FIFA has today been informed by Auckland City FC that, in light of the COVID-19 pandemic and related quarantine measures required by the New Zealand authorities, the club will be unable to participate in the FIFA Club World Cup 2020.
Despite FIFA’s regular exchanges with the club, New Zealand Football and the OFC in recent days, the requirements of the New Zealand authorities in relation to isolation and quarantine go beyond FIFA’s remit and, therefore, it was not possible to reach a solution.
FIFA together with the Qatari authorities, will implement a comprehensive medical and security protocol providing the safeguards required to protect the health and safety of everyone involved in the competition.

Seventy-three Women’s Premier League referees and assistant referees are currently training at the Ghanaman Centre of Excellence at Prampram ahead of the start of the Women’s Premier League.

The training, which began on Tuesday, January 12, will end on Thursday, January 14, 2021. The list includes forty-one (41) centre referees and thirty-two (32) assistant referees.

Fitrace is a reality competition that test your physical strength, endurance,  creativity and intelligence.  A lot of people contested for the first round but I managed to make it to the final 16 participants.  

There'll be a series of drills and challenges to test us further but we will not be graded 100% from that. Viewers will also have the opportunity to grade as well by voting. To keep me in the competition I'll need your votes.

Ghana’s Skeleton athlete, Akwasi Frimpong finishes ahead of competitors from Italy, Switzerland, Poland, Denmark , Czech Republic, and Bulgaria in his first race of the 2020/2021 International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation season. Frimpong finished 24th out of 31 international athletes.

Akwasi Frimpong raced through pain and delivered for Ghana! It was the first time Ghana was represented in a Europa Cup skeleton competition. Frimpong suffered a bad crash three days before the race and could hardly walk. Following the recommendations of doctors, he took a day off from training.  

FIFA has opened two invitations to tender (ITT) simultaneously for the media rights to the FIFA World Cup 2022™ and the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023™, FIFA’s flagship men’s and women’s competitions, in Italy.

The first ITT is for the media rights to the FIFA World Cup 2022™. The second ITT is for the media rights to the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023™.

The FIFA World Cup 2022™ will be the 22nd edition of the competition and a unique edition, as the first FIFA World Cup™ in the Middle East and the first to take place in November/December. With ultra-modern venues, optimal playing conditions and a compact event footprint, the host country will be a very special setting in which to celebrate the game and its ability to connect and inspire people around the world. The tournament will feature 32 participating teams and 64 matches, offering a highly competitive group stage followed by an exciting knockout phase.

As it appeared the curtains were abruptly coming down the scandal-laden reign of Confederation of African Football (CAF) leader, Ahmad Ahmad, the presidency of the continental mother body has lurched into more controversy as the race to find his successor intensifies.

CAF is synonymous with tumult but the commotion stakes have been escalated as the elections to choose the new leader in place of the beleaguered Ahmad administration draw closer.

Ineligible for the elections set for March 12 during the CAF 43rd Elective Ordinary General Assembly in Rabat, Morroco, Madagascan Ahmad is bowing out in disgrace.

Ahmad (aged 61) was the seventh president at the helm of CAF since its founding in 1957 in Sudan.

His presidency of the 56-member football mother body headquartered in Egypt ended last November after FIFA handed him a five-year ban for financial misconduct.

This brought to an abrupt end to a presidency that at its beginning in 2017 promised so much in terms of reforms after more than 29 years of authoritarian rule by the Cameroonian, Issa Hayatou.

Taken at face value, the “examination of candidatures” for the CAF presidency is aimed at having an incorruptible individual for the position yet in essence it is a strategy aimed at keeping the status quo by retaining members already in the CAF executive committee or other structures by virtue of heading their football associations.

The United States golf market has witnessed a steady growth before the coronavirus pandemic, with more than 24 million participants and $23.5bn in revenue in 2019. Although US golf revenues dipped amid the COVID-19 lockdown, the entire industry is expected to recover in 2021 and continue growing in the following years.

