Nigeria international Ogenyi Onazi is fighting tooth and nail to receive his salary from his former club, Lazio. The Super Eagles midfielder alleged that the serie A side owe him two months’ salary, specifically May and June and has asked FIFA to wade into the issue.
The 23-year-old midfielder who spent five seasons at the club made 110 appearances and scored seven goals before his move to Turkish club, Trabzonspor.
He told BBC Sport, “We have no option but to go to FIFA to ask the disciplinary committee to act on Lazio’s refusal to pay me. My agent and lawyer have written to Lazio, but after two months we have heard nothing from the club. We all conclude that the only ideal thing to do is to approach FIFA to enable me to get what I worked for.”
FIFA honours Vincent Enyeama
World football governing body, FIFA has honoured ex Nigeria international and Lille goalkeeper, Vincent Enyeama for his exploits at his club.
He shared the picture above on his Instagram page and captioned it. “This is how goodness and mercy will follow you all this month of March. First day of the month, FIFA got me a trophy for hardwork, dedication, success. Thank you @fifa. I want to wish everyone reading this message a wonderful month of March. God did it for me. God will do it for us. ”
Gianni Infantino is the new FIFA President
Gianni Infantino has emerged the new President for world soccer governing body, FIFA. He takes over from former President, Sepp Blatter who was axed due to allegations of corruption. The former lawyer garnered a total of 115 out of the 207 votes cast in the second round. The 45 year-old Swiss promised to help restore the image and respect of FIFA. His tenure will start from now till until 2019.
Voting results
Gianni Infantino: 115 votes
Salman: 88
Prince Ali: 4
Jerome Champagne: 0
Salman: 88
Prince Ali: 4
Jerome Champagne: 0
FiFa sacks general secretary, Jerome Valcke
Jerome Valcke, has been
sacked as the General Secretary of FIFA following allegations that he profited
from last World Cup ticket sales. Markus Kattner has been named as replacement.
The 55 year-old who initially was suspended in September was dismissed few days
ago by the world governing body who also recommended a 9-year ban for him. His suspension is still valid.
sacked as the General Secretary of FIFA following allegations that he profited
from last World Cup ticket sales. Markus Kattner has been named as replacement.
The 55 year-old who initially was suspended in September was dismissed few days
ago by the world governing body who also recommended a 9-year ban for him. His suspension is still valid.
Below is an official
statement from FIFA
statement from FIFA
“The FIFA Emergency
Committee decided, on 9 January 2016, to dismiss Jerome Valcke from the
position of FIFA Secretary General with immediate effect. Jerome Valcke is therefore
no longer the Secretary General of FIFA. Jerome Valcke was
provisionally released from his duties as Secretary General on 17 September
2015, and on 7 January 2016, formal adjudicatory proceedings were opened
against him by the adjudicatory chamber of the FIFA Ethics Committee chaired by
Hans-Joachim Eckert. The provisional suspension
imposed on Jerome Valcke on 8 October 2015 and extended on 6 January 2016
continues to be valid”
Committee decided, on 9 January 2016, to dismiss Jerome Valcke from the
position of FIFA Secretary General with immediate effect. Jerome Valcke is therefore
no longer the Secretary General of FIFA. Jerome Valcke was
provisionally released from his duties as Secretary General on 17 September
2015, and on 7 January 2016, formal adjudicatory proceedings were opened
against him by the adjudicatory chamber of the FIFA Ethics Committee chaired by
Hans-Joachim Eckert. The provisional suspension
imposed on Jerome Valcke on 8 October 2015 and extended on 6 January 2016
continues to be valid”
FIFA congratulates Enyimba on NPFL title win
FIFA has showered praise on Nigerian club, Enyimba FC over their
7th league title. This was
conveyed in a letter signed by the acting president of the body, Issa Hayatou.
The People’s Elephant as widely called recently emerged champions of the
2014/2015 Nigeria Professional Football League season.
7th league title. This was
conveyed in a letter signed by the acting president of the body, Issa Hayatou.
The People’s Elephant as widely called recently emerged champions of the
2014/2015 Nigeria Professional Football League season.
“It gives me great pleasure to send my
heartfelt congratulations to Enyimba and their indomitable team on this great
achievement. This title is the result of the determination of everyone involved
and my congratulations go to the players, the coach, the entire technical and
medical staff, and the fans.On behalf of the entire football family, I would
like to thank Enyimba for helping to spread the positive message of football.” The letter read.
heartfelt congratulations to Enyimba and their indomitable team on this great
achievement. This title is the result of the determination of everyone involved
and my congratulations go to the players, the coach, the entire technical and
medical staff, and the fans.On behalf of the entire football family, I would
like to thank Enyimba for helping to spread the positive message of football.” The letter read.
48 luxury watches confiscated from FIFA officials to be donated to charity.
