JUSTICE AYODELE PHILLIPS RETD OF LAGOS ELECTED INTO FIFA ETHICS COMMITTEE

LAGOS, Nigeria – The string of groundbreaking feats with regards to global recognition for Nigeria in world football continued on Thursday with the election of immediate past Chief Judge of Lagos State, Hon. Justice Ayotunde Phillips as a Member of the highly respected FIFA Ethics Committee.

In what amounted to another remarkable accomplishment for Nigerian Football, Justice Phillips’ election was ratified by the congress of FIFA at its 67th Congress in Manama, Bahrain on Thursday. This is further evidence of the rising profile of Nigeria in International Football circles as shown by the recent appointments of the NFF President into important CAF and FIFA roles.

The new FIFA Ethics Committee (Adjudicatory Chamber) is headed by Vassilios Skouris (Greece), the longest –serving President of the European Court of Justice. Fiti Sunia (American Samoa), a Judge and former Attorney General of American Samoa, is deputy chairman.

Other Members are Mohammad Ali Al Kamali (United Arab Emirates: Asia), Aivar Pohlak (Estonia: Europe), Margarita Echeverria (Costa Rica: North and Central America and the Caribbeans), Jack Kariko (Papua New Guinea: Oceania) and Flavio Zveiter (Brazil: South America).

Justice Phillips is presently the Chairman of the Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC).

Only on Monday, NFF President Amaju Pinnick, who was elected as Member of the CAF Executive Committee in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia in March, and has also been appointed into the influential Organizing Committee for FIFA Competitions, became the first Nigerian to be appointed President of the Organizing Committee for the Africa Cup of Nations. He was also appointed President of the Media Committee.