The 2016 Extraordinary FIFA Congress: As it Happened

The Extraordinary FIFA Congress is taking place in Zurich today where the new FIFA president will be named. 

Gianni Infantino, Prince Ali bin al-Hussein, Jerome Champagne, Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim al-Khalifa and Tokyo Sexwale are the candidates in the running to replace Sepp Blatter.

We will have LIVE updates throughout the day with the latest from Zurich:

5:30pm: Thank you for tuning into iSportconnect for the live updates of the FIFA Extraordinary Congress in a day which saw landmark reforms approved and Swiss Gianni Infantino elected president to replace Sepp Blatter. 

 

5:10pm: Infantino won 115 of the second round votes, with Sheikh Salman gaining 88 votes, Prince Ali 4 votes and Jerome Champagne 0 votes.

5:00PM: BREAKING: GIANNI INFANTINO NAMED AS THE NEW FIFA PRESIDENT

4:45pm: Some strong words by UEFA Executive Committee Member Karen Espelund

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4:30pm: The second round of the voting is now over and the votes will be counted shortly. The announcement of the new president of FIFA is not too far away now.

 3:11pm: After no majority vote was secured, the voting will now go to a second round.

3:10pm: FIFA announces the results of the first round of voting – Gianni Infantino 88, Sheikh Salman 85, Prince Ali 27 and Jerome Champagne 7. 

12:49pm: The first round of the FIFA presidential voting is now taking place.

12:45pm: “I am prepared to serve under the next president. My campaign is suspended as of now. I leave you four candidates… it’s your problem now” Tokyo Sexwale ends his speech in incredible fashion. 

12:41pm: BREAKING: Tokyo Sexwale withdraws FIFA presidential candidacy.

12:37pm: “People say withdraw. I am a soldier, I die with my boots on. These are extraordinary times. Extraordinary means crisis,” Tokyo Sexwale

12:32pm: The fifth and final candidate Tokyo Sexwale is up on the podium now.

12:27pm: “The money of Fifa is your money, not the money of the Fifa president. If we develop football with Fifa’s money the world will look at us and applaud us,” Gianni Infantino

12:25: “The image of FIFA is tarnished…you have two choices: you hide or you stand up. For me to hide is not an option. I’ve always wanted to act. I want to do what is right…we need football more than ever,” Gianni Infantino

12:20pm: It is now the turn of Gianni Infantino to speak

12:14pm: “Reforms have been adopted, but much needs to be done. We need to ensure that Fifa remains strong and United. We need diplomacy and perseverance to achieve these goals,” Jerome Champagne

12:12pm: “We need to make Fifa more feminine…I want to create a division for women’s football. I will introduce a world collective bargaining agreement to track transfers around the world,” Jerome Champagne

12:07pm: Frenchman Jerome Champagne is now on the podium to deliver his speech.

12:05pm: “I’m not ready to mortgage the future of FIFA for election purposes,” Sheikh Salman adds.

12:04: “We are happy that we have passed the resolutions of reforms…this is a first step, not the end of reform. This is just the beginning, and I’m sure there is a lot to come. Consulting together on what’s best for FIFA is the most important thing.” Sheikh Salman

12:00pm: Sheikh Salman: “Trying to close the gap between the smaller nations and the bigger ones is right. We need to make sure this organisation is run with responsibility and that is our duty.”

11:58am: Sheikh Salman is now addressing the FIFA Congress

11:51am: Prince Ali: “I will bridge divides and heal the rifts in our governing body. We have to take a united stand against the status quo.”

11:45am: Prince Ali is the first of the FIFA presidential candidates to take the stand and give his final speech

11:00am: “We stand united in our determination to put things right, so that the focus can return to football once again,” said Acting FIFA President Issa Hayatou. “The hard work of restoring trust and improving how we work begins now.”

“This will create a system of stronger governance and greater diversity that will give football a strong foundation on which to thrive. It will help to restore trust in our organisation. And it will deter future wrongdoing.”

