![Rev. Fr. Anthony Odiong, a US-based Nigerian Louisiana Catholic priest, was arrested in Florida on Tuesday for possessing child pornography, according to law authorities. The suspect is reportedly accused of many other cases of sexual assault. The Waco, Texas, Police Department announced in a Facebook post on Tuesday that officers detained Father Anthony Odiong in Ave Maria, Florida, with assistance from the United States Marshals Service. Waco police announced in March that they had received "credible information" about a sexual assault allegedly committed by Odiong in Texas in 2012. “During the subsequent investigation, a case of possession of child pornography was uncovered,” the police said. The priest was apprehended in Florida by the Caribbean Regional Fugitive Task Force. The Waco Police Department said that he will be extradited to Texas. Odiong had previously served in the Archdiocese of New Orleans before being removed as priest in December of last year due to controversy over homilies in which he claimed, among other things, that the Catholic Church was being taken over by "the gays." At the time, the priest was also accused of abusive behaviour; a Louisiana lady claimed in U.S. bankruptcy court that Odiong had committed both financial and sexual abuse against her. Prior to joining the New Orleans Archdiocese, Odiong served in at least two Texas parishes. On Tuesday, Waco police stated that during their sexual assault investigation, "the presence of other survivors was revealed." “Multiple women have come forward to tell similar experiences as the sexual assault survivor who reported the initial allegation,” the police department said. “Survivors’ experiences ranged from sexual assault and indecent assault, more commonly recognised as groping, and financial abuse, with some survivors experiencing every element of Anthony Odiong’s manipulation.” The police said they “believe there may be more survivors, and we wish to speak with anyone who [has] had similar encounters” with the priest. The Archdiocese of New Orleans issued a brief news release on Tuesday noting Odiong's arrest in Florida. The archdiocese “encourages anyone with any information to contact law enforcement,” the release said.](https://chronicle.ng/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/ezgif-6-4730550ede-300x200.jpg "Odiong: US-based Nigerian Catholic priest convicted over sexual assault")
FIFA have thrown out Chelsea’s appeal against their two-window transfer ban
Chelsea have lost their appeal to FIFA over the club’s two-window transfer ban for breaching regulations relating to the international registration of players under the age of 18.
The Blues were originally sanctioned in February over deals with 29 players, and will now take their appeal process to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
It is unclear which players are related to the breach of regulations.
Chelsea will take their appeal against a two-window transfer ban to the Court of Arbitration for Sport after it was rejected by FIFA.
Football’s world governing body have upheld the ban they handed Chelsea in February after an investigation into the club’s signing of foreign U18 players.
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Part of Chelsea’s appeal was upheld, and the club will now be allowed to register players under the age of 16.
A statement from FIFA on Wednesday read: “With respect to all men’s teams, the ban on registering new players, both nationally and internationally for two registration periods, has been confirmed by the FIFA Appeal Committee, with the following exception:
“The FIFA Appeal Committee believes that Chelsea’s wrongdoing consisted in not respecting the prohibition from internationally transferring or registering for the first time foreign minor players.
“In the committee´s opinion, imposing a ban on registering each and every minor would not be proportionate to the offence committed.
“Consequently, the FIFA Appeal Committee decided that, as far as youth categories are concerned, the ban shall not cover the registration of minor players under the age of 16 who do not fall under the scope of art. 19 of the Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players, which refers to international transfers and first registrations of foreign minor players.”
Chelsea have responded to the decision, saying in a statement: “Chelsea FC has today received the decision of the FIFA Appeal Committee.
“The club notes that the FIFA Appeal Committee has decided to partially uphold the appeal lodged by Chelsea FC against the decision of the FIFA Disciplinary Committee. However, the club is very disappointed that the transfer ban of two consecutive registration periods was not overturned.
“Chelsea FC categorically refutes the findings of the FIFA Appeal Committee. It acted in accordance with the relevant regulations and will appeal the decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).”
Chelsea previously appealed to FIFA regarding the ban in the hope it would be delayed, but when the governing body refused in March, the club said it was “astonished”.
Barcelona had successfully made a similar appeal over their transfer ban in 2014 which saw the prohibition postponed until the following year.
The Catalan club was then able to bring Luis Suarez, Ivan Rakitic, Jeremy Mathieu, Claudio Bravo and Marc-Andre ter Stegen to Camp Nou before the ban was imposed.
With Eden Hazard looking likely to depart to Real Madrid this summer, Chelsea could be left unable to replace the Belgium international.
Their deal to sign Christian Pulisic, however, is not affected given the USA international was signed in January and loaned back to Borussia Dortmund for the remainder of the 2018-19 campaign.
