Latest news with #sportsgovernance
New York Times
25-05-2025
- Politics
- New York Times
Qatari Push to Dominate Another Sport, Table Tennis, Draws Scrutiny
In a near-empty venue in a near-empty patch of desert on the outskirts of Doha, Qatar's capital, table tennis stars unfurled deadly slices and killer smashes last week as they vied to be crowned world champion. Behind the scenes, another battle was playing out with just as much ferocity, as a wealthy Qatari businessman sought the presidency of the governing body of international table tennis, the latest example of Gulf interests trying to extend their influence over global sports. For many people, table tennis may evoke images of college dorms or suburban basements, but it is one of the world's most popular sports and a growing commercial force, particularly in East Asia. Interviews with dozens of the sport's current and former officials and players have cast light on the rising power of Gulf nations like Qatar and raised concerns about a history of bribery and lavish spending by Qatari officials, both in table tennis and in other sports. Last Monday, a Swiss whistle-blower who has tangled with Khalil Al-Mohannadi, the Qatari businessman who hopes to be elected president of the International Table Tennis Federation this week, was detained at the sport's world championships in Doha. The man, Georg Silberschmidt, a former official with Swiss Table Tennis, was surrounded by more than 20 security personnel and taken into custody after passing out fliers for a new players' union meant to promote athletes' rights. For 24 hours, he and two employees of the players' union were interrogated, put in prison cells and pressured to sign documents in Arabic, a language they do not speak. A member of the union was shown a photo of Mr. Silberschmidt by a representative of the Qatar Table Tennis Association and told that the Swiss man had broken the law. Mr. Silberschmidt and the two other people detained were later released without charges and left the country. 'I don't think I will ever go back to Qatar,' Mr. Silberschmidt said. The International Table Tennis Federation's presidential election is Tuesday, and its integrity unit is investigating whether Mr. Al-Mohannadi or people supporting him are trying to influence the vote through monetary means, according to three people with knowledge of the matter. The integrity unit declined to confirm or comment on specific cases under investigation. But in a statement to The New York Times, the federation said that because of 'the significance of our upcoming elections,' it had 'engaged leading professional support specialized in the sector to ensure compliance and enforcement.' 'In response to recent allegations concerning certain candidates, we reiterate our absolute commitment to free, fair and clean elections,' the statement said. Mr. Al-Mohannadi, who is currently the federation's senior executive vice president, did not respond to repeated queries from The New York Times. Few people in the table tennis world are willing to criticize him publicly. His rivals in the presidential election are the Swedish incumbent, Petra Sörling, and Mohamed El Hacen Ahmed Salem of Mauritania. Mr. Al-Mohannadi has been associated with the federation for decades. After he was elected its deputy president in 2005, accusations mounted that the Qatar Table Tennis Association had engaged in vote-buying. Delegates spoke of money stuffed in envelopes and travel expenses being covered in return for support from nations in Africa and Eastern Europe. The case was brought to the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne, Switzerland. After receiving testimony from more than a dozen witnesses who described a range of electoral irregularities, the arbitrator ruled that there was 'convincing evidence that bribery did take place.' The election was annulled, and Mr. Al-Mohannadi did not run in the next one, held in 2006. But in 2014, he was again voted in as deputy president. Though there is little local interest in table tennis in Qatar, it has hosted the world championships twice. Mr. Al-Mohannadi, who used to work for the Qatari government as an under secretary and at the state broadcaster, has promoted the sport for more than 30 years. 'When we say Qatar has become the home of world table tennis, we are not exaggerating,' Mr. Al-Mohannadi told local news media. In recent years, Qatar has been raising its global profile through sports. It has naturalized athletes from other nations to compete in the Olympics and has played host to major international events, most famously the men's soccer World Cup in 2022. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, officials for FIFA, soccer's governing body, were bribed to vote for Qatar to host that tournament, in what many consider one of the dirtiest votes in sports history. Qatar denies all the allegations. Qatar has also held world championships in athletics, handball and artistic gymnastics. On the eve of the table tennis championships in Doha, Qatari officials boasted that tickets had sold fast. Chinese fans, who are among the sport's most avid, complained that they couldn't get seats. But at many of the early matches, the stands were devoid of spectators, except for officials and players' entourages. There are 227 member associations in the table tennis federation — more than in the United Nations — and each voting representative in the election Tuesday is eligible for about a weeklong stay in Qatar, with flights and luxury accommodations covered. In 2021, Swiss Table Tennis and its German counterpart raised various concerns about Mr. Al-Mohannadi, including his ownership of a Qatari sports company that imported table tennis equipment, something that the federation's rules appear to forbid. (Mr. Al-Mohannadi eventually transferred the company to a family member.) The federation's then-president suspended Mr. Al-Mohannadi from his vice-presidential duties over those concerns. But an internal investigation by the federation absolved Mr. Al-Mohannadi. Board members who were supportive of him said they had lost faith in the president, who left the federation soon afterward. Swiss Table Tennis, under new leadership, later apologized for its complaint against Mr. Al-Mohannadi, singling out Mr. Silberschmidt, who had left the organization for unrelated reasons, for responsibility. Several officials with the international federation who had conflicts with Mr. Al-Mohannadi and his supporters have left their jobs. Mr. Al-Mohannadi is also a director of World Table Tennis, the federation's commercial arm, which is run through a web of companies that extends across three continents and several tax havens. Five people who served on table tennis boards with Mr. Al-Mohannadi said he was rarely interested in the details of governance, often staying away from meetings for long stretches of time. He occasionally spoke up to complain that the hotel suites in which federation officials were staying were lacking, they said. The current accommodations for federation delegates who have gathered in Doha for the election on Tuesday, one member from the Caribbean said, are 'spectacular.'
