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FIFA
has dismissed allegations made by a British Broadcasting Corporation
programme against three executive committee members, saying Swiss
authorities had already investigated and the case had been closed.

The BBC’s Panorama
programme on Monday offered what it said was new evidence over the
ruling body’s appointment of International Sports and Leisure (ISL) as
its marketing arm. ISL went bankrupt in 2001.

The programme said
members Ricardo Teixeira of Brazil, hosts of the next World Cup,
Confederation of African Football (CAF) chief Issa Hayatou and South
American (CONMEBOL) head Nicolas Leoz took bribes from ISL to win the
lucrative contract.

“The matters
concerning the case … which are referred to date back many years ago
and were investigated by the relevant authorities in Switzerland,” said
FIFA in a statement on Tuesday.

It added that a criminal case in the Swiss canton of Zug had not resulted in convictions for any FIFA officials.

“In its verdict of 26 June 2008, the Criminal Court of Zug had not convicted any FIFA Officials,” said the statement.

“It is therefore
important to stress again the fact that no FIFA officials were accused
of any criminal offence in these proceedings.” “Furthermore, it is
important to recall that the decision was made on matters which took
place prior to the year 2000 and there has been no court conviction
against FIFA.

“The investigation and the case are definitely closed.”

Not guilty

Teixeira, Leoz and
Hayatou are current members of the FIFA executive committee which will
decide on Thursday which countries host the World Cups of 2018 and 2022.

All have denied any
wrongdoing but were not available for comment on the latest allegations
based on what the BBC said was a confidential ISL document which
detailed 175 secret payments between 1989 and 1999.

Hayatou is also a
member of the International Olympic Committee and that body said it
would refer the matter to its Ethics Commission.

“The IOC has taken
note of the allegations made by BBC Panorama and will ask the programme
makers to pass on any evidence they may have to the appropriate
authorities,” it said.

“The IOC has a zero
tolerance against corruption and will refer the matter to the IOC
Ethics Commission.” A fourth member of FIFA’s ex-co, Jack Warner of
Trinidad who is a vice-president, had attempted to break FIFA rules
over the sale of 2010 World Cup tickets “but the deal subsequently fell
through”, according to the Panorama programme.

Two FIFA executive committee members, Reynald Temarii of Tahiti and
Amos Adamu of Nigeria, were suspended earlier this month following an
investigation that they offered to sell their votes to undercover
reporters from the Sunday Times newspaper.

Captain
of the German women’s national team Birgit Prinz doesn’t think it will
be a stroll in the park for she and her colleagues when they come up
against Nigeria’s Super Falcons at next year’s FIFA Women’s World Cup.

The Germans, who
have won the past two editions of the World Cup, were on Monday grouped
alongside Nigeria, Canada and France in Group A of the tournament which
doesn’t get underway until June 26 next year.

Only recently, the
Super Falcons, still fresh from their victory at the African Women’s
Championship in South Africa, were mauled 8-0 by their German
counterparts when both sides met in an international friendly in
Leverkusen.

But despite
Germany’s outstanding recent victories over Nigeria, Prinz insists she
is not expecting an easy ride at the World Cup.

“It will certainly
be difficult,” said the German captain and three-times Women’s World
Player of the Year, Prinz, who recently announced plans to retire after
the World Cup in an interview with German radio station Deutsche Welle.

However, the
Nigerian’s weren’t the only team in Group A to have suffered defeat at
the hands of the Germans in recent times as Canada, who the Germans
will face in the tournament’s opening match in Berlin, were on the
receiving end of a 5-0 hammering in September.

“That is not the
norm,” continued Prinz. “It was a warm-up game that went relatively
well for us. I don’t think that the opening game will be settled so
decisively.”

Prinz also told
German daily tabloid, Bild shortly after Monday’s World Cup draw in
Frankfurt that: “Both Canada and Nigeria can be difficult opponents and
we can’t take anything for granted against them.”