10:45am: Here are some of the key proposals passed with the FIFA reforms package

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10:30am:  FIFA’s member associations approve package of reforms.

The reforms were supported by 179 of the 207 member associations

9:30am: Here are the key numbers you need to know for today’s FIFA Congress

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9:05am Arsenal and Germany footballer Mesut Ozil reveals who he is supporting for the FIFA Election

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iSportconnect and Populous to Stage Second Stadia Masterclass at Lord’s

iSportconnect, the world’s largest global private network of sports business executives, is delighted to announce the second edition of the Stadia Masterclass will be taking place on 11th November, once again in partnership with global design practice Populous.

The event will be held in London at Lord’s, The Home of Cricket, and will include a tour of the Pavilion.

The theme of the event will be “engaging fans at home and around the globe – creating a physical and digital place for your tribe or community”.

Watch Last year’s event highlights here >>

Bringing people together in the 21st century requires greater imagination and innovation than ever before. Populous, with their partners Jump Studios, will explore how stadia, and the spaces inside and outside of them, are designed to create the platforms for engaging with your communities and fans.

The Stadia Masterclass will be a unique environment for delegates to come together and discuss best practice and the changing nature of venues and how we engage with sport and events, both at the ground and remotely.

iSportconnect chairman Michael Cunnah said: “We are delighted to be partnering with Populous to create another Stadia Masterclass after the success we enjoyed with the first edition. Lord’s will be a perfect setting to once again get an insight from experts into the growth of stadia design and the opportunities this opens up. We’re looking forward to another great evening full of discussions.”

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iSportconnect and Populous staged a hugely successful first Stadia Masterclass at Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium in 2014 which brought together over 70 delegates from leading sporting organisations, team/clubs and brands such as; AEG Europe, Arsenal FC, AS Roma, Chelsea FC, Euroleague Basketball, England Rugby 2015, FC Barcelona, RFU, Sky, The O2, Tottenham Hotspur FC, UK Athletics, Wembley Stadium, World Olympic Association and many more.

Populous is a global design practice with over 30 years’ experience in sport and entertainment. In addition to being the only architects to work on three Olympic Games, Populous has designed iconic sports facilities like Wembley Stadium, Emirates Stadium, Royal Ascot, Silverstone race track and the O2 arenas in London, Dublin and Berlin.

Watch Last year’s event highlights here >>

The Stadia Masterclass is an exclusive, invitation only event.

To register your interest, please contact: Elyse Gallacher at elyse.gallacher@isportconnect.com

In partnership with:

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Hosted by:

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Event Partners:

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Barcelona and Twitter Partner to Offer Sponsored Content

FC Barcelona and Twitter have reached an agreement that will allow the club and its sponsors to expand their online presence with the introduction of small advertisements on Barça’s content via Twitter Amplify.

Sports drinks company Gatorade is the first Barça sponsor that will take advantage of this new agreement.

This agreement is intended to bring Barça’s Twitter content, anabolics mostly videos, order from the sponsors to the maximum number of the Club’s followers who have accounts on the social network.

This is the first time that Twitter has signed an international agreement of this kind with a football club.

They have signed deals with other sports however, tadalafil such as the National Football League (NFL), Major League Baseball (MLB), the National Basketball Association) NBA in the US and the UEFA Champions League in Europe.

Some media groups, like ESPN, have also used Twitter Amplify as a sponsorship tool.

Dídac Lee, the director responsible for New Technologies at Barça, said: “This project meets part of FC Barcelona’s objective to integrate its digital channels and social media networks within the strategy of giving visibility to its sponsors.”

Glenn Brown, director of Twitter Amplify said: “This agreement represents a unique opportunity to develop a sponsorship package with FC Barcelona, one of the biggest football clubs in the world, and connect brands with millions of football fans via Twitter in Europe, Latin America and around the world.”

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England Netball Announce Leadership Changes

England Netball has confirmed the appointments of Joanna Adams as the permanent chief executive and Colin Povey as Chairman-elect.

