FIFA Executive Committee, FIFA, Zurich, Domenico Scala, Ángel María Villar Llona, FIFA World Cup, Issa Hayatou, FIFA Emergency Committee, Hany Abo Rida, CAF, UEFA,
FIFA Executive Committee confirms February election, approves more transparency for ethics proceedings
At its extraordinary session in Zurich yesterday, the FIFA Executive Committee approved a set of important measures to further strengthen its governance and increase the transparency of Ethics Committee proceedings while reiterating its commitment to necessary reforms already underway. The Executive Committee also confirmed 26 February 2016 as the date for the elective extraordinary congress.
The committee agreed to an important change to the rules governing investigations and decisions made by the independent Ethics Committee. Article 36 of FIFA’s Code of Ethics will be amended to allow the Ethics Committee, at its discretion, to publish more information about its ongoing proceedings. The independent chairmen of the committee’s two chambers, Hans-Joachim Eckert and Cornel Borbély, had strongly advocated such an amendment, which will increase the transparency and understanding of their work.
Domenico Scala, in his capacity as chairman of the FIFA Ad-hoc Electoral Committee, provided information to the Executive Committee regarding the ongoing process for the FIFA presidential election. He explained that candidacies for the FIFA Presidency that are submitted in due time and form, but which relate to candidates who are subject to a (provisional or definite) ban from taking part in any football-related activity, will not be processed by the Ad-hoc Electoral Committee as long as such ban is valid and in force.
The chairman also told the Executive Committee that, should such a ban be lifted or expire before the FIFA presidential election, scheduled for 26 February 2016, the Ad-hoc Electoral Committee would decide, depending on the respective exact point in time, on how to proceed with the candidacy concerned. Furthermore, Domenico Scala explained that the Appeal Committee Chairman Larry Mussenden has withdrawn from his position on the Ad-hoc Electoral Committee to avoid any appearance of a potential conflict of interest. Larry Mussenden’s deputy, Fernando Mitjans, will assume the role.
The Executive Committee also welcomed the preliminary recommendations developed by the 2016 FIFA Reform Committee and presented by its chairman, François Carrard, in an interim report. The Reform Committee will submit the final set of reform proposals to the FIFA Executive Committee at its next session in December 2015. The final proposals will be submitted to the FIFA Congress for consideration at the extraordinary congress in February 2016.
The Executive Committee stated its commitment to working on a roadmap to rebuild FIFA’s reputation and trust with a key focus on implementing the reforms. “I was pleased to see unity among the Executive Committee members during our discussions of reform and its critical importance to our organisation and world football. Increasing the transparency of ethics investigations is just one example of our firm commitment to change,” said Acting FIFA President Issa Hayatou. “It was also significant that we set the course for the upcoming presidential election.”
Other decisions taken by the Executive Committee included the following:
Ángel María Villar Llona has been appointed as acting chairman of the Organising Committee for the FIFA World Cup.
Acting President Issa Hayatou has assumed the position of acting chairman of the FIFA Emergency Committee while Ángel María Villar Llona has been appointed as the UEFA representative and Hany Abo Rida as the CAF representative on the committee.
Due to the frequency and the high volume of qualifying matches for the 2018 FIFA World Cup (851), the committee agreed to establish a specific bureau and an emergency bureau for the preliminary competition. The bureaus will be chaired by Sheik Salman Bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa.
The Executive Committee ratified the decision of the FIFA Emergency Committee to set up a normalisation committee for the Football Association of Thailand (FAT) with functions which will include revising the FAT electoral code and conducting the election of a new FAT executive committee by 15 February 2016 at the latest.
The next meeting of the FIFA Executive Committee will be on 2/3 December in Zurich.
The 2015 IAAF Diamond League is about to reach its climax, with 13 of the 14 meetings having taken place.
Last Thursday, Zurich staged the first of two finals and there was the coronation of 16 Diamond Race champions. On Friday night (11), the remaining 16 will take their place on the podium in Brussels.
Dominant Diamond Race leaders
Friday‘s Diamond Race action will kick off with the women’s discus.
With five victories and a 15-point lead, Sandra Perkovic has been dominant in this year’s competition. She needs only to compete in Brussels to claim a fourth consecutive Diamond Trophy.
The same is essentially true of Sifan Hassan in the women’s 1500m and Caterine Ibargüen in the women’s triple jump.
Both women hold leads of eight points or more and participation alone is required for them to win the Diamond Race in their respective disciplines.
Nail-biting duels
In the men’s shot put, David Storl and Joe Kovacs are equal on 14 points and have three victories each.