According to data presented by SafeBettingSites.com, the US golf courses and country clubs industry is forecast to generate $23.3bn in revenue this year.

In February 2021, AIBA, with the support of the International Testing Agency (ITA), will launch a large-scale anti-doping educational program in the framework of AIBA’s Continental Forums.

On January 11th, AIBA renewed its contract with the ITA for 2021 to ensure a state-of-art anti-doping program for boxing. AIBA President Mr. Umar Kremlev and ITA Director General Mr. Benjamin Cohen signed the agreement at the ITA headquarters. The partnership is designed for the long term, its goal is to make boxing a truly clean sport.

• FIFA launches FIFA Sound, a strategy to connect with audiences worldwide through shared passions of football and music
• First season of FIFA PlayOn Podcast to feature football players and global musicians such as Ivan Rakitić, Carli Lloyd, Asisat Oshoala, Lele Pons, Tiwa Savage, Wretch 32 and Morat, among others

FIFA has today announced the launch of FIFA Sound, a new entertainment strategy designed to create innovative and meaningful connections between football fans, music enthusiasts, players, artists, and the game and songs they all love.

“FIFA’s vision is to make football truly global, accessible and inclusive. The crossover between football and music underscores this wider cultural relevance. Both are universal languages and have the power to create unrivalled emotions. It’s a natural fit to bring them together,” said Jean-François Pathy, FIFA’s Director of Marketing. “It’s been fantastic to see the enthusiasm around the launch of this strategy, and we are excited about the opportunities that lie ahead to connect people through inspiring human stories.”

Seven-time Formula One World Champion, Lewis Hamilton has been voted the Athlete of the Month for December 2020.
 
The 36-year-old was pitted with other black athletes of African ancestry and nationality.
 
Hamilton beat Egypt and Liverpool forward, Mohamed Salah; Ghana and Legon FC forward, Asamoah Gyan and Morocco's Youssef en-Nesryi, to the Award by public voting.
 
Readers of the African Sports Monthly online publication (website), magazine and followers on social media voted for Hamilton as their top choice.

The Bayelsa State capital, Yenagoa is bubbling with excitement and anticipation ahead of the commencement of the maiden Champion of Champions wrestling tournament which begins on Friday, 15th January, 2021.
 
No fewer than 57 wrestlers across the country drawn from the Olympic weight classes, as well as their coaches and officials, are expected in Yenagoa to jostle for podium places at the ultra-modern Dynamite Theatre of Wrestling complex for three days of solid competition.
 
According to a statement signed by the Technical Director of the Nigeria Wrestling Federation (NWF) Damian Ohaike, arrival of wrestlers, coaches and technical officials is slated for Friday, with a technical meeting/clinic also billed for same day by 6pm.

The Nigeria Football Federation has paid glowing tributes to former Super Eagles’ defender, Ajibade Babalade, who died on 4th September 2020 and would be buried in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital on Friday, 15th January 2021.
 
The hard-as-nails defender, a member of the Super Eagles squad that won bronze medal at the 1992 Africa Cup of Nations finals in Senegal, suffered a heart attack and lost the battle at a private hospital on 4th September 2020. The Christian wake keep held at the Liberty Stadium, Ibadan on Thursday evening – venue of Babalade’s many battles on the pitch as a player.
 
General Secretary of the NFF, Dr Mohammed Sanusi, said Nigerian Football will never forget the “energetic and highly dedicated player who defended the colours of Nigeria with so much passion, fervour and elan.”
 

Madam Gloria Commodore, President of the Women In Sports Association (WISA) has commended female sports journalists in their hard work towards promoting female sports in Ghana.

Speaking at the carnival to usher in the Women’s Premier League at the McDan Park at La in Accra on Saturday, she said the future is feminine, so the journalists must work hard to encourage more girls to do sports.

