-worded letter to the Federation of International Football Association (FIFA) alleging breach of contract and revealed that FIFA has informed the Bolivia Football Federation (BFF) of the consequences of its action.

    Pinnick also revealed that the NFF is already shopping for a replacement for Bolivia.

    ‘We are already looking for another country to replace the Bolivians while FIFA sorts out the breach of the contract we signed with the FBF,’ said Pinnick who assured that the Super Eagles will play on March 26 in Uyo.

  • Collaboration tops FIFA, NFF talks

    Collaboration tops FIFA, NFF talks

    FIFA President,  Sepp Blatter on Wednesday held an official meeting with top officials of the Nigeria Football Federation(NFF) at the home of FIFA in Zurich, Switzerland.

    Blatter, who was in company with FIFA General Secretary Jerome Valcke, welcomed the team on arrival at the headquarters of world football, and assured the Nigerian bigwigs that FIFA would be ready to collaborate more with the new Nigeria Football Federation.

    NFF President Amaju Pinnick led the team, which also included NFF 1st Vice President, Seyi Akinwunmi, and the General Secretary, Musa Amadu.

    The Nigeria delegation will return to Abuja today.