Povey will take over from Cheryl Danson, therapy the current Chair of England Netball, on September 19th when he will step down.

More info HERE.

PSA Unveil Rebranding as Part of Merge With WSA

The Professional Squash Association (PSA) has today launched its new brand, which incorporates the merge with the Women’s Squash Association (WSA) earlier this year.

For the first time ever both the men and women will be governed by one association. The rebranding includes a new website, logo and colour scheme.

More info HERE.

ICSS and UNODC to Host Special Meeting for Effective Match-fixing Investigation and Prosecution

The International Centre for Sport Security (ICSS) has announced today that it will host a special high-level meeting with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) at the 13th United Nations Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice to enhance global data-sharing for effective investigations and prosecutions on match-fixing.

As one of the only sessions dedicated to discussing integrity issues in sport at the 13th Crime Congress, allergist the ICSS-UNODC meeting will see some of the world’s top organisations and international experts from sport, try finance, ambulance betting, law enforcement and government discuss some of the main barriers to global-data sharing, as well as identifying ways to enhance information sharing to support transnational investigations and prosecution of match-fixing cases.

Taking place on Wednesday 15th April at the Qatar National Convention Centre under the theme of ‘Taking it from the Locker Room into the Hands of Law Enforcement’, this special high-level meeting will explore three core areas, including:

  • International Cooperation to Combat Match-Fixing: A New Approach for Data Sharing
  • Data Sharing Mechanisms
  • Data to Prosecution

Involving top international experts from betting, law enforcement and sport, speakers already confirmed for the event include:

  • Yury Fedotov, UNODC Executive Director
  • Mohammed Hanzab, ICSS President 
  • Nick Tofiluk, Director of Regulatory Operations, Gambling Commission
  • Chris Eaton, ICSS, Executive Director of Sport Integrity
  • Patrick Moulette, OECD, Head of the Anti-Corruption Division
  • Michael Hershman, Co-founder of Transparency International and ICSS Advisory Board Member
  • Robert Crepinko, Europol, Head of Organised Crime Networks (Operations Department)
  • Gretchen Jonker, World Economic Forum, Head of Anti-Corruption and Illicit Financial Flows
  • Patrick Jay, Independent Betting Expert, former Director of Trading at the Hong Kong Jockey Club
  • Lord Moynihan, House of Lords and author of the Governance of Sport Bill
  • Simone Farina, Aston Villa FC, Academy Coach, and former professional footballer

Dimitri Vlassis, Officer-in-Charge of the Division for Treaty Affairs (DTA) and Executive Secretary of the 13th Crime Congress said:

“Sport now plays an integral role in society and the development of many countries and communities. However, the threat of match-fixing, corruption and organised crime to sport and society is now undeniable.

“This special high-level meeting hosted by the ICSS and UNODC  will provide top government officials, policy-makers and criminal justice experts with an ideal opportunity to discuss and identify stronger platforms to share data and help fast-track investigations and prosecutions involving match-fixing and illegal betting.

“Only through collective action and a global, united response can we win the fight against organised crime and corruption in sports. This meeting is an important stepping stone into developing a coordinated international approach for a safer future for sport.”

Mohammed Hanzab, President of the ICSS, said:

“As one of the only sessions at the UN Crime Congress dedicated to discussing integrity issues in sport, this meeting will be an important milestone in the fight against match-fixing and illegal betting and will hopefully lay the foundations for closer collaboration, cooperation and information sharing between sport, law enforcement, betting and government.

“On behalf of the ICSS, I would like to thank the UNODC for their commitment to protecting the integrity of sport and look forward to welcoming top experts from around the world for what will be a crucial opportunity to address match-fixing and illegal betting – two of the biggest threats now facing sport.”

 Chris Eaton, Executive Director of Sport Integrity at the ICSS, said:

“Match-fixing, illegal betting and betting fraud are transnational problems and all too often investigations and prosecutions into cases are hindered by a lack of proper, timely data.