She said Ghana’s performance at the last African Games in Morocco in 2019 shows that the female athletes can excel if they are motivated.

​According to the AIPS and SWAG senior member who has participated in multiple sports disciplines, sports can unknown people very popular and also change fortunes.

She said as the Women’s Premier League begins on January 15, 2021, she hopes and pray that there would be fair officiating, no hooliganism and fans are going to watch to make it interesting and exciting.

The Corona virus pandemic frown on sporting activities throughout the world in the greater part of 2020 may hopefully see discontinuity in the year ahead.

Rugby League Federation Ghana (RLFG) while receiving an equal share on the adverse effects of the pandemic, still kept its ahead above water to come through with innovative programs  carefully designed to suit all the pandemic protocols being observed globally.

The few which could materialize among the many planned at the end of the previous year are the Flagship 9s Series in January and February, The breat Cancer awareness program which tickled the interest of Corporate Ghana and the media alike, the pulling down of a one gender sport with the introduction of the the women's rugby league, the warily creation of the youth rugby league, obtaining affiliate member status of the International Rugby League Federation, RL boundaries extended into the military academy, and a fulfilling stand taken by the RLFG women's coordinator in some IRLF appointments.

The Ghana Football Association (GFA), is thrilled to announce Bethel Dental Clinic as the Official Dental partner of the Black Stars for a period of two football seasons.

This sponsorship agreement which commences with immediate effect is valid until the end of the 2021/22 football season.

Under this agreement, Bethel Dental Clinic shall provide services such as Preventive Dental care, restorative care, free treatment for any dental injuries, crowns, implants, fillings and surgical procedures for the duration of two football seasons subject to be renewed by the two parties.

Ahmad is set to lose his role as President of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) after its Governance Committee declared him ineligible to stand in this year's election.

Two of the five candidates have been approved to appear on the ballot, while additional checks are required on the other two.

A CAF statement described Ahmad as the "outgoing President", and the declaration of ineligibility comes a little more than a month after Ahmad was given a five-year ban for financial misconduct by the FIFA Ethics Committee.

While Ahmad has been ruled out of the race, Augustin Senghor, President of the Senegalese Football Federation (SFF), and Jacques Anouma, former President of the Ivorian Football Federation (FIF) and ex-member of the FIFA Executive Committee, have been confirmed as eligible candidates for the top job.

South African billionaire and mining magnate Patrice Motsepe and Ahmed Yahya, President of the Mauritanian Football Federation are also still in the running to replace Ahmad.

Mr. Jafaru Mustapha, Communications Manager of Decathlon Ghana has emphasized his company’s commitment to supporting and increasing the profiles of Ghanaian athletes.

Speaking to Yours Truly at the McDan Park at La where Decathlon Ghana supported the carnival to herald the 2020/2021 Ghana Women’s Premier League (WPL), he said their aim is to reach everyone who loves sports.

Host Cameroon has issued COVID-19 guidelines for African Nations Championship (CHAN) that will kick off in the country in a week.

“In a bid to respect the COVID-19 protocol established by CAF and FIFA, CAF and Cameroon have agreed on the rate of occupation of stadiums during the competition as follows: 25 per cent for all group matches including the opening match and 50 per cent for all semi-finals and finals,” Cameroon’s Minister of Sports and Physical Education Narcisse Mouelle Kombi said in a statement released Saturday, adding that a special mechanism to mark the seats in all stadiums will be set up following the authorized occupation capacity.

Ahead of the make or mar clash with the Black Starlets of Ghana on Saturday, President of the Nigeria Football Federation, Mr Amaju Melvin Pinnick has charged Nigeria’s U17 Boys, Golden Eaglets to show robust winning mentality against their opponents. 
 
Pinnick charged the players to believe in themselves and go for victory when he visited the team's camp at the Hotel Novella Star in Lome, Togo, while admonishing the players to remain focused in the task of representing Nigeria very well at the tournament.
 