German coach agrees

Prinz, who is the
most capped player in German football history, as well as the team’s
record goal scorer, wasn’t the only member of the German team to bare
her thoughts on the draw. Her coach, Silvia Neid also expressed
satisfaction with the outcome of Monday’s show in Frankfurt.

“I just have to
take whatever we get,” said Neid, philosophically. “In that regard, I’m
satisfied. We are happy that we know who we are going to play against.”

Neid, who back at
the inaugural Women’s World Cup in 1991, grabbed Germany’s opening goal
in their 4-0 drubbing of the Super Falcons, nevertheless told Bild that
her team cannot take any of their Group A opponents for granted even
though it is not the toughest group in the tournament; a honour that
belongs to Group C which consists of three of the top six in FIFA world
rankings – the United States, Sweden and Korea. “We are very pleased
with the group,” Neid told Bild. “But you certainly cannot say that we
are already in the quarterfinals.

“Under no circumstances will we take our opponents lightly.”

Samson
Siasia was on Wednesday officially presented to the public as the new
coach of the Super Eagles by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).

The ceremony, which
took place at the Press Centre of the Abuja National Stadium, had
earlier been scheduled to take place on November 10 but had to be
called at the last minute due to a nationwide strike by the country’s
labour unions.

A new date for the
unveiling could not be fixed earlier than now as the president of the
NFF, Aminu Maigari travelled to South Africa, where he underwent
corrective surgery on an injured knee.

December 1 was
thereafter picked by the NFF as the new date for Siasia’s unveiling
ceremony and Maigari, who only returned to the country over the
weekend, was present at Wednesday’s ceremony.

“I must tell you
that we picked the man that clearly demonstrated our vision, plan and
target for the national team. We believe that he is capable and
experienced enough to handle the national team and take us to the next
level,” Maigari told reporters at the ceremony.

Siasia’s delight

In reaction to his
appointment, Siasia, who got most people at the venue up on their feet
with his rendition of a popular Yoruba gospel song, expressed his
gratitude to the NFF and the supervisory Sports Ministry for handing
him the opportunity to coach the Super Eagles.

Nigerian football
followers were also not left out as Siasia also expressed his gratitude
to them for helping him actualise what he described as “a lifelong
dream.” He however called on Nigerian football followers to be patient
as he sets about the task of building a national team that will be the
pride of every Nigerian.

“It will take the
support of everyone to build this dream,” Siasia said. “We need time
also, but I promise to do everything humanly possible to make the
Eagles fly again.”

The new Super
Eagles coach also promised to produce a new Super Eagles that will be
more offensive minded, as well as industrious.

“I want to produce
a Super Eagles that will be more attack-minded, very good at using the
wings, as well as defending too,” he said.

The Super Eagles
have been far from impressive in recent times and are at the moment
struggling to qualify for the 2012 African Cup of Nations after
October’s lone goal defeat at the hands of table-topping Guinea in
Conakry.

That defeat to the
Syli Stars leaves the Super Eagles with no choice but to win their
remaining four matches in Group B – beginning with their next
encounter, coming up in March, against Ethiopia.

Siasia, who will
earn N5 million monthly over the next four years, believes he has an
enormous task ahead of him but is confident in his ability to deliver.

“My four years
contract is an enormous task and the first thing to do is to ensure
that we raise a credible squad that can qualify the country for the
2012 Nations Cup,” Siasia said.

“I know the Super Eagles can achieve this.”

With regards to the
chances of players plying their trade in the domestic league, Siasia
explained that those of them called up to the national team will
regularly be camped in Abuja, sometimes for as much as three weeks, and
will only be allowed to rejoin their club sides a few days before
league engagements.

He however
disclosed that he will be travelling out to Europe to meet with some of
the country’s top players as well as his plans to introduce players of
Nigerian origin who have not featured for the senior sides of their
European country of birth into the national team.

