"We got a ton of donations. The flowers, the reception hall itself, just a lot of people came together from our local community and donated their time, their services and their goods. With all their medical expenses they don't have to spend on something like this."More photos...
''The FIFA Appeal Committee, chaired by Larry Mussenden (Bermuda), has partially confirmed the decisions taken by the adjudicatory chamber of the independent Ethics Committee on 17 and 18 December 2015 regarding Joseph S. Blatter and Michel Platini respectively, whose bans have been reduced from eight to six years.''
Following the hearings of Mr Platini and Mr Blatter held in Zurich on 15 and 16 February 2016 respectively, the Appeal Committee has decided as follows: ''Mr Platini’s and Mr Blatter’s appeals are dismissed in respect of infringements of art. 13 (General rules of conduct), art. 15 (Loyalty), art. 19 (Conflict of interests) and art. 20 (Offering and accepting gifts and other benefits) of the FIFA Code of Ethics, as established by the adjudicatory chamber.''
"The Appeal Committee concurred with the findings of the adjudicatory chamber of the Ethics Committee in the sense that the evidence available in the present case is not sufficient to establish a breach of article 21 of the FIFA Code of Ethics (Bribery and corruption). Consequently, the appeal lodged by the investigatory chamber for a life ban from all football-related activity was also dismissed.''
"'While agreeing with the principles and arguments presented by the adjudicatory chamber in its calculation of the sanction, the Appeal Committee determined that some strong mitigating factors for Mr Platini and Mr Blatter were not taken into account when establishing the sanction. In this sense, amongst others, the Appeal Committee considered that Mr Platini’s and Mr Blatter’s activities and the services they had rendered to FIFA, UEFA and football in general over the years should deserve appropriate recognition as a mitigating factor.''
"'Thus, after carefully analysing and taking into consideration the exceptional mitigating circumstances of the cases, it was determined that a one-year reduction of the five-year ban for a breach of art. 20 of the FCE was proper, and similarly a one-year reduction of the three-year ban for the other breaches was also proper.'' In summary: ''Michel Platini is banned from taking part in any football-related activity (administrative, sports or other) at national and international level for a period of six (6) years as from 8 October 2015, in accordance with art. 6 par. 1h) of the FIFA Code of Ethics in conjunction with art. 22 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code. Furthermore, Mr Platini shall pay a fine in the amount of CHF 80,000 within 30 days of notification of the present decision.'' ''Joseph S. Blatter is banned from taking part in any football-related activity (administrative, sports or other) at national and international level for a period of six (6) years as from 8 October 2015, in accordance with art. 6 par. 1h) of the FIFA Code of Ethics in conjunction with art. 22 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code. Mr Blatter shall pay a fine in the amount of CHF 50,000 within 30 days of notification of the present decision.''
“One area that I think D8 must to work on and if really they want to succeed, they must make sure that there is no barrier in term of visa among those eight countries.
“You cannot grow any trade talk less of tourism, if I cannot have easy access to Malaysia, Egypt, Iran, Pakistan.
“You can imagine the volume of trade that will develop over night if only you can make sure that if I want to go to Iran that there is bilateral agreement between Nigeria and Iran, between Nigeria and Pakistan and among those eight countries that there will be free movement of people.
“It is free movement of people that will guarantee free movement of trade.
“So, this is one area that I believe that you need to work hard on.’’Mohammed, who commended the organisation’s focus on tourism development, said the provision of infrastructure was critical to the development of domestic tourism.
“Until you develop domestic tourism, you cannot have international tourism”.In his remarks, Ali-Mohammed said the purpose of his visit was to intimate the minister about the organisation’s resolve to focus on tourism development as the area of cooperation among member countries.
“The meeting today I am enthusiastic about tourism.
”Very recently, on the proposal of member states, we came to conclusion that tourism or so could be."
