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Tag: Ban

  • 2019: Obasanjo mounting pressure on U.S. to lift visa ban on Atiku – APC

    The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) on Friday accused Former President Olusegun Obasanjo of mounting pressures on the Government of the United States to lift a visa ban on Atiku Abubakar.
    Abubakar is the presidential candidate of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
    The ruling party said this in a statement by its spokesperson, Yekini Nabena, on Friday.
    The APC said it has credible reports that Mr Obasanjo made moves to secure United States entry visa for Mr Abubakar.
    “It is learnt that the former president who during and after leaving office insisted on Atiku’s unsuitability to govern Nigeria based on his knowledge of the latter’s extensive corrupt practices while he served as Vice President, is lobbying US authorities to withdraw the ban reportedly placed on Atiku from entering the United States following a 2005 $500,000 bribery scandal that involved Atiku, his fourth wife, Jennifer and former United States Congressman, William Jefferson.
    “Former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s intervention in Alh. Abubakar Atiku’s ban from the United States of America is evidence of Obasanjo’s legendary hypocrisy and self-serving interest in national affairs,” Mr Nabena said.
    This is coming a day after Mr Obasanjo endorsed Mr Abubakar for president, making a U-turn from his previous stand.
     

  • NFF crisis: FIFA can’t ban Nigeria, Giwa’s lawyer says

    NFF crisis: FIFA can’t ban Nigeria, Giwa’s lawyer says

    A lawyer, Ardzard Habilla, has said that the Federation of International Football Association (FIFA) cannot ban Nigeria over the lingering leadership crisis in the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) which needed to be sorted out internally by the country’s judiciary.

    Habilla, who is counsel to Chris Giwa, an NFF factional President, said this in Abuja on Thursday while addressing newsmen on the threat by FIFA to ban Nigeria from all football activities following intervention by the court.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Giwa had dragged the Pinnick-led board to court over forceful takeover of the NFF secretariat following Pinnick’s emergence as president in an election conducted on Sept. 30, 2014.

    The election prevented Giwa who claims to have emerged as NFF president at an earlier election on Aug. 26, 2014, from assuming office.

    It will be recalled that the Supreme Court had in April, set aside a 2016 judgment of the Appeal Court on the leadership tussle and sent the matter back to the Federal High Court sitting in Jos, Plateau, which had earlier mandated Giwa to take over as president.

    Habilla told newsmen that the threat by FIFA was a calculated attempt to subvert the constitution of the country and an act of neocolonialism.

    “Do we take it that FIFA laws are superior to the judgment of the highest court in our land — the Supreme Court, and has FIFA elevated itself before the constitution of Nigeria?

    “When we went to Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS), it said that the issue before it is not the validity of the election, and that it is the domestic law of Nigeria that should determine the validity of an election or elections.

    “FIFA is bound by the decision of CAS and that is why the Giwa-led board went to court to determine the validity of those elections,” he said.

    “So, if CAS gave this judgment that domestic laws of a country should determine the validity of its elections, why should FIFA threaten to ban Nigeria, when this is the decision of CAS and FIFA is bound by the decision of CAS?

    “If FIFA is aggrieved with the decision of CAS, it has the right to go the Swiss Court to seek judicial review, so, FIFA cannot continue to play double standard.

    “As we speak, FIFA has never for one day heard from Giwa on this matter rather it prefers to go by the tactics of the Pinnick-led board.”

    He urged FIFA to purge itself of bias and respect the country’s judicial system or face another round of challenge at CAS.

    According to Habilla, it is ironical for Pinnick to accept the position of CAF Vice-President made possible after a court in Ghana sacked the country’s FA Chairman who was the then CAF Vice-President, and then, refuse to accept a court judgment in his own country.

    “FIFA is not supposed to interfere in domestic affairs; article 69 (2) of the NFF statutes says `domestic affairs should be determined in Nigeria and FIFA jurisdiction only comes in when it involves international disputes’.

    “So, FIFA cannot ban Nigeria; I challenge FIFA, if they feel they are impartial in this matter, let them come to Nigeria or invite both parties to Zurich, Switzerland; that is the rule of natural justice.

    “We want to know if FIFA can approbate and reprobate all at the same time.

    “Recall that FIFA in responding to a petition by one Barrister Leo Igbokwe, admitted that it has no powers to interfere in the internal matters of NFF, so, what has changed now? It has now assumed powers to interfere in the domestic matters of NFF,” he said.

    He wondered why FIFA had refused to recognise the Giwa-led board which was duly elected on Aug. 26, 2014.

    Habilla said: “No one in Nigeria has challenged the validity of that election before NFF Electoral Appeals panel which was legally constituted by the former NFF executive committee led by Aminu Maigari.

    NAN

  • Former African Player of the Year vows to appeal FIFA ban

    Former African Player of the Year vows to appeal FIFA ban

    Former Football Association of Zambia President KalushaBwalya has revealed he will appeal the two-year ban handed him by FIFA’s adjudicatory chamber of the independent Ethics Committee.