Contrary to reports, Siasia denied having any problems with
midfielder, Mikel Obi. Reports claim there is a rift between the two,
dating back to the midfielder’s failure to turn up for the Beijing 2008
Olympic Games. However, Siasia said Mikel will be part of the national
team so long as he keeps doing what was expected of him.

Lagos-based lawyer
and rights activist, Jiti Ogunye, has filed a suit against the Nigeria
Football Federation (NFF) at a Federal High Court in Lagos, claiming
that the NFF is function in violation of a court order.

According to the
petition filed by Ogunye, the Aminu Maigari-led executive committee of
the NFF is unconstitutional especially as the (August 26) election that
ushered them into the NFF board had been nullified by a subsisting
court order.

Joined as
respondents to the suit are the Nigeria Football Association, the
Registered Trustees of the National Association of Nigerian Footballers
(NANF), the Inspector-General of Police, the Attorney-General of the
Federation and seven others as defendants.

The association had
filed a suit before Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court in
Lagos to stop the conduct of the election into the board of the
football body which was initially scheduled for August 21.

As a result, Abang
restrained parties to the suit from going ahead with the elections
pending the determination of the suit. This order was however violated
as elections still went ahead on August 26 which prompted NANF to file
contempt proceedings against all parties involved in the polls which
ushered in the present board.

The association however withdrew the case on October 25 enabling the board led by Maigari to return to office.

Unconstitutional

But Ogunye insists
that Abang did not vacate the order nullifying the election, adding
that the purported resumption of office by the NFF chiefs was
unconstitutional.

As a result, the
lawyer is urging the Federal High Court to declare that the order of
annulment of the election is still in force and cannot be varied or
discharged without recourse to the court by the football body.

He also wants the
court to compel the Inspector General of Police, as well as the
Attorney General of the Federation to enforce the orders of the court,
along with an injunction order, restraining members and officers of the
football body from parading themselves as duly elected officers and
members of the football body on the basis of the annulled election.

“NFF must not be
allowed to ridicule our courts, by disobeying an order that it should
not conduct its election, and disobeying the court a second time by
going back to exercise a mandate that was obtained from that election,
when the election had been annulled,” read part of Odunye’s petition.

However, no date has yet been fixed for the hearing.

Amos
Adamu will not be among the FIFA delegates who will determine the hosts
of the 2018 and 2022 World Cup tournaments today in Zurich, Switzerland.

The Nigerian, who
was supposed to be one of the 24 individuals involved in today’s voting
process, was handed a three year suspension after he along with Reynald
Temarii, the president of the OCEANIA football federation, were filmed
by undercover reporters from the Sunday Times agreeing to take bribes
in exchange for their votes. Telmarii was suspended for a year.

The suspension of
both men and four former FIFA Executive Committee members by the FIFA
Ethics Committee was not the only controversy as there were also
allegations of a vote-trading deal between the 2018 Spain-Portugal bid
and the 2022 Qatar bid.

Reports in the
international media alleged that seven votes had been lined up for each
of the bids, leaving each five short of the required majority. But
FIFA, on the same day it announced Adamu’s suspension, said it was not
able to prove the allegations.

Voting process

According to FIFA, the lowest-ranking bid will be eliminated in each round of voting until a bid has an absolute majority of 12.

A few days ago, on
Monday, a programme aired by the BBC, Panorama, alleged that three FIFA
executive committee members, including CAF boss Issa Hayatou from
Cameroon, had received payoffs from ISL, the world body’s former
marketing agency, over a ten-year period beginning from 1989 to 1999.

FIFA, on Tuesday,
however denied the allegations and Hayatou explained that the alleged
payoff was a legitimate and approved payment for CAF’s 40th anniversary
celebrations 16 years ago.

“Panorama wanted to
make people believe that we were corrupt,” said Hayatou in a television
interview with Reuters. “What they showed was from 16 years ago. Why
did they not show this before?

