New Confederation of African Football President Ahmad Ahmad has "given his support to Morocco over a potential bid to host the 2026 World Cup." The North African country bid to host the finals on four previous occasions but missed out on the '94, '98, '06 and '10 editions. His backing for Morocco comes "only a few months" after FIFA President Gianni Infantino declared that the country has the necessary "infrastructure and organisational capacity" to host the World Cup (BBC, 3/29).
A free service to "protect young footballers and provide them with guidance throughout their careers was launched on Tuesday in Westminster" by Falklands War veteran Simon Weston four months after the "uncovering of the biggest sexual abuse scandal in the history of the sport." Weston said that the Players Trust, an independent, not-for-profit organization, "would help prevent the wretched headlines and harrowing football stories which dominated the news media before the turn of the year" (London GUARDIAN, 3/28).
The Indian government is taking up a program to "promote football among children in the country." Minister of Youth Affairs & Sports Vijay Goel said that Mission 11 Million was initiated to "take football to 11 million children across India." Goel: "FIFA U17 World Cup is being organized in partnership with the All India Football Federation and in order to create football culture, Mission 11 Million has been initiated where through 15,000 schools and mass contact programs the mission would be accomplished" (ECONOMIC TIMES, 3/29).
WADA President Craig Reedie said that several whistleblowers have approached his organization "through a new program set up after revelations of rampant state-sponsored doping in Russia." WADA this month launched its "Speak Up" secure digital platform for athletes and others to report anti-doping violations. Reedie: "We already have a number of whistleblowers speaking to us, so I am told. ... The investigations people do not tell the president of the organization what they are doing. And that's exactly the way it should be. That has to be confidential" (REUTERS, 3/29).
Liga MX suspended Xolos de Tijuana coach Miguel Herrera for three games and fined him "for disrespecting fans during his team's game against Santos." In that game, Herrera was sent off by the ref "and later exchanged insults with a fan" (LA AFICIÓN, 3/28).