Whoever finishes ahead of the other in Brussels will take the Diamond Trophy and the US $40,000 winner-takes-all cheque, a duel made all the juicier by the fact that Kovacs relieved Storl of his world title in Beijing barely two weeks ago.
Renaud Lavillenie is looking for port-Beijing redemption.
The only athlete to have won the Diamond Race in every year since it was inaugurated in 2010, Lavillenie needs only to win in Brussels to secure a sixth Diamond Trophy.
However, the French world record holder and 2012 Olympic champion only holds a three-point lead over Greece’s Konstantinos Filippidis.
Perhaps the most brilliant double act of the season in any discipline has come in the men’s triple jump.
Christian Taylor and Pedro Pablo Pichardo have delivered a wonderful, season-long battle fro supremacy during 2015. It was Taylor who claimed the major prize when they faced each other in Beijing, but Pichardo still has a two-point lead in the Diamond Race.
In the women’s 200m, meanwhile, one of the heroines of Beijing will be out to rekindle the old fire in the Diamond Race.
Allyson Felix hasn’t had her hands on a Diamond Trophy since she claimed two of them in 2010 but the 400m world champion could change that on Friday.
She leads the women’s 200m Diamond Race, but only by a single point, with Jeneba Tarmoh hot on her heels and 200m world champion Dafne Schippers is also in reach.
Nowhere are the margins closer, however, than in the women’s 100m hurdles.
After six rounds of Diamond League competition, three athletes have shared the spoils exactly among themselves. Jasmin Stowers, Dawn Harper-Nelson and Sharika Nelvis all have two victories and ten points under their belt.
The Diamond Trophy will simply go to whichever of them crosses the line first in Brussels.
In six of the Diamond Race events to grace Brussels this year, the winner is close to taking the crown. Bershawn Jackson is five points ahead in the men’s 400m hurdles, while Justin Gatlin, Ruth Beitia, Virginia Nyambura, Francena McCorory, Nijel Amos and Vítezslav Veselý all hold leads of six points.
Amos looks highly likely to claim his second consecutive Diamond Trophy in the men’s 800m, having missed out on the chance to claim gold in Beijing. His six-point lead could be enough, particularly in the absence of David Rudisha.
Beitia’s consistence over the season has been outstanding and, despite a thoroughly competitive field, few would doubt that she could rise to the occasion in the high jump and claim Diamond Race glory.
Likewise, Gatlin, McCorory, Nyambura and Vesely, all of whom have the quality to claim the minimum requirement of a third place in the Belgian capital and transform their six point lead into a Diamond Trophy in the sixth year of the IAAF Diamond League.
Final flourish
The final Diamond Race event of the evening will be arguably the most gripping.
In the men’s 5000m, there has been a different winner in each of the six rounds so far, and five of them – Ben True, Thomas Longosiwa, Caleb Ndiku, Yomif Kejelcha, Hagos Gebrhiwet – will be present in Brussels.
With none of them having reached eight points, however, it is not just these five who can claim the Diamond Trophy.
In theory, any of the athletes on the startlist could win the Diamond Race in Brussels, even those who are currently without any points.
It is by far the most open Diamond Race of the season.
As a final flourish, with some of the most even Diamond Races, some potentially epic duels, and some of the most dominant athletes, the 2015 season finale should be a night of the superlatives in Brussels.
African ace football legend and one of the greatest Nigerian players of all time, Segun Odegbami, has thrown his hat into the ring to contest for the post of President of FIFA – the international governing body of association football across the world, with election scheduled to take place on the 26th of February, 2016 in Zurich, Switzerland.
In a press statement obtained today Segun Odegbami Said “The current scandal at FIFA is the organisation’s worst crisis in its 111 years of existence. Moving forward, FIFA thus requires a new era of leadership that can restore the dignity of the noble sport and that of this esteemed international institution with global followership”
The Former Green Eagles Star believes that FIFA must purge itself, launders its image, restores its reputation and reinstates integrity into its activities and operations and that this would require a new form of leadership with a renewed vision.
“Times like this call for all concerned members of the global football family to contribute to the actualization of renewed objectives for FIFA by electing a deserving and qualified person, with the right character that can achieve the desired goals and restore confidence and integrity to the organization and its activities. The world is very interested in who becomes the next President of FIFA, considering the present image and state of this institution and I see myself fitting into this role” he said.
Chief Segun Odegbami
Odegbami Becomes the second Nigeria to Signify interest in the Highest position in World Football Orji Uzor-Kalu, who had earlier signified his intention to run for the post of FIFA President a few weeks ago.
The Highly experienced Sport Administrator and Journalist while acknowledging that it would be a “long and tedious journey” as affirmed that he was willing to travel around the globe to achieve his aim. Odegbami as also conveyed his intention to the Nigeria Football Federation, as required by the electoral guidelines and FIFA Statutes, as well as to the federal government seeking their support.