CNA
22-05-2025
- Politics
- CNA
World Boxing's membership list grows past 100
World Boxing now counts over 100 national federations as members after its executive board approved 17 more applications to increase its list to 106, World Boxing said on Thursday. World Boxing, established in 2023 amid concerns over the governance of the International Boxing Association (IBA), was granted provisional recognition by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in February, and will run the boxing competitions in the 2028 Olympics. At the Paris 2024 Olympics, boxing was run by the IOC after it stripped the IBA of recognition following its failure to implement reforms on governance and finance. Boxing was included in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics programme after in March a unanimous vote from the IOC, ending years of doubt over the sport's Olympic future. The latest national federations to join World Boxing include those of Cuba and Ireland, two of the most successful countries in Olympic boxing, along with Spain, Mexico, Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. "It means that (with the exception of Russia and the Soviet Union) World Boxing's membership now includes the 10 most successful countries of all time in Olympic boxing and 10 of the top 11 medal winning countries from Paris 2024," World Boxing said in a statement.
Zawya
15-05-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Ministry of Sports launches ‘Sportifai' platform
In the presence of Ministry of Sports officials, heads of Sports Federations, and technical and administrative staff H.E. Dr Ahmad Belhoul Al Falasi: 'The 'Sportifai' platform paves the way for a transformative shift in the UAE's sports landscape by strengthening smart governance, enhancing performance, and fostering collaboration among National Sports Councils, Federations, and Clubs to boost the competitiveness of national sports.' The Ministry of Sports hosted leaders from UAE Sports Federations at the 'Driving Digital Transformation in the UAE Sports Sector' workshop to introduce them on using the new Sportifai platform. Sportifai offers an integrated suite of digital services powered by AI and advanced technologies, enabling various stakeholders in the sports ecosystem to collaborate under a unified talent development vision. The workshop emphasized the importance of strategic collaborations with national and private sports institutions to enhance governance and support elite and emerging athlete development. UAE - The UAE Ministry of Sports today introduced Sportifai digital platform that will provide the foundation of a fully integrated and interconnected system for enhancing sports Governance and identifying, supporting and developing athletes across the country and accelerating efforts to realize the goals of National Sports Strategy 2031. The launch was marked by a workshop for leaders of national Sports Federations titled 'Driving Digital Transformation in the UAE Sports Sector', aimed at equipping Federation leaders and technical staff with the knowledge to effectively use Sportifai to benefit athletes and align with national goals. During the workshop, H.E. Sheikh Suhail bin Butti Al Maktoum, Assistant Undersecretary for Sports Development and Competitiveness, unveiled the platform's brand identity and its official name: ' Sportifai '. Sportifai aims to bring about a qualitative leap in the development of the national sports sector by establishing a specialized entity chaired by H.E. Dr. Ahmad Belhoul Al Falasi, Minister of Sports. This entity will lead the digital transformation journey by adopting artificial intelligence applications to support athletes, sports federations, and clubs. H.E. Dr. Al Falasi, Minister of Sports, emphasized that Sportifai represents a major leap forward for the UAE sports sector. It provides a comprehensive digital ecosystem to enhance operational efficiency and foster innovation. By harnessing AI and data analytics, the platform enables early identification and development of athletes. H.E. added: 'Sportifai simplifies access to services for sports Federations in line with the Zero Government Bureaucracy programme, further supporting performance improvement and smart governance.' H.E. Dr. Ahmad Belhoul Al Falasi emphasized that Sportifai enables seamless integration across national sports organizations, providing real-time access to accurate data that supports evidence-based decision-making. He highlighted the platform's role as a foundational element of the broader digital transformation of the UAE's sports sector, in alignment with the National Sports Strategy 2031. H.E. Ghanim Mubarak Al Hajeri, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Sports, said: ' Sportifai is designed as a technological partner for use across all Federations and Sports clubs, through developing an integrated digital infrastructure including advanced systems for athlete data management, modern talent identification solutions, and performance analysis tools. H.E. affirmed that the next phase will empower sports professionals with digital analytics and data governance capabilities and support entrepreneurship and innovation through the development of startups in sports technology. Also, H.E. urged federations to leverage this innovative ecosystem and collaborate to enhance the transformation, aligning with national goals. H.E. Sheikh Suhail bin Butti Al Maktoum extended his appreciation to the Federation leaders for their active engagement in the workshop. He emphasized the importance of continued collaboration among sports entities to ensure the successful implementation of the digital transformation strategy. H.E. Sheikh Suhail said, 'The launch of Sportifai marks the beginning of a comprehensive development journey for our national sports community built on the latest technologies using the most advanced available digital tools for performance analysis, readiness assessment, and support for decision-making within sports Federations.' 