Dubai Tourism has announced its partnership with renowned International DJ and producer David Guetta to host the Dubai Edition of charitable the concert tagged #UnitedAtHome, slated for 6th February 2021.

The charity concert is aimed at supporting UNICEF and Dubai Cares’ campaign ‘Education Uninterrupted’ an initiative targeted at education and distance learning for children, students and teachers in the aftermath of Covid-19.

Ranked world’s #1 DJ in 2020, David Guetta, a French superstar and Dubai resident will deliver an eclectic performance, inviting millions of fans worldwide to come together for the online event at Dubai’s legendary a landmark in a show of solidarity, hope and optimism, as the world continues to battle the pandemic.

Set against the backdrop of Dubai’s beautiful sunset, fireworks and indomitable spirit, the stunning production of music and lights will see the iconic Burj Al Arab Jumeirah helipad transformed into a DJ booth for an incredible virtual concert streamed via David Guetta’s social media platforms, free of charge.
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The embattled Ahmad Ahmad was suspended by FIFA Ethics Committee in November 2020, on grounds of ethical misconduct.
 
He was banned from all football related activities within the continent and international space which barred him from further parading self as president of CAF and a FIFA Vice-president.
 
The Court of Arbitration for Sports, the highest sports legal body, ruled last Friday, after 61-year-old Ahmad had appealed, issuing a preliminary decision suspending the effects of a five-year FIFA ban imposed on him.
 
"Due to a risk of irreparable harm for Mr Ahmad if the disciplinary sanction is maintained during the period prior to the Caf elections, the Cas panel has upheld the request to temporarily stay the effects of the [FIFA ban]," CAS said in a statement.
 
The ruling now empowers Mr Ahmad, howbeit temporarily, to take back office as CAF president. It also reinstates him as a FIFA vice president, but still, does not allow him stand for reelection at the upcoming CAF elections on March 12, in Rabat, Morocco.

The President of the Sierra Leone Football Association (SLFA), Madam Isha Johansen has been declared eligible to stand for the position of member of the FIFA Council, according to an official FIFA correspondence to Madam Johansen on Tuesday 26th January 2021. 

FIFA confirmed that incumbent SLFA President, Madam Isha Johansen who will also be standing for a second term mandate for SLFA presidency had passed integrity and eligible to stand for the position of member of the FIFA Council . 

Madam Johansen reportedly went through a very stringent eligibility and integrity test by the independent FIFA Review Committee. 
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Paule Ella Guei has had to overcome many challenges on her journey to becoming a referee for the Ivorian Rugby Union (FIR). Laughed at for officiating men’s games, she had to develop a thick skin - and was rewarded for her efforts by being selected as a Rugby Africa (www.RugbyAfrique.com) ambassador, and one of 12 Unstoppables on the continent.

Now, Guei has an even greater accolade to her name, with the distinction of an Ivorian Sports Awards Sports+ recognising her efforts to develop rugby in Côte d'Ivoire.

“This award is the proof of the hard work we put in every day for the promotion of gender through rugby,” says Guei. “It is a symbol of the recognition of women's rugby as a discipline to be supported and included into all athletic activities and events. With this award, we have succeeded in positioning women's rugby, which used to go unnoticed, into the list of sports that are worth keeping an eye on in Ivory Coast.”

Breaking down barriers

The award marks the end of a challenging but triumphant year for the dedicated ambassador who refused to let even the disruption of a global pandemic put a stop to her mission to break down stereotypes.

When lockdown restrictions relegated sporting activities to online and personal training programs, Guei also used the opportunity to advance and prepare for a groundbreaking national "Break Down Barriers, Experience the World of Rugby" tour.

The tour, initiated in collaboration with the Ivorian Rugby Federation, is an extension of the highly successful Ivory Coast Rugby Project, which promotes the development of women rugby players in Ivory Coast.

The ‘Break Down Barriers’ tour has several objectives that include and go beyond promoting and supporting women’s rugby, with a focus on advancing the conditions that will allow the women and girls to indulge their passion for the sport. These include recognising and responding to the challenges experienced by the various clubs, providing guidance and creating a climate of trust to stimulate social interactions.

“This tour definitely has had a considerable impact on the girls, because many of them have been able to better deal with the gender stereotypes women in rugby face every day,” affirms Guei. The success of the tour, she adds, is evident in the increase in the number of registered players and the girls’ expressed desire to meet with officials again. “In their eyes, we are a source of inspiration, motivation and self-esteem. Their feedback has truly moved us and pushes us to work harder, and to devote ourselves to the project even more. What a great victory!” she enthuses.