The IAAF World Championships, Beijing 2015 is over. But the show goes on. There is more top-level athletics to be enjoyed over the next two weeks with the IAAF Diamond League finals in Zurich and Brussels.
All season long, the world’s top track and field stars have vied for valuable Diamond Race points in the first 12 IAAF Diamond League meetings. Even with just the two finals to go, however, much could still change. Double points are on offer in the finals, meaning only an eight-point lead at this stage guarantees overall victory in the Diamond Race.
The finals are the perfect conclusion to the 2015 season. They are a chance for the victors of Beijing to garner yet more success. A chance for those who were disappointed to claim redemption. A chance for all athletes to get their hands on a $40,000 cash prize and the spectacular Diamond Trophy.
The first of the two finals takes place on Thursday 3 September in Zurich. At the Weltklasse meeting, 16 different Diamond Races will reach their ultimate conclusion, and the first 16 Diamond Race champions of 2015 will be crowned.
Among them will almost certainly be Christina Schwanitz, Tianna Bartoletta and Eunice Sum, who have all been imperious in this season’s Diamond Race.
Both shot putter Schwanitz and 800m runner Sum have won four out of six Diamond League clashes this season, while long jumper Bartoletta has three wins to her name, her points tally bolstered by second-place finishes in New York and Monaco.
All three athletes now have a lead of eight points or more, meaning that they only need to compete in Zurich in order to claim the Diamond Trophy.
But in many of the disciplines which will conclude in Zurich, there is barely a hair’s breadth between those still in the running for the Diamond Trophy.
In the men’s 200m, there have been four different victors over the six races so far, leading to a field so open that it is led by a man who hasn’t a single victory to his name. Anaso Jobodwana has finished second four times this year. He is now on nine points, just a whisker ahead of Alonso Edward and Zharnel Hughes.
The men’s 400m is nearly as close. The first half of the season was dominated by Diamond Trophy holder Kirani James, but after his shock defeat in Paris to Wayde van Niekerk, the Olympic champion has seen his lead shortened dramatically. He is now just two points ahead of the young South African.
Two other world champions who will be gunning for the Diamond Trophy in Zurich are Asbel Kiprop and Zuzana Hejnova. Kiprop is third in the men’s 1500m Diamond Race, having been outgunned so far by Ayanleh Souleiman and Silas Kiplagat. With only a two-point gap between him and the top, though, the newly re-crowned world champion will be confident of winning the Diamond Trophy.
Hejnova, meanwhile, overturned Kaliese Spencer’s 10-point lead with three straight wins since Paris. She is now two points ahead of Spencer, and the battle between the two of them is one to look forward to in Zurich.
There is a wealth of athletes who remain agonisingly close to Diamond Race glory. Steeplechaser Jairus Birech and pole vaulter Nikoleta Kyriakopoulou have leads of seven and six points in their respective Diamond Races. Despite both failing to win gold in Beijing, they are both expected to take the Diamond Trophy. Piotr Malachowski, who is six points ahead in the men’s discus, is in a similar position.
Others are less certain of success. Greg Rutherford has had to fight at times this season, but the new world champion has come out on top with a five-point lead in the men’s long jump. The same goes for Mutaz Essa Barshim, whose disappointment in Beijing mirrored his travails in the Diamond Race since Oslo after an early period of dominance.
Genzebe Dibaba and Barbara Spotakova may also have expected to be sitting more comfortably in their Diamond Races by this stage. Dibaba only has a six-point lead in the women’s 5000m to show for her excellent season, while three-time Diamond Race winner Spotakova has been challenged by an open field, and holds a lead of only four points.
Leads of four, five, six or seven points are perhaps the best illustrations of the excitement of the Diamond Race. Those holding them have had to work all season to establish their advantage, yet one bad performance in Zurich could see them blown away in an instant.
Nigeria football recorded a huge applause on Thursday after world football–governing body, FIFA, announced the appointment of the President of Nigeria Football Federation, Mr. Amaju Melvin Pinnick as a Member of the FIFA U-20 World Cup Organizing Committee.
In a letter dated 14th August 2015 and signed by FIFA Secretary General, Jerome Valcke, the world body wrote: “We are very pleased to inform you that you have been appointed as a member of the Organizing Committee for the FIFA U-20 World Cup. Please accept our sincere congratulations on this nomination.
“We wish you success and enjoyment in this role at FIFA and look forward to welcoming you soon in Zurich.”
The late astute administrator, Patrick Okpomo, was Member of the FIFA U-17 World Cup Organizing Committee.