“The money was
addressed for CAF. The executive committee knew of it. I asked them if
I should accept and they said yes,” he added.

Today in Zurich, the voting will be done behind closed doors. There
will be no live feed streaming pictures from inside the FIFA
headquarters.

The
Nigeria Premier League has released its official team of the week for
this past weekend’s round of matches with players of Dolphins and Warri
Wolves dominating the list.

Dolphins, who
returned to the top of the Premier League table after last weekend’s
3-0 drubbing of Gombe United in Port Harcourt, and Warri Wolves, who
are still unbeaten after four rounds of matches, each produced three
players to take centre stage in this week’s list.

Warri Wolves
goalkeeper, Chigozie Agbim’s bravery in the face of an attacking
avalanche helped Wolves earn a 1-0 away win in Jos against previously
unbeaten JUTH. As a result of his goalkeeping heroics at the Rwang Pam
Stadium, the former junior international staved off the competition
from Shooting Stars of Ibadan’s Laide Okanlawon, who prevented Kano
Pillars from scoring more than a goal in their encounter in Kano.

In the four-man
backline preferred by the NPL, who for a second week running opted for
a 4-3-3 formation as against the 4-4-2 formation it had applied after
the opening weekend of the season, Dolphins provided three players, a
centre back and two full backs.

Central defender
Emmah Godwin and right full back Uche Oguchi both converted penalties
in Dolphins’ win over Gombe United while ex-junior international
Kennedy Chinwo, was deployed in an unfamiliar left full back position,
but he showed his versatility with a commanding display.

Completing the back-four is Warri Wolves’ Ike Thankgod.

Itodo back again

Cletus Itodo, who
was the most outstanding player in Sunshine Stars’ 2-0 win over Enugu
Rangers, makes yet another appearance in the midfield of the team of
the week where he is joined by Kano Pillars’ Gabriel Reuben and
Heartland’s Ikechukwu Ibenegbu, whose 89th minute goal gave his side a
2-1 win at the weekend over Kaduna United.

Upfront, Akombo
Ukeyima, who opened scoring for Sunshine Stars against Enugu Rangers,
also makes another return and is joined by Heartland’s Osas Okoro and
Joseph Thompson of Kano Pillars.

The coach of the week is Warri Wolves’ Paul Aigbogun, who has so far kept his team unbeaten in the face of daunting odds.

League
leaders, Dolphins, are looking to consolidate their position and have
set their sights on a win when they come up against Niger Tornadoes in
Minna on Saturday.

Niger Tornadoes
have not had the best of seasons, having gone three matches without a
win since their opening weekend victory over Crown at the Bako
Kotangora Stadium in Minna. The only point the side, handled by Ladan
Bosso, have collected since the 1-0 win over Crown arrived in
penultimate weekend’s goalless draw at home to newly promoted JUTH.
Last weekend, they lost 2-1 to Lobi Stars at the latter’s temporary
home in Jalingo to add to an earlier 3-1 loss to Heartland in Owerri.
Those losses pushed the Minna side to 16th spot on the table so a win
is vital for Bosso’s side and they will be hoping that the presence of
their teeming fans will be able to motivate them to victory over the
league leaders and propel them further up the table.

But Dolphins won’t
go down that easily. Apart from their 1-0 loss to city rivals Sharks
two weeks ago, the side has given early indications of being capable of
challenging for a first league title since 2004. Just last weekend, the
former two-time winners of the league, who have already won a game on
the road this season; a 1-0 victory over Plateau United, also defeated
a previously undefeated Gombe United side 3-0 in Port Harcourt to
return to the league’s summit.

Going for victory

And according to
the Port Harcourt side’s manager, Stanley Eguma, the plan of the club
right now is to maintain their position at the top of the table. “It
was a good win for us against Gombe last week,” said Eguma. “A good but
difficult win, but we thank God that the players came through at least
in the second half to score those beautiful goals. Now [that] we have
returned to the top, we want to remain there; so we are going to Minna
to score goals and come back with a result. The side have scored five
times already this season. That is exactly the same number of goals
Tornadoes have let in this season but none of those were conceded in
Minna. “We know Minna is a difficult place to play,” said Eguma. “But I
also want to say that my players now have more cohesion and the sky can
only be the limit for us.”