Nigerian football was again thrown into mourning on Thursday after news broke of the death of former Nigeria senior team goalkeeper and one-time assistant coach of the Super Eagles, Joe Erico.
 
Family sources said the flamboyant trainer of trainers and respected nurturer of talents complained of body pain and was treated for malaria, only to be found dead in his bed at dawn on Thursday.
 
Born Joseph Bassey Eric in the Odukpani local government area in what is today known as Cross River State, Erico belonged to the cast of the very best goalkeepers in the history of Nigeria’s senior team, and served at the same period as the revered Emmanuel Okala and Eyo Essien.
 

Japanese cabinet minister Taro Kono has admitted a decision on the holding of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and Paralympics "could go either way" as the coronavirus pandemic continues to leave doubts hanging over the Games.

Kono, Japan's administrative and regulatory reform minister, spoke at the Reuters Next conference amid concerns that the coronavirus pandemic could prevent the Games from going ahead.

He said the country is still continuing efforts to host the delayed Games, set to open on July 23, but admitted it was far from certain that the event would go ahead.

Earlier this month, a state of emergency was declared in Tokyo in a bid to curb a spike in coronavirus cases in the Japanese capital.
Tokyo today reported a total of 1,502 new cases, with the nationwide figure hitting 6,566.

Ghana’s top weight lifter Christian Amoah is excited to be rated at number 4 in the current Commonwealth Games list of category 96 kg athletes.

On top is Canadian Boadv Santavv (CAN), with Don Opeloge (SAM) at second and Vikas Thakur (IND) taking the third place.

Christian Amoah (GHA) who is at the fourth position says he is happy to be in the best 25 weight lifters in his division and the position will inspire him as he trains towards the upcoming Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has advised National Olympic Committees (NOC) including the Ghana Olympic Committee (GOC) to hold their elections after the Tokyo Games.

In a letter dated April 23, 2020 to all Presidents and Secretary Generals signed by James Macleod, Director of NOC Relations and Olympic Solidarity, he said:

Following the rescheduling of the Olympic Games, Tokyo 2020, which will now take place from 23 July to 8 August, 2021, we understand that, among the many implications of this postponement, the election cycle of your NOC may be affected, since most NOCs usually hold their regular elections during the year following the Games of the Olympiad.

The circular letter aims to provide guidance to the impacted NOCs (ie those NOCs whose quadrennial elections are (or /were) due to take place between August 2020 and August 2021 in order to best address the issue at their respective levels.

Thirteen Olympic sports, two non-Olympic sports and three individual votes have agreed to the resolution of The Gambia National Olympic Committee (GNOC) board to postpone the NOC’s elective congress until after the Olympic Games in August.

Two associations voted against the resolution to postpone the elections.

Four Olympic sports and six non-Olympic sports did not submit their votes.

Under the GNOC constitution Olympic sports have two votes while non-Olympic sports have one vote. Vie virtue of such the resolution to postpone the elections until after the Games holds.

Ghana born, Rida Haisam was the breakout star at the just ended IBJJF USA National Tournament bagging a gold medal in the super heavyweight division and coming in third place in the absolute division.

Blessing Oborududu displayed sheer dominance and supremacy to clinch gold at the Baraza Champion of Champions tournament in Yenagoa on Sunday, brushing aside her opponents in emphatic fashion on a day Aminat Adeniyi, Ekerekeme Agiomor and Soso Taramau also dazzled their way to the top prize at stake in their respective weight classes.
 
Commonwealth champion Oborududu showed why she is ranked No. 2 in the world in the 68kg class with a ruthless 11-0 technical superiority win against 2-time African champion Hannah Reuben in her first bout, before similarly overpowering Biogos Ebi 10-0.
 
The 10-time African champion needed just two minutes to subdue Rachel Eke of Ondo State 12-0 via superiority to land the coveted gold medal, and afterwards, could not hide her excitement following her return to competition for the first time in almost a year.
 
“I want to really appreciate God for giving me the strength to wrestle today,” an excited Oborududu said after her impressive win. “And for the fact that we have not been active for almost a year, you know, there is that joy and anxiety in you that makes you want to wrestle.
 
“My opponents said I was taking it too hard on them. That is how I feel, I just want to wrestle all out.
 
