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Infantino’s future at FIFA should be decided by election, African football chief says

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Confederation of African Football chief Patrice Motsepe says Gianni Infantino‘s future should only be decided by elections after Ireland became the latest federation to withdraw their support for the embattled FIFA president.

Infantino is fighting to save his job after a barrage of criticism for his aborted plan to sell stakes in the World Cup to private investors.

The governing bodies of European football (UEFA), North and Central America (CONCACAF) and Asia (AFC) stepped up the pressure on Infantino in a joint letter this week, declaring “trust is broken through deception, when an individual places himself above the collective that entrusted him with authority”.

Watch more‘There’s no turning back’: UEFA stands by boycott despite Infantino’s apology

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It is believed they want Infantino to resign before he has the chance to seek re-election in March next year.

But Motsepe, a FIFA vice-president and CAF president, is adamant Infantino’s fate should be decided through the ballot box.

“If anybody has got any problem against anybody, whether it’s Gianni, whether it is anybody else, follow the process, follow the FIFA process, simple as that,” Motsepe told Sky News on Thursday.

“If you want to take him out, go for elections; let the 211 member associations decide. Do that and the vote will express whether they’ve got confidence in him or not.”

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“You’ve got to be very careful. There are elections taking place next year. Shouldn’t we allow that process to continue?”

Motsepe was in Salzburg at the UEFA Super Cup on Wednesday to hold talks with UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin, whose organisation are threatening to boycott the World Cup and Club World Cup in protest at Infantino’s scheme.

“I’ve heard so many stories about various issues and am careful to pass judgement on anything,” Motsepe said.

“Everybody has a right to be heard. Let’s have a hearing, and a proper forum.”

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Read more Infantino denies affair allegation, FIFA slams ‘concerted’ effort to weaken him

CAF had already backed Infantino and Motsepe claimed there was no breach of rules over the World Cup sell-off talks, because the proposals would be submitted to FIFA members for final approval.

“There’s a lot that’s problematic and negative that they have to fix,” Motsepe said.

“But he has apologised and said maybe there’s a different way these things should have been done, but we also take advice.”

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However, there has been no end to the tidal wave of criticism engulfing Infantino.

And on Thursday the Football Association of Ireland (FAI) become the latest FIFA member to withdraw its support for Infantino.

The English FA and Welsh FA had already withdrawn their backing for the 56-year-old Swiss.

“Following an FAI Board Meeting, the decision was taken to rescind the letter of support that the Association supplied earlier this year,” the organisation said.

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“It has since written to FIFA to explain its reasoning. The Association is grateful for the support that FIFA provides to Irish football, but recent events have raised significant concerns regarding governance, transparency and the lack of meaningful consultation.”

(FRANCE 24 with AFP) 

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McLaughlin: Noah Fifita and Arizona Big 12 Title Bound?

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SEC logoThe SEC is seeking to reach the national title game for the first time since Georgia won its second in 2022.

Which teams have a legitimate case to knock off the Bulldogs as the 2x reigning conference champions?

On today’s episode of Locked On College Football, I predict the 2026 season for the Arizona Wildcats.

With one of the best quarterbacks in college football, will HC Brent Brennan make the conference title game?

marylandMaryland is among the most likely schools to be looking for a new coach by the time this season ends—or perhaps before.

Is this the end of Mike Locksley in the Big Ten?

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00:00 Improving Oklahoma’s offensive balance
04:12 Steve Sarkisian’s team consistency issues
06:30 Ole Miss’ playoff potential
10:23 Brent Brennan’s breakthrough season
13:40 College football schedule breakdown
18:56 Speculation on Maryland coaching change
20:01 New defensive lineup potential
23:07 Maryland football coach evaluation

/ @lockedoncollegefootball  

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Video: Day 3 Highlights from Birmingham 2026

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There were four finals down for decision on Wednesday night: the Women’s Hammer, Men’s 400m, Women’s 400m Hurdles and the Men’s 110m Hurdles.

Silja Kosonen from Finland won gold in the Women’s Hammer Final with 76.28m, where Ireland’s Nicola Tuthill finished an excellent fifth, with a best throw of 70.33m. The reigning European Champion, Italy’s Sara Fantini, had to settle for silver this time with her best effort of 74.35m coming with her first throw. Beatrice Nedberge Llano from Norway won bronze with her first round throw of 72.88m.

Birmingham Boy wins Gold

Britain won another gold medal with the victory of Matthew Hudson-Smith in the Men’s 400m Final on Wednesday night in a time of 44.17 seconds. Silver went to Muhammad Abdallah Kounta of France in 44.40 seconds, with Jonas Phijffers of The Netherlands completing the podium with a new NR of 44.14 seconds.

Zapletalová wins fast 400m Hurdles

Slovakia won their first medal of the 2026 European Athletics Championships when Emma Zapletalová stormed to the victory in the Women’s 400m Hurdles in 52.91 seconds. Emily Newnham of Britain took silver, clocking a PB of 53.33 seconds. Fatoumata Binta Diallo set a new NR for Portugal with a time of 53.55 seconds.