    Bwalya was banned for allegedly receiving benefits from banned Qatari official Mohammed Bin Hammam after investigations made by the committee according to a statement on FIFA’s official website.

    Bwalya, reportedly received $80,000 cash “gift” from disgraced Qatari business mogul Mohammad Bin Hammam last year but he claimed it was a debt he got on behalf of the association and not to influence the 2018 or 2022 World Cup bid voting. He was also fined 100,000 Swiss francs ($100,600, £78,900).

    In a statement released on his official Twitter handle Bwalya said that he is not guilty of any offence and vowed to fight to clear his name.

    “I am surprised and saddened by today’s (Friday) receipt of the notification from the FIFA Ethics Committee adjudication. I have instructed my legal team to immediately appeal this decision urgently and would like to state that I am NOT guilty of any offence which allegedly took place,” the statement reads.

    “I’ve never done and will never do anything to bring the beautiful game into disrepute, and stand by the facts provided by me to the Committee. I unfortunately cannot provide any further details, as I’ve been advised by my legal team that to do so may jeopardize my chances of obtaining leave to appeal. FIFAs decision is not final and I will fight to clear my name. I thank all my fans for their ongoing support.”

    FIFA’s Ethics Committee said Bwalya, a Confederation of African Football executive committee member, was banned for two years from “all football-related activities (administrative, sports or any other) at both national and international level”.

    FIFA said in a statement it had been investigating the 54-year-old since February 2017 “focused principally on benefits that MrBwalya had received from Mr Bin Hammam”.

  • FIFA bans former African Player of the Year

    FIFA bans former African Player of the Year

    Zambia’s former African Footballer of the Year, Kalusha Bwalya, has been banned from the game for two years by world governing body FIFA after an investigation into his links to banned Qatari official Mohammed Bin Hammam.

    The adjudicatory chamber of FIFA’s Ethics Committee on Friday said that they had banned Bwalya, a member of the executive committee of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) for two years from all football-related activities.

    FIFA said in a statement that they had been investigating the 54-year-old Bwalya since February 2017 .

    “Focused principally on the benefits that Bwalya had received from Mr Bin Hammam.

    “The adjudicatory chamber found Bwalya guilty of having violated Article 16 (Confidentiality) and Article 20 (Offering and accepting gifts and other benefits) of the FIFA Code of Ethics.

    “A fine in the amount of CHF 100,000 ($100,573.2) was also imposed on Bwalya.”

    Bwalya, was voted African Player of the year in 1988 and later went on to be coach of the Zambia national team and president of the Zambian Football Association. He was not immediately reachable for comment.

    Bin Hammam was banned for life from football by FIFA in 2011 for his part in a cash-for-votes scandal. The Qatari has denied any wrongdoing.

    Reuters/NAN

  • Falz reacts, says NBC ban of ‘This is Nigeria’ song is hilarious

    Falz reacts, says NBC ban of ‘This is Nigeria’ song is hilarious

    Nigerian music sensation Falz, has reacted to the banning of his song ‘This is Nigeria’ by the National Broadcasting Commission.

    This ban was disclosed in a letter from the NBC dated 6th August 2018 and signed by its Zonal Director, Igomu Onoja.

    NBC fined a radio station in Jos N100,000, for playing Falz’ ‘This is Nigeria’ song.

    According to NBC, a part of the song – “This is Nigeria; look how we living now everybody be criminal” has been tagged “vulgar” and the song is now declared “unfit for radio”.

    Reacting to the development via his Instagram handle, Falz said the entire situation was hilarious.

    Also, the commission fined the station for playing Olamide’s song titled “See Mary, See Jesus.”

    The letter said Mary and Jesus were regarded as sacred by the Christian faith and as such, the song contravened the law.

    The station was also cautioned for playing Wande Coal’s Iskaba with the lyrics, “Girl you dey make me kolo, shaking the ass like kolo”, which NBC described as vulgar.

  • NBC bans Falz’ ‘This is Nigeria’

    NBC bans Falz’ ‘This is Nigeria’

    The National Broadcasting Commission, NBC, has banned Falz famed song ‘This is Nigeria.’

    This was disclosed in a letter from the NBC dated 6th August 2018 and signed by its Zonal Director, Igomu Onoja.

    According to NBC, a part of the song – “This is Nigeria; look how we living now everybody be criminal” has been tagged “vulgar” and the song is now declared “unfit for radio”.

     

    The song is an adaptation of American rapper; Childish Gambino’s much talked about visual magnum opus dubbed ‘This Is America’.Just like Gambino, Falz’s addresses essential national issues ranging from; politics, religion, social vices and insecurity in the song.

    The song starts with a voice over of his father the lawyer and human rights activist, Femi Falana, discussing the consequences of rampant corruption and exploitation, before adding his own cutting criticism: “This is Nigeria, look how I’m living now, look how I’m living now. Everybody be criminal,”

    Recall that Muslim group, Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC),was angered by Falz’s ‘This Is Nigeria’ music video, saying the “video manifests ethnic bias against Fulanis while it ignored the criminal activities of ethnic militia of the Middle Belt who have also massacred Fulanis”.