Also on Saturday, Kwara United, who last weekend lost 1-0 to Crown,
will welcome Heartland, who are on a three-match unbeaten run, to the
Offa Township Stadium; while bottom of the table, Plateau United, will
be hoping to finally grab their first win of the season when they take
on Bukola Babes at the Rwang Pam Stadium, Jos. However, Plateau United
have already lost twice this season in Jos.

Pillars
goalkeeper, Sani Haliru, is now free to play football again after the
Nigeria Premier League lifted the ban placed on him last season on a
misconduct charge.

Haliru was charged
with attempting to assault a match official shortly after his side’s
loss to Enyimba at the last edition of the league Super Four
tournament, which took place back in August at the Gateway
International Stadium, Ijebu-Ode. Emeka Nwani, the spokesperson for the
league, confirmed that the ban was lifted on Wednesday. “The suspension
on the goalkeeper of Kano Pillars, Sani Haliru, has been lifted,” he
said. “The NPL decided to lift the suspension on the goalkeeper on the
grounds of compassion. So, he can return to his team.” He also added
that the fine placed on the goalkeeper had been paid by his club side.

Champions League campaign

Nwani also said the
ban was lifted so that the goal keeper can begin training with his club
ahead of next year’s edition of the CAF Champions League, where Kano
Pillars will be attempting to surpass the semi final stage they got to
at their very first attempt back in 2009. Haliru was not among the 31
players registered at the start of the 2010/2011 Premier League season
by Kano Pillars’ coach, Salisu Yusuf, but will get a chance to be
included in the team’s squad list by the time the transfer window
reopens next year. Kano Pillars have had to depend on Inua Ammani in
goal and he has done a good job conceding just two goals after four
rounds of matches. There was however no reprieve for the team doctor
who chased after the centre referee during the mild melee that took
place in Ijebu-Ode, as he still remains suspended. The doctor was
handed a three-year ban by the league.

There
will be shades of Burnley in this one after the West Ham hammering. In
the second game of the 2009/10 season, United lost to newly promoted
Burnley 1-0, and Michael Carrick lost a penalty. Also the last times
that Blackpool and United have played, the two encounters ended 1-1.
United are still unbeaten in the league and the 4-0 embarrassment in
their last cup match should bring out the resilience of the Red Devils.
Wayne Rooney, Dimitar Berbatov, Rio Ferdinand, Nemanja Vidic and
Patrice Evra will all be re-installed in the line-up at Bloomfield Road
– the smallest stadium in the Premiership. Normally, when United take
over the lead, they are almost always the first to cross the finish
line in May. United scored seven against Blackburn, and Blackpool
haven’t kept a clean sheet at home, with only Blackburn having stopped
them from scoring twice at home. Blackpool have also allowed their
opponents more shots, 102 on their goal, than any other team; while
Manchester United have allowed the fewest shots on target against them
than any other side, 50. Portuguese winger, Nani, is the leader of goal
assists with eight to his name so far and will be trying to provide the
ammunition for Berbatov and Rooney. The English international will be
seeking to score a league goal since the last one, a penalty goal he
got against West Ham on August 28.