'It stands as one of the most important mechanisms to empower these Federations by alleviating administrative burdens and providing accurate, analyzable data. This allows officials and specialists within the Federations to focus on technical and competitive aspects, contributing to improved athletic performance of teams and players, and enhancing the mechanisms for talent identification and sustainability within the sports sector,' H.E. added. The workshop was divided into two sessions. The first session, dedicated to the presidents of Sports Federations, featured a detailed presentation by the Ministry on the Sportifai platform. The session underscored the importance of involving Federations in achieving digital transformation as a critical component of developing the national sports ecosystem. It outlined the platform's objectives and its role in providing sports entities with effective and comprehensive capabilities, while positioning the platform as a center of excellence for unifying efforts and driving innovation across disciplines. The second session, attended by technical and administrative staff from the Sports Federations, focused on priority projects within the Ministry's digital transformation strategy, foremost among them, the 'Talent Identification Platform'. This platform is designed to track athletes' development from early stages through to professional and Olympic levels using a unified digital record. This approach enhances the creation of a reliable national database and supports talent development through strengthened partnerships between government institutions and Federations. The Ministry also emphasized the importance of collaboration between the technical departments of Federations and the platform to activate these initiatives and ensure their long-term success. The Digital Transformation and Sports Innovation Platform was first introduced in March 2025 through a cooperation agreement between the Ministry and the UAE National Olympic Committee (UAE NOC), witnessed by H.H. Sheikh Mansoor bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, President of the UAE NOC and H.E. Dr. Ahmad Belhoul Al Falasi. The platform will operate through strategic partnerships with key sports entities to support the objectives of the National Sports Strategy 2031. These partnerships include: The National Olympic Committee, to ensure alignment with Olympic standards. The UAE Committee for Elite Sports, to enhance the development of competitive sports and improve athlete performance. The UAE Committee for Talent and National Sports Support, to establish pathways for identifying and nurturing athletic talent. Additionally, the platform will be supported by various Ministry of Sports committees, Federations, clubs, and academies at both the grassroots and professional levels. Private sector institutions and technology companies will also play a vital role by contributing innovative digital solutions and advancing sports data analytics.
Malay Mail
10-05-2025
- Business
- Malay Mail
Norza: Tengku Zafrul's game plan locked in as BAM's new boss
KUALA LUMPUR, May 10 — Former Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) president Tan Sri Mohamad Norza Zakaria believes his successor, Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz, will have an easier task leading the national badminton governing body, thanks to key improvements introduced in recent years. Mohamad Norza said BAM's collaboration with PEMANDU Associates, which was initiated during his presidency from 2017 to last year, as among a crucial foundation for future progress which will be beneficial for the Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry. 'Now, you have an independent party (PEMANDU Associates) that look into the operations of BAM and identify the gaps between where we want to be and where we are. 'This gap actually is the one that Tengku Zafrul needs to fill so that we can actually enhance or strengthen the current governance,' he told reporters after the 80th BAM Annual General Meeting here, today. Not only that, Mohamad Norza said the separation of roles between BAM as the governing body and the Akademi Badminton Malaysia as a high-performance centre, along with the recruitment of key professionals including the appointment of a Chief Financial Officer, currently held by Amelia Gan, has laid a solid foundation. Mohamad Norza believes that Tengku Zafrul ticks all the right boxes to lead BAM, noting that the corporate figure is not only young but also well-connected, particularly with sponsors. In the meantime, Mohamad Norza hoped that Tengku Zafrul would help BAM not only in the pursuit of the elusive Olympic gold medal but also in producing more world champions, particularly from departments beyond the men's doubles. In 2022, the national men's doubles pair Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik made history by becoming the first Malaysians to be crowned as the world champions in Tokyo. Mohamad Norza also wants to see Malaysia rise as one of the world's top three badminton powerhouses and to recapture the prestigious Thomas Cup, which was last won in 1992. 'The way forward is just to be the top three in the world but to be up there you have to beat China, Japan, South Korea, and to a certain extent, Indonesia, right? 'So, how you fill this gap is by getting a new leader, by getting fresh ideas and new way forward, assisted by the two deputies,' he said. Earlier today, Tengku Zafrul decorated the number one seat of BAM after being unanimously elected unopposed at the election held in conjunction of the AGM of the national badminton governing body, here. Tengku Zafrul, who is the 13th president of BAM, also announced that former acting president of BAM Datuk V. Subramaniam has been reappointed as deputy president 1 while Datuk Seri Dr Jahaberdeen Mohamed Yunoos will remain as deputy president 2. — Bernama
