{"id":76277,"date":"2023-06-15T07:35:28","date_gmt":"2023-06-15T07:35:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2023\/06\/15\/fifa-secretary-general-to-step-down-from-role\/"},"modified":"2023-06-15T07:35:28","modified_gmt":"2023-06-15T07:35:28","slug":"fifa-secretary-general-to-step-down-from-role","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2023\/06\/15\/fifa-secretary-general-to-step-down-from-role\/","title":{"rendered":"Fifa secretary general to step down from role"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Fatma Samoura is to step down as Fifa’s secretary general at the end of the year
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Fatma Samoura is to step down after seven years as Fifa\u2019s secretary general to spend more time with her family.<\/p>\n

Appointed in 2016, the 60-year-old will oversee this year\u2019s Women\u2019s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand before leaving at the end of the year.<\/p>\n

Samoura, the first female and non-European in the role,\u00a0was a surprise choice\u00a0after the election of Gianni Infantino as Fifa president.<\/p>\n

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\u201cIt was the best decision of my life to join Fifa,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Former Senegalese diplomat and United Nations official Samoura added: \u201cI am very proud to have led such a diverse team.<\/p>\n

\u201cFifa today is a better governed, more open, more reliable and more transparent organisation. I will leave Fifa with a high sense of pride and fulfilment.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor now, I am fully focused on the preparation and delivery of the upcoming Women\u2019s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.<\/p>\n

\u201cFrom next year, I would like to spend more time with my family. I have been in love with football since I was eight years old and I feel honoured to have been on this journey.\u201d<\/p>\n

Fifa president Infantino paid tribute to Samoura and said he respected her decision to depart.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt has been a privilege and an honour to work with a trailblazer in the game,\u201d he added. \u201cEver since we met, I knew she would be superb for Fifa.<\/p>\n

\u201cHer passion and enthusiasm to drive change has been inspirational. Fatma will continue to contribute towards the development of the game and its social values together with us.\u201d<\/p>\n

During Samoura\u2019s time as head of Fifa\u2019s administration, women\u2019s football has become more popular and more organised.<\/p>\n

The 2023 Women\u2019s World Cup will be the biggest-ever women\u2019s competition and features 32 teams.<\/p>\n

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