Incidentally, as Executive Chairman of the Delta State Sports Commission, Pinnick named the world –class Football House he superintended in Asaba, capital of the State, after the revered Patrick Okpomo.
Reacting on Thursday, the NFF boss said the appointment has not come to him in his individual capacity, but in his position as head of Nigeria football.
“I have always maintained that our country is too big to be a silent member of the international football community. This appointment is to the applause of Nigeria football, not myself as a person.
Amaju Pinnick. President NFF
“This will certainly encourage our efforts home and abroad to project Nigeria football positively. I insist: Nigeria has the quantity and quality of population to excel in several areas of endeavor globally.”
The 2017 FIFA U-20 World Cup finals will be staged in Korea Republic.
Pinnick, who is also Member of the CAF Organizing Committee for the Africa Cup of Nations, was elected NFF President 11 months ago. He served for eight years as Chairman of the Delta State Football Association, and remains Chairman of the Delta State Sports Commission.
At the Africa Cup of Nations finals in Equatorial Guinea earlier in the year, Pinnick was match commissioner for as many as six matches – a rare privilege for a newcomer to African football’s top table.
Returning from Zurich via Paris, the President of the Confederation of African Football got to Yaoundé, Cameroon in the evening hours of Monday June 1, 2015. Stepping out of the plane, he granted an interview to CRTV and Cameroon Tribune, which are local media organs. The Senior Vice President of FIFA talks on how the FIFA congress went on and reveals for the first time the circumstances that surrounded the sessions.
Welcome to Yaoundé, Mr President. A certain chronicle heralds that you are forbidden to leave Swiss territory. How did you manage your way through?
I heard the news this morning (the same Monday). I was already in Paris when I was told that RFI has declared that I have been grounded in Switzerland, that I did not have to leave. Needless to say that since Wednesday May 27, when the Swiss police landed in our hotel, I was not bothered by whosoever. Neither by political authorities, nor by judicial authorities, nor the Swiss police. I completed the programme I had before leaving from here and I am still following it. No one said anything to me, or contacted me for interrogations. But to my surprise, I heard that I was forbidden to leave Swiss territory because the police picked me up and had statements from me for nine hours. Nobody got a statement from me.
We are told that you are capable of providing information on the corruption network in FIFA…
If someone is corrupt, would he come and tell me, so I should disclose him? Those are frame-ups. That means I am also corrupt. Whatever the case I am not surprised For 20 year now I have been accused, especially by the Cameroonian and English press. They are the two media organs that say things about me. But that is nothing. It is just the way life is.
How is FIFA after the congress? Is it a sufficiently unified FIFA, or one that is torn apart?
To say she is intact is a little fake. For, when they come at 6am and arrest 10 from among us, who were in their rooms, sleeping, with all the media hype that followed, we cannot say FIFA is not shaken. But she is united. The proof is, at the congress, which went on well, we elected our president. Every required formality for the congress was observed and nothing went wrong except, the fact that some people came from the United States to arrest Americans, meanwhile they could have been arrested on the American continent. There is something that surprises everyone. Why not arrest them on the American continent given that they came from there? There is a reason.
Confederation of African Football (CAF) President Issa Hayatou with FIFA President Sepp Blatter award President Jacob Zuma with the official ball of the Orange Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) final match between Burkina Faso and Nigeria. (GCIS photo) photo credit: GovernmentZA https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/2.0/legalcode
Why does Africa support President Blatter so much?
There were only two candidates. We think that Mr. Blatter, considering his experience, fulfils the criteria. Concerning the other candidate, it is true that we say to those of noble birth, valour is no function of years. He is 39 years old; he does not have mastery of the house. But what made us to support Sepp Blatter, is that he has truly helped the African continent. By allocating this 2010 World Cup, by the various training courses he organised, by the various sporting facilities constructed. All of this rallied the continent to support his cause. There is nothing more, contrary to what is believed.
The money FIFA gives to national associations is the same for every association, including the very rich like Germany. I am President of the finance committee, as well as of the development committee. It is at the level of my committee that it all happens. The sharing is equitable. All federations across the world, big or small, have the same amount. This is what vexes them. They believe that more money should be given to the major federations. And Africa is very much aware of this situation. She sees her football and infrastructures develop. Consequently we support Mr. Blatter, contrary to what is said.
What happened that the Jordanian candidate withdrew?
There was a 60-vote difference during the first round. From that moment he understood what was going to happen. If he stayed on, he would not have had the 73 votes of the first round. Voters would have logically turned toward the winner. There were some discussions with his supporters and he took the microphone to say he withdraws his candidature. We think it is a well-calculated and just decision.
On another issue, would the postponement that Cameroon succeeded to obtain for the organisation of the Feminine AFCON be sufficient for the country to get set?