“I feel so great, I can’t wait to go to the Olympics.”

The Chief Executive Officer for Dons Boxing Promotion, Michael Nii Yarboi Annan, has called for the establishment of a television station that would solely telecast boxing bouts in the country.

Mr. Annan said this is the only way Ghana can develop the game and put the nation on the world map again through boxing.

The CEO made the call in an interview with Onua TV’s ‘Agro Fie’ while discussing boxing development in Ghana.

“It is possible we will need a TV backing. We will have to set up our own TV station that will telecast our bouts and we will do that to promote boxing in the country”, he explained.

Kenya is looking to send more boxers to the 2021 Tokyo Olympics Games as the team intensifies its preparations ahead of the qualification round in Paris in June.

The boxing team, popularly known as the “Hit Squad”, is currently undergoing training in Nairobi with an aim of getting more slots compared to the three the country secured in the 2016 Rio Games.

In Rio, welterweight Rayton Okwiri, flyweight Peter Mungai Warui, and bantamweight Benson Gicharu were Kenya’s representatives and were eliminated in the qualification rounds.

ASM Magazine January 2021 edition comes packed with tickling stories that you would love to read and not miss. Available for free through the link: https://view.joomag.com/january-2021-asm-magazine-vol-ii-issue-i/0693003001610869878?short&​
 
This edition is dedicated to Senegalese wrestling’, the pathway to dreams of stardom and riches for the young. It covers other top stories and special reports from 2020.

World number two Odunayo Adekuoroye lived up to her high billing, ruthlessly claiming gold at the maiden Baraza Champion of Champions wrestling tournament in Yenagoa, even as favourites John Ogbonna and Welson Ebikewenimo triumphed on Day 1 of competition on Saturday.
 
Competing in her first bout in almost a year, reigning Commonwealth champion Adekuoroye showed no sign of rustiness, cleverly and masterfully brushing aside her three opponents in the 57kg class to land gold.
 
The 6-time African champion defeated Patience Kakaga and Esther Kolawole, who stepped up to 57kg, 10-0 via technical superiority, before finishing off Aboje Isioma of Delta State 2-0 via pinfall inside the first round.
 
Having being away from competition for almost a year, the Ondo-born wrestler hailed the president of the Nigeria Wrestling Federation (NWF) Hon. Daniel Igali for coming up with the tournament.
 
“Kudos to our President for organizing this competition,” she said. “Because if you are just training, training and acquiring knowledge without being to competition, I think it is meaningless.
 
“The competition here has really added value to our wrestling and preparation for the African Championships and Olympic qualifiers as well.”
 

The maiden Champion of Champions invitational tournament which got underway in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State on Friday will now be known as “Baraza Champion of Champions Wrestling Tournament”.
 
This follows a substantive sponsorship agreement reached between the Nigeria Wrestling Federation (NWF) and the popular Yenagoa-based Baraza Multipurpose Co-operative Society.
 
As part of the terms of the agreement, Baraza have decided to, a large extent, bankroll the tournament, hence, the change of name.
 
Every other aspect of the 4-day tournament remains sacrosanct.
 

Former Ivory Coast international Didier Drogba has confirmed that he and his wife, Lalla, have divorced after 20 years of marriage.
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The couple have been together for two decades, having officially tied the knot in a colourful ceremony in 2001.

However, there were rumours that they were having some misunderstandings in recent months, leading to their divorce.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino arrived in Yaounde on Friday morning ahead of start of the Total African Nations Championship (CHAN), Cameroon 2020.

Interim CAF President Constant Omari met Infantino on arrival at the Nsimalem International Airport ahead of Saturday’s start of the tournament for home-based players in Africa.

Hugues Fabrice Zango is used to breaking barriers. The 27-year-old triple jumper has been making history for Burkina Faso for several years, setting national and African records and racking up a collection of medals from major championships.

But Zango has now achieved another ‘first’ – and this one isn’t just a national milestone; it’s a global one.

At an elite jumps-only meeting in Aubiere on Saturday (16), Zango bounded out to a world indoor triple jump record of 18.07m*, becoming the first man to surpass 18 metres indoors.

His previous best, an outright African record of 17.77m, was set indoors in Paris last year and placed him equal fourth on the world indoor all-time list, just 15 centimetres short of the world indoor record set by his coach, Teddy Tamgho of France.

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.
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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.