     

    Also banned from being aired was singer, Wande Cole’s song: ‘Iskaba’ alongside Olamide’s ‘See Mary, See Jesus’.

    As at the time of filing this report, Falz was yet to react to the ban of the song.

     

     

  • Former Arsenal midfielder’s doping ban extended to 18 months

    Former Arsenal midfielder Samir Nasri has had his doping ban for using a drip treatment at a Los Angeles clinic increased from six to 18 months.

    It follows an appeal against the original sanction, given to the Frenchman by Uefa in February.

    The ban is backdated to 1 July 2017, even though Nasri, 31, has made eight appearances for Turkish side Antalyaspor since then,

    He is now a free agent and can return to training with any club in November.

    Nasri took the drip treatment while on holiday in 2016, but it contravened World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) rules leading to a Spanish Anti-Doping investigation.

    At the time the ex-France international was on loan from Manchester City to Sevilla.

    Wada rules state there is a 50 millilitre infusion limit per six-hour period for active athletes but it was alleged he received 500 millilitres of hydration in the form of sterile water containing micronutrient components.

    In February 2017, a request by Sevilla for a retroactive therapeutic use exemption (TUE) for Nasri was refused by Uefa, and its decision was later upheld by the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

    On Wednesday, Uefa’s ethics and disciplinary inspector argued that ban was insufficient and European football’s governing body extended it by 12 months.

    Nasri’s spell with Antalyaspor lasted only six months after he joined from Manchester City in August 2017.

    He played for Arsenal from 2008 to 2011 before moving to City for £25m, going on to win the Premier League twice during his time at Etihad Stadium.

    During his loan spell at Sevilla last season he made 30 appearances and scored three goals.

  • CAS dismisses ex-FIFA Sec Gen, Valcke’s appeal against ban

    The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) dismissed former FIFA Secretary General Jerome Valcke’s appeal against his 10-year ban for breaching the world football body’s code of ethics.

    The court, which is at Lausanne in Switzerland, said the ban and the 100,000 Swiss franc (about $100,290 or N38 million) fine were “wholly appropriate”.

    Its action has thus confirmed the decision made by FIFA’s Appeal Committee in 2016.

    Valcke, who was former FIFA president Sepp Blatter’s top aide, was found to be involved in the resale of FIFA World Cup tickets and other ethics violations.

  • Roma owner banned for comments after Liverpool CL defeat

    Roma owner James Pallotta has been given a three-month suspension by UEFA for comments after their Champions League semi-final against Liverpool.

    Pallotta criticised the standard of refereeing in the second leg in Rome on May 2. Roma won 4-2 but lost 7-6 on aggregate as Liverpool progressed to the final in Kiev.

    He called the officiating “embarrassing” and said it cost his club a place in the final.

    Pallotta also claimed a Video Assistant Referee (VAR) would have helped overturn calls he perceived went in Liverpool’s favour.

    The suspension, handed out by UEFA’s Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body (CEDB), means that he cannot enter the technical area or communicate directly or indirectly with the team’s players and or/technical staff during a UEFA competition match for three months.

    Pallotta has also been banned from entering the team’s dressing room or the tunnel before or during a match.

    Roma finished third in Serie A last season so they will enter the Champions League at the group stage and his suspension will start in their first game in the 2018/19 competition – either September 18 or 19.

    It’s not the first time the American billionaire has been in the headlines this year.

    After Roma staged a dramatic comeback to beat Barcelona on away goals in the Champions League quarter-finals, he jumped into the Pizza del Popolo fountain and had to apologise to the Mayor of Rome.

    Roma were also fined €19,000 (about £17,000) by UEFA for charges relating to the game against Liverpool at the Stadio Olimpico.

    The charges were for the setting off of fireworks, insufficient organisation and stairways blocked.

  • Arbitration Court overturns UEFA ban on AC Milan

    The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) on Friday overturned a decision by European soccer body UEFA to ban AC Milan from next season’s Europa League competition.

    CAS added that the Italian club’s finances had improved after a recent ownership change.

    UEFA said last month that AC Milan did not meet a break-even requirement under its Financial Fair Play regulations, adding the club had not provided sufficient evidence of its financial stability.

    Since then, U.S. hedge fund Elliott Management has taken control of the indebted soccer club from Chinese businessman Li Yonghong and promised to inject 50 million euros to help stabilise its finances.

    Li bought the Serie A club last year from former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi with the help of Elliott, but then failed to repay the fund.

    In a statement, the court said that UEFA was not able to consider some important elements at the time of its decision, “in particular that the current financial situation of the club was now better, following the recent change in the club’s ownership”.

    It referred the case back to UEFA to “issue a new proportionate disciplinary measure on the basis of the current financial situation of the club”.

    Reuters/NAN