We accepted what Cameroon required from us. I have heard that some media organs here are criticising because it was refused to Morocco. How can we compare the grand African Cup of Nations on which CAF depends at 95% to the feminine cup, which does not even have sponsors? Cameroon came with valid reasons to tell us that there is rainfall in the areas where the selected stadia are. And the Executive Committee, which was 100% present, even when I did not preside over because it concerned my country, accepted. The U17, U20, and the feminine cup should not be mistaken for the grand AFCON. A postponement of the grand AFCON can never be accepted. Even so, the Moroccans requested for a postponement of more than a year and Africa felt hurt. Because by asking us to postpone, they agreed to organise the FIFA Club World Championship scheduled one month away from AFCON. There is no comparison between AFCON and the feminine cup, which we will organise here in Cameroon.
The Confédération Africaine de Football (CAF) opposes any postponement of the 65th FIFA Congress and the election for the presidency scheduled for 29 May 2015 in Zurich.
At the confederation meeting held on Wednesday, 27 May 2015 in Zurich, CAF reiterated its support for the candidacy of incumbent Joseph Sepp Blatter during the election.
FIFA
It should be noted that CAF is following with particular attention the events happening in the football family at this time.
CAF reaffirms its commitment to work and to cooperate in safeguarding the ethical and moral values that underlie the practice of the sport, its organization and administration; hence our full support to the measures initiated by FIFA in recent years in improving good governance.
CAF reaffirms its readiness to cooperate in this direction with all the institutions that engage and subscribes to zero tolerance vis-a-vis offenders regardless of their profile or origin.
NFF President Amaju Pinnick will return to the country on Tuesday after a four-week medical trip to the United Kingdom.
A domestic accident four years ago has compelled the Delta State –born administrator to undergo regular ear surgery and the recent exercise has been as successful as previous ones.
“I want to commend the 1st Vice President, Barrister Seyi Akinwunmi, who has been acting in my stead, and other members of the NFF Executive Committee who have been working very hard, as well as the General Secretary, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi, who has been brilliant as head of the Secretariat.
“I also want to commend the media for its wonderful support for the NFF administration and Nigeria football generally. I have always said that we cannot do it alone, and the support of the media and other stakeholders has been very important to whatever we have achieved in the past seven months.”
Pinnick’s passion and commitment to Nigeria football development meant that even while on medical visit, he maintained the tempo of meetings, consultations and development initiatives at a pace allowed by doctors’ advice.
“I am shocked that at this age and with the global awareness that sport plays a principal role in unity, co-operation and integration among nations, some persons could be wondering why I had to meet with the FIFA President and the Chairman of the The Football Association.
“I had a very useful meeting with the FIFA President and another with the Chairman of The FA, Mr Greg Dyke. The key points from both meetings have been well -reported. I have said several times that Nigeria is a very important nation and can no longer afford to be a silent player in international football. Similarly, we have a lot to learn from England and co-operation between our two National Associations is key to our capacity –enhancing programmes and desire to replicate the enviable football culture that obtains in England in our own country.”
Going to the Home of FIFA in Zurich, Pinnick had to travel all the way and back to London by train as medical advice forbade air travel.
“I was told by doctors that I must not, under any circumstances, travel by air within four weeks after the operation. That would have been risking permanent damage to my ears. It is not like I didn’t want to return to the country all along.
NFF President, Amaju Pinnick
“In any event, we are in an e-world and nothing has been left undone by my medical trip. I was not in the United Kingdom for jamboree. We are on auto-pilot with our vision and mission and I have absolutely no doubt that we are on the right path with all our plans to take Nigeria football to heights never attained before.”
From Buenos Aires to Haiti, the world is celebrating World Table Tennis Day in its own unique way.
Today, 6 April 2015, marks the first ever World Table Tennis day which rejoices the sport of table tennis, a true sport for all.
Over 100 events in more than 50 countries across the world are being held today, with one common theme – Table Tennis for Everyone, Everywhere!
“The response has been amazing! Being the first year, we were expecting between 20 and 40 events but there are currently more than 100 in around 50 countries!” stated ITTF Director – Development Program, Leandro OLVECH.
The showcase event will be staged at the “Obelisco”, the most iconic monument in Argentina being located at the 9 de Julio Avenue, and considered the widest street in the world.
The street will be closed off, with a sea of tables being assembled for thousands of people to come and play table tennis, and celebrate World Table Tennis Day!
Pick up your racket and play table tennis to celebrate World Table Tennis Day!
Major cities such as Amman, Berlin, Bombay, London, Manchester, New York, Paris, Tehran and Zurich are also hosting events, as is Suzhou, the city that will host the forthcoming QOROS 2015 World Table Tennis Championships.