A total of 48 luxury watches confiscated from top FIFA officials after the Brazil World Cup will be donated to a charity in Brazil. Valued at $25,000 each, The Brazilian Soccer Federation revealed that a Parmigiani Fleurier SA watch was contained in each of the 65 gift bags distributed to representatives of each of the 32 competing nations and someone from each of member country of the regional governing body during the 2014 tournament.
This is one of the several plans outlined to rid the governing body of its culture of corruption.
FIFA ethics committee have thus “decided that all watches returned to FIFA would now be donated to the international non-profit organization streetfootballworld, who will directly invest all resources generated through the sale of the watches into initiatives across Brazil that use football to drive social change,” the panel said in an e-mailed statement. “The investigatory chamber of the Ethics Committee considers the matter to be closed.”
FIFA’s Blatter, Platini, And Valcke suspended for 90 Days. Issa Hayatou named acting president.
FIFA’s ethics committee announced today that it was provisionally suspending its president, Sepp Blatter, for 90 days as well as Secretary General Jerome Valcke and Vice President Michel Platini. FIFA Vice President Chung Mong-joon was also handed a 6- year ban. Cameroonian FIFA Vice President Issa Hayatou has been named the acting president.
The full statement on FIFA’s website, reads:
The adjudicatory chamber of the Ethics Committee chaired by Hans Joachim Eckert has provisionally banned FIFA President Joseph S. Blatter, UEFA President and FIFA Vice-President Michel Platini, and FIFA Secretary General Jérôme Valcke (who has already been put on leave by his employer FIFA) for a duration of 90 days. The duration of the bans may be extended for an additional period not exceeding 45 days. The former FIFA Vice-President Chung Mong-joon has been banned for six years and fined CHF 100,000. During this time, the above individuals are banned from all football activities on a national and international level. The bans come into force immediately.
The grounds for these decisions are the investigations that are being carried out by the investigatory chamber of the Ethics Committee. The chairman of the chamber is Dr Cornel Borbély. The investigation into Joseph S. Blatter is being carried out by Robert Torres, the investigation into Michel Platini by Vanessa Allard.
The proceedings against the South Korean football official Chung Mong-joon were opened in January 2015 based on findings in the report on the investigation into the bidding process for the 2018/2022 FIFA World Cups™. He has been found guilty of infringing article 13 (General rules of conduct), article 16 (Confidentiality), article 18 (Duty of disclosure, cooperation and reporting), article 41 (Obligation of the parties to collaborate) and article 42 (General obligation to collaborate) of the FIFA Code of Ethics.
The Ethics Committee is unable to comment on the details of the decisions until they become final, due to the provisions of article 36 (Confidentiality) of the FIFA Code of Ethics.
Another statement released said Blatter had been relieved of his duties, and that the ban applied to “all football activities on a national and international level.”
Ronaldo doesn't give a f*** about FIFA
Cristiano Ronaldo has said he doesn’t give a f*** about football world governing body, FIFA in an interview before storming out in anger. The Real Madrid talisman became extremely furious when his opinion was sought on the scandal rocking the body.
‘I don’t care about FIFA, Qatar, I don’t give a f***,’ he said, before adding, ‘speak about FIFA, come on…’, as he stood up and walked out of the interview.
Fourteen people – including seven current FIFA officials – were arrested in May in connection with and FBI investigation into fraud, racketeering and money laundering. Major doubts have arisen about the legitimacy of FIFA’s awarding of the 2022 World Cup to Qatar and shamed president Sepp Blatter is in the process of stepping down.
FIFA setup task force to tackle corruption
Following the corruption scandal that rocked FIFA last month leading to the arrest of its officials and resignation of its president, a task force of 11 people has been setup to reform the body. Term limits for officials, central integrity checks for executive committee members and the disclosing of all
salaries and payments to FIFA members will be the main focus of the reform task force.
The set-up of the committee would be like “10 players and a coach” with one key person – the “coach” – driving the process, Blatter announced.
In reaction, Platini said the creation of the panel was “an important step”. Speaking after the FIFA executive committee meeting he said: “We must now make sure that the reforms outlined today will be undertaken in a swift and effective manner. We need to reform Fifa and we need to do it now.”
Sepp Blatter's daughter on his resignation. "I am both sad and relieved."
Sepp Blatter’s daughter, Corinne Blatter has described her father’s resignation as FIFA President as a great relief adding that his decision had nothing to do with “the accusations that are currently circulating.”
In an interview with BBC Sports news correspondent, Richard Conway. Corrine said, “I am both sad and relieved. My father’s announcement was a relief as it means the pressure that was building up on all sides has now disappeared. In the end it was simply a matter of wearing him down. That was extremely painful for me. My wish now is for calm to be restored, both for my father and for world football. But above all I wish for the world to finally acknowledge the great things he has done for football in the last 40 years.”
Credit: Richard Conway