Jack Warner banned from football for life by FIFA

Trinidad and Tobago football administrator, Jack Warner, has been banned from football for life by the world governing body, FIFA, over four years after quitting football..

FIFA ethics committee announced the outcome after an investigation. Warner is also facing criminal charges in the United States over an alleged £100 million fraud.

The ethics committee previously chose not to pursue a case against Warner, a former president of Concacaf, because he was no longer involved in football.

But a change of policy saw it go after Trinidad and Tobago’s former minister of national security, even though any ban would be merely symbolic for a man who had little prospect of returning to the game.

Warner was once a vice president of FIFA.

Super Eagles Rise In FIFA Rankings

The Super Eagles got a small lift on Thursday when they rose in the FIFA rankings to 53rd in the world.
They thus climbed four places from last month, when they plummeted an unprecedented 14 places.
There are however no changes in Nigeria’s points total, which remains 601, and their African ranking, which stays at 10th.
Algeria, Cote d Iviore, Ghana, Tunisia, Senegal, Cameroon, Congo, Cape Verde and Egypt are the leading nine teams in Africa, while Argentina remain No.1 in the world followed by Belgium and Germany.
There were no international games in July.
The two countries facing each other for the place in the second round of the 2018  World Cup qualifiers to face Nigeria are ranked significantly lower.
Swaziland are ranked 132nd in the world, up six places from their previous spot, while Djibouti are ranked 206th, up one place from last month.
Tanzania, Nigeria’s opponents in September’s Africa Cup of Nations qualifier, are 140th, down six spots from their previous ranking. 

Idah - Orji Kalu Should Join FIFA Presidency Race

Former Super Eagles keeper, Peterside Idah, is throwing his weight for former Abia State governor, Orji Uzor Kalu, to join the FIFA presidency race. Idah, who spoke last night on SuperSports, wants the nation’s soccer authorities to officially present Kalu, insisting that his candidacy will receive massive support across Africa, Middle East and beyond.

The South Africa based ex-international, who is now a Pastor and TV analyst, pointed out that Kalu, who, as Abia governor propelled Enyimba FC to perform the historic feat of ruling Africa back-to-back in 2003 and 2004, has got the clout and contacts to run for the top soccer job.

"Kalu’s candidacy will receive massive support on the African continent, the Middle East and other parts of the world. Nigeria as a nation should present him as a candidate. Kalu is passionate about the round leather game. He has promoted the game and we saw what he did with Nigeria’s Enyimba as governor," Idah said.

Idah stated that an African FIFA president won’t disappoint, the same way Ghana’s Koffi Anan and Nigeria’s Emeka Anyaoku never did as Secretary Generals of the United Nation and Commonwealth respectively.

The crisis ridden FIFA will early next year, precisely on February 26, go to the polls after its elective congress, to elect a new president who would be expected to carry out total reforms.

Michel Platini To Announce FIFA Presidency Bid

UEFA president Michel Platini is set to announce his FIFA presidency bid before the end of the week.

The Frenchman has been speculated to be one of the candidates for the forthcoming FIFA presidential election.

According to BBC Ssports, Platini will this week announce his bid after receiving support from four continental confederations.

The FIFA presidential election will hold on Friday, February 26, 2016.

Current president Sepp Blatter who has been in charge since 1998 has resigned from his post and is due to stand down after the forthcoming election.

Platini according to the BBC Sports report has received the backing of the European confederation, South America (Conmebol), North, Central America and the Caribbean (Concacaf) and Asia (AFC).

If every football association within those confederations voted for Platini he would secure 144 votes - more than enough to be elected as Blatter's successor.

FIFA Officials Being Prosecuted on Bribery, Money Laundering, Embezzlement and many more

A FIFA official being held in Switzerland as part of a corruption scandal has been extradited to the United States, the Swiss Federal Office of Justice said Thursday.


Earlier this month, U.S. officials requested the extradition of seven high-ranking FIFA officials arrested in Switzerland in May. They are suspected of taking bribes worth over $100 million in connection with soccer tournaments. The official was handed over to American police escorts in Zurich who accompanied him on a July 15 flight to New York. The office did not name the official who was extradited.