Notably, New York will see training for teachers in order to coach their students; in Bombay, entrepreneurs will be involved in a special event, whilst in Manchester, a gathering to integrate immigrant families from the suburbs will be staged.
Likewise in Paris, Ping Sans Frontieres, an organisation that collects equipment to donate to African countries, with organise a coach education day.
Not to be left out, San Salvador, the capital of the small Central American country of El Salvador, will continue the principles of the Nittaku Dream Building Project in an attempt to involve young people in sport as opposed to being drawn into the gang culture.
Meanwhile, in Brighton on the south coast of England, an attempt will be madeto break the current global record of 139 players competing in a table tennis rally and thus gain a place in the Guinness Book of World Records.
“The idea behind this day is to gather table tennis enthusiasts, attract people who usually don’t play table tennis, promote the love for our sport and ideally engage new players to the practice in the long term” said ITTF President Thomas WEIKERT.
So pick up your rackets, find a table, and play table tennis to celebrate World Table Tennis Day!
Musa Amadu, Seyi Akinwunmi, Sepp Blatter, Amaju Pinnick and Jerome Valcke at FIFA ha in Zurich
FIFA President, Mr. Sepp Blatter on Wednesday held an official meeting with top officials of the Nigeria Football Federation at the Home of FIFA in Zurich, Switzerland.
Blatter, who was in company with FIFA General Secretary Jerome Valcke, welcomed the team on arrival at the headquarters of world football, and assured the Nigerian bigwigs that FIFA would be ready to collaborate more with the new Nigeria Football Federation.
NFF President Amaju Pinnick led the team, which also included NFF 1st Vice President, Barrister Seyi Akinwunmi, and the General Secretary, Barrister Musa Amadu.
The Nigeria delegation will return to Abuja on Thursday.
FIFA President Sepp Blatter with NFF President Amaju Pinnick
Spain’s Sergio Alvarez Moya and Carlo returned to top form today to win the tenth leg of the Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping 2014/2015 Western European League series at Zurich in Switzerland. The grey gelding had not been showing his usual sparkle over the winter months, but this afternoon, with his 30-year-old rider in determined mood, he out-galloped the Irish partnership of Bertram Allen and Molly Malone by one-tenth of a second for a convincing victory.
Just seven qualified for the jump-off, and it was the Irish pair who were the ones to beat despite clears from both Sweden’s Rolf-Goran Bengtsson and Casall ASK who had to settle for third and Penelope Leprevost and Flora de Mariposa who lined up fourth. Host nation representatives, Martin Fuchs (PSG Future) and Romain Duguet (Quorida de Treho) filled fifth and sixth places, while team world champion, Maikel van der Vleuten from The Netherlands, finished seventh with VDL Groep Verdi.
Big and difficult
The first-round course presented by Swiss designer, Gerard Lachat, was big and difficult, requiring a lot of lengthening and shortening of strides and with tall verticals all the way. Duguet was first to leave all the timber intact, and Fuchs was next, despite a massive stand-off at the final oxer with PSG Future.
Ridden off an awkward bending line, and immediately following the testing triple combination (vertical, oxer, vertical) at fence 12 which took a huge toll, the last fence proved a bogey for many of the 40 starters who arrived on a bad distance only to make their sole error there. Among its victims were The Netherlands’ Gerco Schroder with Glock’s London and World No 2, Germany’s Ludger Beerbaum riding Chaman. Allen, however, ensured he was well within the 64-second time-frame so he could provide his brilliant little 11-year-old mare with a more generous approach, while Leprevost’s lively mare also bounced home cleanly.
Bengtsson and Casall ASK made it all long quite elementary, but Moya’s first run was considerably less smooth as he admitted himself afterwards. Having successfully negotiated the two big oxers down the long side of the arena at fences seven and eight, Carlo arrived really deep to the 1.60m Longines vertical at fence eight. But he wriggled his way up and over, showing just how positive he was feeling about things today. “He tried so hard for me!” his delighted rider later said.
Second in the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Zurich 2015 was Bertram Allen for Ireland riding “Molly Malone” Pic Karl-Heinz Frieler
Monumental effort
Duguet’s stallion was another tryer, and in the jump-off he put in a monumental effort to clear the new oxer at fence 15 from a long way off when first to go. But despite negotiating the following double successfully, the pair finished on four faults when the penultimate oxer, formerly fence six, hit the floor. And when Fuchs‘ gelding hit the first element of the double then the door was still wide open for the remaining five.