“Law enforcement and governments must take greater responsibility for these issues and understand the impact that criminals are now having on society through sport. This meeting is an important first step in the fight to protect sport and will hopefully lead to more effective investigations and prosecutions against match-fixers and organised criminals that now operate in sport.”

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Seb Coe Plans to Introduce 12-Year Presidential Terms for IAAF

By Christian Radnedge

Seb Coe will introduce presidential term limits of maximum 12 years if he is elected head of the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), ampoule he revealed on Tuesday.

The chair of the British Olympic Association made his announcement to reporters in London.

“It would be my intention if successful in August to have a constitutional change that the presidency should be two four year terms with an option for a third term, doctor ” he said. “But it should not exceed 12 years. It should be limited.

“I think if you can’t make a mark probably in the first four years and certainly in the first eight years you probably shouldn’t be there.”

Later, sale in an exclusive interview with iSportconnect, Coe revealed that age limits were a possibility as well but he would not prioritise the issue.

Coe stands for the IAAF presidency along with fellow vice-president Sergey Bubka. The election will take place at the federations congress in Beijing in August when current president Lamine Diack steps down having been in charge since 1999.

One of the most controversial issues Coe will have to address in his campaign is doping. A number of allegations have been made recently against most notably the Russian athletics federation – and Coe believed the claims bolstered his manifesto pledge to have an independent doping review body.

However, the Olympian did not go so far as agreeing with Diack that the allegations represented a crisis for athletics.

“I think we would all identify with that or describe it in slightly different ways,” he said.

“I’m saying nothing that I haven’t said from the very beginning of this; the allegations are serious, it is the role of a current and an incoming president to act on what you can act with certainty and we do need to have the ethics committee, the WADA, the independent review draw its conclusions. And if those conclusions support those allegations then you have to deal with them seriously.”

He added: “We are not the only sport in the world that has these challenges. Yes an independent system would cost more money and I’m prepared to find that.”

Coe also revealed he had been travelling more than 200,000km since last August on his campaign trail, speaking to various organisations and federations.

He highlighted as his experience leading London 2012 as the main reason why he has chosen to challenge for the top job in athletics.

He declined to speak though about his rival Bubka or any other candidates who may go forward, insisting to concentrate on his own bid and that it was a “discussion” for the athletics world to have on the future of the sport.

“This is a referendum on the future,” Coe said of the election in August. But he did admit that the success of athletics was dependent on the marketability of star athletes such as Usain Bolt.

The Jamaican sprinter announced recently that he would retire after the 2017 IAAF World Athetlics Championships in London. That presents a challenge for the IAAF – a world without the marketing power of a competing global icon.

In our exclusive interview coming soon on iSportconnect TV, you can see Coe explain how the athletics world must tackle that challenge.

Watch the trailer:

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Harding Park in San Francisco to Host Three Major Golf Tournaments

Three major golf tournaments will head to the TPC Harding Park in San Francisco, including the 2020 PGA Championship.

The other tournaments to be played at the golf course, which is owned by the City and County of San Francisco, are the 2015 World Golf Championships Match Play Championship and the 2025 Presidents Cup.

The 2020 PGA Championship will be the first time the final of the four majors has been hosted in the city.

PGA of America president Ted Bishop said: “The PGA of America is proud to be taking its major championship in 2020 to the City of San Francisco, home to one of the premier venues that embraces public golf along with the skill to stage some of the game’s greatest events.”

The course previously hosted the 2005 WGC-American Express Championship and the Presidents Cup in 2009, in a move that made it the first West Coast venue to stage the event.

PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem added: “Today’s announcement marks an exciting chapter in the history of the Presidents Cup and the World Golf Championships.

“Not only are we returning to TPC Harding Park, which was a spectacular and hugely successful venue for the Presidents Cup 2009 and a World Golf Championships in 2005, but we are also furthering this historic and important partnership with the City and County of San Francisco.

“The Tour’s commitment to Harding Park, now further bolstered by that of the PGA of America bringing the PGA Championship here in 2020, ensures golf’s longstanding legacy in this great city.”