Arsenal have to keep the momentum

After holding their
nerve at Villa Park and getting the 4-2 win, Arsene Wenger’s team know
that any slip up by United can be capitalised on with a win over London
neighbours, Fulham. The Gunners will be buoyed by the fact that Fulham
have failed to score in four of the last five Premier League games
against Arsenal, and the Cottagers have won just three of their 43
Premier League London derbies away from home and none of the last 32.
Arsenal will be looking to become the only team to win the Premier
League having lost three times at home, as the Arsenal team did in
2001-02. Mark Hughes needs to get his team playing on the road as they
have not won any of their last 25 Premier League away games. Cesc
Fabregas is still out, and Wenger has said he will not be rushed back
to action, so Tomas Rosicky and Samir Nasri should continue their
partnership in the midfield supported by Alex Song. Nasri has scored
six goals in his last 10 league appearances. Arsenal needs to watch the
corners and free kicks around the box as a quarter of Fulham’s goals
have been headers, a higher proportion than any other side in the top
flight.

The Blues are on the ropes

Chelsea have the
highest shots on target ratio in the league and their next shot on
target will be their 100th for the season, more than any other team in
the Premier League. Chelsea have been the most accurate passers in the
top division this season, finding a team-mate with 85% of their passes;
but all that fine statistics has just counted for four points in five
previous matches. Though Chelsea got a much needed draw last weekend
away at St. James’ Park, today’s opponents, Everton, were hammered 4-1
at home by West Bromwich Albion. Chelsea have slipped to second place
on the table on account of a very bad November. Five of the last seven
league meetings between Chelsea and Everton have ended as draws with
one win apiece; and another draw could be on the cards on Saturday.
Didier Drogba will want to continue his healthy goals’ haul against
Everton, having scored six goals in nine league appearances against
Everton. Louis Saha has scored three goals in his last two matches
against Chelsea and seven against the Londoners in 12 league matches
overall. The Pensioners haven’t lost two consecutive league home games
since May 2002; they have drawn four of their last five league away
games and the last three in a row. Everton’s highest goal scorer, Tim
Cahill’s last 19 goals in the league have had 11 assisted by left back,
Leighton Baines.

Wounded Real egos face Valencia test

Real Madrid must
show Mourinho character as they face fifth-placed Valencia in Liga on
Saturday. The 5-0 drubbing in ‘El Clasico’ was Madrid’s first loss
under Jose Mourinho, but the absolute capitulation was a surprise to
all watchers. Mourinho was then given a one-match Champions League ban,
while four players were fined on Tuesday by UEFA over allegations that
Sergio Ramos and Xabi Alonso deliberately provoked red cards in a match
against Ajax last month. “Our pride in the shirt and the club’s badge
has been hurt, especially as we know many Madrid fans are still
suffering from the defeat,” said Ramos. “We need to pick ourselves up
and stop feeling sorry for ourselves. Not to do so would be a mistake.
On Saturday we have an important game against rivals who are having a
good season.” Real will be without Ramos and Ricardo Carvalho, who is
also suspended. They will be replaced by Raul Albiol and Alvaro
Arbeloa. Cristiano Ronaldo is also a doubt as he recovers from a
bruised right ankle.

Mountain
of Fire and Miracles Ministries have emerged winners of the 2010
Pentecostal Fellowship Of Nigeria Football Competition following a 2-1
win over Day Star Christian Centre.

In a keenly
contested encounter, witnessed by a large crowd, at the University of
Lagos Sports Centre last weekend, Mountain of Fire proved her
superiority over Day Star courtesy of a goal apiece from Ifeanyi George
and Femi Oladejo. Sixteen churches, drawn from different states in
Nigeria, took part in the competition. General Overseer of the church,
Daniel Olukoya, commended the victorious team for not letting down
their teeming supporters who thronged the venue to cheer them to
victory. He attributed the team’s success to the experience garnered
from his pet project, the annual Daniel Olukoya International Youth
Football Competition, which attracts players from various branches of
the church across Africa. The competition takes place annually, at the
Prayer City located along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.

Mountain of Fire
are also the defending champions of the annual Church League, and only
recently won the Boska Cup in Lagos. Meanwhile,

MFM Headquarters will confront MFM Ikeja in the finals of the Daniel
Olukoya International Youth Football Competition, which will hold on
December 11, at the Yaba College of Technology in Lagos.