Allen and Molly set off with their usual gusto, making a supremely tight turn to the double and galloping home to record the first clear in 39.48 seconds, and that was always going to take some beating. Leprevost opted for caution, leaving all the fences in place but over five seconds slower, and Bengtsson gave it his best shot, falling short of the young Irishman’s target-time by more than a second however.
Then Moya set off, and from the outset he looked like he meant business as did Carlo who seemed to relish the challenge with an attitude he has not shown all season. Jumping and turning seamlessly, the pair cleared the penultimate oxer and, where Allen had taken nine strides to the last, the Spanish rider urged his horse forward on eight to land fractionally ahead and seal the deal by less than a tenth of a second.
Third for Sweden was Rolf-Göran Bengtsson with “Casall Ask”in the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Zurich 2015 Pic Karl-Heinz Frieler
Reflective
A reflective Sergio Moya said this evening “our poor results were not his (Carlo’s) fault for the last few months. My head was not focused on the sport as much as it should have been, but that’s changed now and we are riding together again with great confidence. When you don’t have good results you try to change things, and that isn’t always the right thing to do, so we went back to our olds ways and now we are jumping really well together again!”
Allen said, “I thought someone might beat me in the jump-off, and Sergio did one stride less to the last, but I’m happy with my result. Molly’s such a fantastic mare! I’ll give her another break, and then we’ll start getting ready for Las Vegas – it’s great to have picked up the points for the Final and I’m looking forward to it now!”
He has rocketed right up to third place on the Western European League leaderboard, shadowing only Olympic champion Steve Guerdat from Switzerland and French star Kevin Staut, while reigning Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping champion, Germany’s Daniel Deusser, lies behind the 19-year-old Irishman in fourth. Moya has moved into 18th position, but on 31 points, and with just two remaining qualifiers left to run, he knows he has more to do if he is to make it to the Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping 2014/2015 Final in three months time.
“I’ve always said that going to the Final is not one of my goals, but if I get qualified I will go” the Spanish rider pointed out this evening. “I am still young, and the last time we went to a Final (2013) Carlo jumped really well. So we will compete in Bordeaux, and if we are close to winning and close to qualifying for Las Vegas then we will see. If not, then we will make a different plan”.
For further information on the tenth leg of the Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping 2014/2015 Western European League series in Zurich, Switzerland check out website http://www.mercedes-csi.ch
The next leg will take place at Bordeaux, France on Saturday 7 February 2015. For details of the French fixture visit http://www.jumping-bordeaux.com
Winner Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Zurich 2015 Sergio Alvarez Moya Riding “Carlo” for Spain Pic Karl-Heinz Frieler
Result:
1, Carlo (Sergio Moya) ESP 0/0 39.39;
2, Molly Malone (Bertram Allen) IRL 0/0 39.48;
3, Casall ASK (Rolf-Goran Bengtsson) SWE 0/0 40.91;
4, Flora de Mariposa (Penelope Leprevost) FRA 0/0 44.51;
5, PSG Future (Martin Fuchs) SUI 0/4 39.68;
6, Quorida de Treho (Romain Duguet) SUI 0/4 40.44;
7, VDL Groep Verdi (Maikel van der Vleuten) NED 0/8 41.06;
8, Catwalk lV (Robert Whitaker) GBR 1/64.74;
9, Cool and Easy (Hans-Dieter Dreher) GER 1/65.19;
10, Espyrante (Daniel Deusser) GER 4/59.04.
Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping 2014:2015
Facts and Figures:
Zurich, Switzerland presented the tenth leg of the Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping 2014/2015 Western European League series.
40 starters, and 7 jumped clear in the first round.
Winner was 30-year-old Sergio Alvarez Moya from Spain riding Carlo, the horse with which he finished fourth at the FEI World Cup™ Jumping Final in Gothenburg, Sweden in 2013.
Runner-up was 19-year-old Bertram Allen from Ireland whose result today has ensured qualification for the Final in Las Vegas, USA in April.
Course designer was Gerard Lachat assisted by fellow-Swiss, Rolf Ludi.
10 competitors from the host nation of Switzerland.
2 horse-and-rider combinations completed the first round with just a single time penalty – last weekend’s winner in Leipzig, Germany’s Hans-Dieter Dreher with Cool and Easy and Great Britain’s Robert Whitaker with Catwalk lV.
4 double-clear rounds.
Zurich Organising Committee made a special presentation to Irish rider, Jessica Kuerten, who competed in the final international competition of her career when taking part in the Longines FEI World Cup™ qualifier at the Swiss venue today.
Just two qualifying rounds of the Western European League are left to run – at Bordeaux, France on Saturday 7 February and at Gothenburg, Sweden on Sunday 1 March.
Quotes:
Sergio Alvarez Moya: “I’ve been having a bad time for a while now, not so lucky here and there with four faults all the time, but it just paid off today and I can’t be happier!”