SB’s for Men’s 110m Hurdles medallists

The last final of Wednesday, the Men’s 110m Hurdles, was season’s best performances from the three medal winners. Jason Joseph of Switzerland claimed the gold in 13.12 seconds. Just Kwaou-Mathey took silver for France with a 13.16 seconds effort, with bronze going to Poland’s Jakub Szymanski, who ran 13.26 seconds.

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Yashasvi Jaiswal vs Virender Sehwag

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There will be high expectations from opener Yashasvi Jaiswal in the upcoming two-match Test series in Sri Lanka. India need to win both the Test matches in the island nation to keep their faint hopes of reaching the World Test Championship (WTC) final alive.

Jaiswal is fourth on the list of India’s leading run-getters in the 2025-27 WTC cycle. In nine Test matches (17 innings), the southpaw has scored 713 runs at an average of 41.94, with three hundreds and as many half-centuries. The Indian opener was dismissed for a duck in the first innings of the practice match in Colombo, but scored 61 off 46 in the second innings before retiring.

Jaiswal has opened the innings in 29 Tests so far (54 innings). Ahead of the Sri Lanka series, we compare his stats with those of Virender Sehwag after the latter had also opened the batting in 54 innings.


Jaiswal vs Sehwag – Who has more runs and a better average as opener after 54 innings?

In 54 Test innings as opener Jaiswal has scored 2,535 runs at an average of 48.75. In 10 Tests against England, the 24-year-old has scored 1,123 runs at an average of 62.38. In five Tests against Australia, he has 391 runs at an average of 43.44. Also, in four Tests against the West Indies, Jaiswal has scored 485 runs at an average of 80.83.

After 54 Test innings as opener, Sehwag had scored 2,930 runs at an average of 56.34. In six Tests against Pakistan, he had scored 982 runs at an average of 98.2. In nine Tests against Australia, he had scored 846 runs at an average of 49.76. Also, in two Test matches against South Africa, he had 262 runs at an average of 87.33.


Jaiswal vs Sehwag – Who has more hundreds as opener after 54 innings?

Jaiswal has smashed seven hundreds and 13 half-centuries in his Test career thus far. He slammed two double hundreds against England during the home series in 2024 – 209 in Visakhapatnam and an unbeaten 214 in Rajkot. Earlier, the left-handed batter had scored 171 on debut against the West Indies in Roseau in July 2023 and a memorable 161 against Australia in Perth in November 2024.

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Player Runs Average HS 100s 50s
Yashasvi Jaiswal 2,535 48.75 214 7 13
Virender Sehwag 2,930 56.34 309 9 8

(Jaiswal vs Sehwag – Stats comparison after opening in 54 innings)

After 54 Test innings as opener, Sehwag had nine hundreds and eight half-centuries to his credit. His best at that stage was an epic 309 which came against Pakistan in Multan in March 2004. He had also scored 201 against Pakistan in Bengaluru in March 2005 and 195 against Australia in the 2003 Boxing Day Test.


Jaiswal vs Sehwag – Who has a better record in wins after opening in 54 innings?

In 14 Test wins (24 innings), Jaiswal has notched up 1,644 runs, average of 71.47, with six tons and six fifties. In 12 losses (24 innings), he has scored 730 runs at an average of 30.41, with one ton and five fifties. In three Tests (six innings) that ended in a draw, he has totaled 161 runs at an average of 32.20, with the aid of two half-centuries.

Player Innings Runs Average HS 100s 50s
Yashasvi Jaiswal 24 1,644 71.47 214* 6 6
Virender Sehwag 19 984 54.66 309 2 3

(Jaiswal vs Sehwag – Stats comparison in wins after opening in 54 innings)

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In 13 Test wins (19 innings), Sehwag had scored 984 runs at an average of 54.66, with two hundreds and three half-centuries. In nine losses (17 innings), he had 902 runs at an average of 53.05, with two tons and four fifties. In 10 drawn Tests (18 innings), he had 1,044 runs at an average of 61.41, with the aid of five centuries and one half-century.


Jaiswal vs Sehwag – Who has a better away record after opening in 54 innings?

In 14 away Tests (27 innings), Jaiswal has scored 1,118 runs, averaging 43, with four hundreds and five half-centuries. In 15 home Tests (27 innings), the left-handed batter has scored 1,417 runs at an average of 54.50, with three centuries and eight half-centuries.

Player Innings Runs Average HS 100s 50s
Yashasvi Jaiswal 27 1,118 43 171 4 5
Virender Sehwag 28 1,362 50.44 309 3 4

(Jaiswal vs Sehwag – Away stats comparison after opening in 54 innings)

In 18 away Tests (28 innings), Sehwag had scored 1,362 runs at an average of 50.44, with three hundreds and four half-centuries. In 14 home Tests (26 innings), he had 1,568 runs at an average of 62.72, with six tons and four fifties.

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