"Nigerians don't want to know about tactics, just go, play and win the game. The mentality of Nigerians is winning, they don't care how you win, just win. Winning gives Nigerians a lot of joy," Pinnick said.

World Rugby continues to move towards progressive governance reform after its Council endorsed a package of interim recommendations by the independent-led Governance Working Group. 

A key commitment of World Rugby Chairman Sir Bill Beaumont and Vice-Chairman Bernard Laporte’s election mandate was the wide-ranging governance review. Its core objective is to strengthen the effectiveness and agility of the international federation’s governance structures to further reflect and serve the universality and diversity of a growing sport and support robust and decision-making processes for a growing global game.

Chaired by British Olympic Committee Chairman and former UK Olympics and Sports Minister, Sir Hugh Robertson, the Working Group comprises independent experts, union and regional representatives and player representation from emerging and established rugby nations, with a broad range of experience and expertise.  

Within the interim report, seven recommendations have been published that will underpin meaningful reform, while the Working Group has also identified four focus areas for further consideration during the second phase. 

The African football governing body had cancelled out outgoing president, Ahmad Ahmad for reelection into the CAF top hierarchy.

The announcement was published on the website on Thursday.
 
Less than 24 hours after the revealing publication, the statement which appeared on the letterhead of the body was no longer accessible as it appeared to have been deleted from the website.
 

Issah Abass has moved on loan from Mainz 05 to FC Twente for the remainder of the 2020/2021 football season.

The exciting attacker after returning to the German Bundesliga club last summer after his loan deal with FC Utrecht expired hoped to play a bigger role for the team this season.

Mrs Abigail McKorley, wife of Dr. Daniel McKorley, Chief Executive Officer of McDan Shipping has pledged to support the initiative to create awareness on women’s football in Ghana.

The tennis enthusiast believes all girls and women should be involved in some form of sports.

Mrs. Abigail McKorley who is also CEO of Beebies Events has commended the organisers of the upcoming Extravaganza scheduled for the McDan Park at La on Saturday, January 9, 2021.

The eFitness industry in China has thrived in 2020, driven by the increasing number of Chinese pursuing a healthy and active lifestyle even amid the COVID-19 outbreak. The QuestMobile data revealed that as of February, the number of monthly active users of sports and fitness apps hit almost 90 million, a 93% jump compared to the same month a year ago.

The BigData Research showed around 64% of Chinese used these apps at least once a week. About 13% of respondents stated they used them two to three times a week, and another 3% used them four times or more. 

Statistics show that the fitness program app, Keep, represents the most popular sports app in China with 13.1 million monthly active users, double that any other app in the category. The app built its success on the combination of Instagram-style social media and e-commerce functions. Besides sports enthusiasts, companies and brands also benefit from Keep by promoting their sales in the app's own sports store and creating social campaigns in the community space.

International Sports Press Association (AIPS) (https://www.AIPSmedia.com) received 377 submissions from Africa for the third edition of the AIPS Sport Media Awards, as the continent increased its participation by almost 20 per cent with 34 countries represented. Africa broadens its participation presenting new countries - Burkina Faso, Namibia, Sierra Leone and South Sudan - to the international stage.

This rewarding feedback comes after several AIPS initiatives that have been warmly welcomed by the African continent: the launch of the AIPS e-College, the AIPS World e-Conference, etc. Nigeria is the most represented country with 82 submissions in total.

The third edition of the AIPS Sport Media Awards amassed a record of 1871 submissions (in 34 different languages) coming from 129 different countries.

With all continents represented, this edition highlights the remarkable resilience and importance of sports journalism amid the coronavirus pandemic, touching on local and international stories that dominated headlines between October 2019 and November 2020.

The AIPS Sport Media Awards team would like to thank all participants for their interest in these difficult times. Certificates were sent to all participants a few weeks after the submissions deadline.