Bertram Allen: “Today’s course was big but fair. There were a lot of faults, but no disasters”.
Irish Chef d’Equipe, Robert Splaine: “Today was a remarkable achievement for young Bertram Allen. He not only came second against the very best in the world, but also achieved enough points to ensure his qualification for the World Cup Final at Las Vegas. He is an outstanding talent, and an outstanding ambassador for both his country and for the sport.”
Spain’s Sergio Alvarez Moya and Carlo pictured with (left) Chief Steward Matheus Locher and (right) Mr Charles Villoz, Longines’ Vice-President and Head of International Sales, after winning today’s tenth leg of the Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping 2014/2015 Western European League at Zurich, Switzerland. (FEI/Karl-Heinz Freiler)
Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping 2014/2015 Western European League – Standings after Round 10 at Zurich (SUI):
1. Steve Guerdat SUI – 57
2. Kevin Staut FRA – 57
3. Bertram Allen IRL – 51
4. Daniel Deusser GER – 50
5. Harrie Smolders NED – 47
6. Marco Kutscher GER – 44
7. Hans-Dieter Dreher GER – 44
8. Edwina Tops-Alexander AUS – 44
9. Lucy Davis USA – 42
10. Douglas Lindelow SWE – 41
11. Martin Fuchs SUI – 40
12. Geir Gulliksen NOR – 38
13. Marcus Ehning GER – 38
14. Simon Delestre FRA – 37
15. Maikel van der Vleuten NED – 37
16. Jur Vrieling NED – 33
17. Reed Kessler USA – 32
18. Sergio Alvarez Moya ESP – 31
19. Jos Verlooy BEL – 30
20. Roger Yves Bost FRA – 29
21. Luca Moneta ITA – 29
German rower Franz Gravenhorst was presented with the second annual Parmigiani Spirit Award at a ceremony with representatives from FISA, the World Rowing Federation and Parmigiani Fleurier in Zurich today (Thursday).
As a doctorate student at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich (ETHZ), rower Franz Gravenhorst has excelled at both academics and rowing. In addition he has donated countless hours to improving and developing the sport and encouraging university rowing in Zurich and around the world.
Gravenhorst will soon defend his dual doctorate thesis on the use of electrical sensors both to improve rowing technique and applied to improve health care for individuals suffering from mental disorders. Besides his extensive academic projects, Gravenhorst has also dedicated his time to coaching, organising and promoting the university rowing programme which has allowed hundreds of Zurich university students to participate in the sport. Inspired by the inclusiveness of the rowing community that he has found worldwide, Gravenhorst is keen to open this community to as many people as possible.
Today, Franz Gravenhorst was presented with a Parmigiani Fleurier “Tondo 1950” watch by Parmigiani CEO Jean-Marc Jacot at the Widder Hotel in Zurich, Switzerland. Gravenhorst’s university rowing club will receive a custom-built top-of-the-range Filippi racing eight built in Italy.
Also present at the Award presentation were FISA President, Olympic gold medalist Jean-Christophe Rolland, and Olympian and World Champion Lenka Wech, who formed the Award judging panel along with Jacot and Mahe Drysdale, Olympic and World Champion single sculler. Members of Gravenhorst’s family and representatives of the Swiss Rowing Federation, the Swiss University Sports Federation and the Zurich University Sports Federation and ETHZ were also present for the ceremony.
“We decided to create this award to celebrate a rower who has achieved something very special in his or her life. This award is very important to thank these young people who have worked so hard. Franz is a person who gives so much to the sport and at the same time is achieving so much for society and the health of society. He is a worthy winner of the second Parmigiani Spirit Award,” said Jacot.
“We had many excellent and worthy candidates this year, it was quite difficult to choose. But the winner, Franz, demonstrated the core values of rowing and thus fits the criteria of the award perfectly,” said Rolland. “The sport of rowing demands tremendous dedication, it is essential that we recognize these fantastic individuals who dedicate their lives not only to academics and to rowing, but also to helping others.”
“Usually if I do something, I try to make it not about me. My first thought with this award is how it will be beneficial for the others, my whole team will benefit from it,” said Gravenhorst. “I am not used to receiving awards, but it is a great honour for me.”
The day concluded with a private celebration dinner for Gravenhorst, his family and Parmigiani and FISA representatives.
The Parmigiani Spirit Award was open to university rowers worldwide who demonstrated the core values of rowing in his/her social, academic and sporting life and, through those values, also enabled or inspired exceptional success in other people’s lives – for example in education, business, sports or charity. Rowing’s core values are: Teamwork, Fairness, Natural, Inclusive and Enduring.
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