News - AFRICAN SPORTS MONTHLY

TKR & Barbados Tridents prepare for crunch Hero CPL clash on Friday

6/30/2016

TKR Chief Mentor Jacques Kallis & Tridents Captain Kieron Pollard steeled for Port of Spain battle

Ahead of Friday night’s crunch Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) clash, Trinbago Knight Riders (TKR) Chief Mentor Jacques Kallis and Barbados Tridents Captain Kieron Pollard faced the media to look ahead to what is set to be an enthralling affair between the 2014 and 2015 champions.

Saudi Arabia elected as ICC’s 39th Associate Member

6/30/2016

Saudi Arabia was today unanimously elected as the International Cricket Council’s 39th Associate Member during its Full Council* meeting in Edinburgh on Thursday.

Saudi Cricket Centre (SCC) has been an Affiliate Member of the ICC since 2003 and, as per the 2014 census, boasts 4,350 cricketers and 80 dedicated cricket facilities. Recently, the SCC signed a lucrative three-year deal with MoneyGram, which is also one of the ICC’s valued partners. The SCC invested a large chunk from this sponsorship towards the staging of a domestic tournament in which 1,800 players from 106 clubs participated.

WAFA signs development partner

6/30/2016

Cocoa from Ghana, a Dutch-Ghanaian cocoa farming initiative, has been unveiled as the new shirt sponsor of the West African Football Academy (WAFA).

The five-year deal will see Cocoa from Ghana branding appear across the front of WAFA’s match day shirts and training kits.

Sponsorship boost for team SA

6/30/2016

The National Lotteries Commission (NLC) has confirmed its partnership with the SA Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC) in funding athletes and their programmes for Rio 2016 and beyond.

The sponsorship commitment, valued at R70m, will provide a much-need injection into addressing athletes' requirements in the lead up to the Rio Olympics.

Sundowns edge Enyimba to boost chances

6/30/2016

Goals from Leonardo Castro and Wayne Arendse saw Mamelodi Sundowns claim all three points against Nigeria champions, Enyimba thanks to a 2-1 win in their Group B Day Two clash on Wednesday at the at the Lucas Moripe Stadium in Pretoria.

The ‘Brazilians’ as the host are nicknamed came into the match confident of a win following their 2-0 away victory in Setif against Algerian side, ES Setif, which was nullified following the latter’s disqualification from the competition.

Banyana Banyana keeper signs overseas contract

6/30/2016

30 June 2016 – Roxanne Barker, the number one goalkeeper of the South African Senior Women’s National Team, Banyana Banyana, has signed a one-year contract with SC Heerenveen Vrouwen - this is a Dutch women's football club from in the women's Eredivisie.

The move comes just a few weeks before the squad leaves for Brazil to play in the 2016 Rio Olympic Games, which kick off in August.

She will join her new teammates almost immediately after the tournament.

Blessing Okagbare tops Africa’s women 200 meters ranking with blazing time in Stockholm, Sweden

6/30/2016

Racing against herself pretty much on Tuesday evening in Stockholm, Sweden, Blessing Okagbare won an invitational 200 meters race at the Folksam 2016 Grand Prix in a great time of 22.58 seconds to post her seasons best thus far for 2016 and also the lead time for all African women sprinters.

The Nigerian Sprint champion has been slowly building up towards the Rio Olympic Games where she will be amongst the major contenders for medals in the women’s 100 and 200 meters races and her race on Tuesday evening proved that she is well on her way to being that force that she has been working towards in Rio.

MLS Disciplinary Committee Decisions: Week 16

6/30/2016

NEW YORK (June 30, 2016) – The MLS Disciplinary Committee has found Montreal Impact midfielder Lucas Ontivero guilty of embellishment in the 52nd minute of Montreal’s match against Sporting Kansas City on June 25 (VIDEO). Ontivero has been issued an undisclosed fine for his actions.

Additionally, LA Galaxy defender Ashley Cole received a red card in the 90+ minute of LA’s match against San Jose Earthquakes on June 25. The MLS Disciplinary Committee has found Cole guilty of failing to leave the field in a timely manner after receiving his red card (VIDEO). Cole has been issued an undisclosed fine for his actions.

IMG INKS PARTNERSHIP WITH AIBA FOR WORLDWIDE TV RIGHTS OF JULY’S APB/WSB OLYMPIC QUALIFICATION TOURNAMENT IN VARGAS

6/30/2016

The International Boxing Association (AIBA) has agreed a partnership with IMG, the global leader in sports, media and events, for the sale and distribution of worldwide broadcast rights for the APB/WSB Olympic Qualification Tournament to be held in Vargas, Venezuela, from 3-8 July.

It will be the first AIBA event to benefit from the recent change in the AIBA statute, as ratified at its Extraordinary Congress on 1 June, allowing all professional boxers to participate in all competitions, including the forthcoming Rio 2016 Olympic Games. IMG will have global rights across all broadcast platforms, including gaming.

Former champions face a mountain

6/30/2016

© AFP

Former champions Al Ahly and Enyimba will have to play catch-up if they are to make the semi-finals of the CAF Champions League after they both lost their second group game out of two, leaving them without a point and at the bottom of their groups. Eight-time champions Al Ahly were stunned at home, while the two-time winners from Nigeria were beaten in South Africa by Sundowns.

Etoile Sahel held in feeble title defence

6/30/2016

Etoile Sahel of Tunisia were held 1-1 at home by FUS Rabat of Morocco Thursday as their unconvincing defence of the CAF Confederation Cup title continued.

Ahmed Akaichi gave the hosts a third-minute lead in Mediterranean resort Sousse from an offside position, slamming a rebound into the net from point-blank range.

As the Olympics approach, $1-million SWATCH FIVB World Tour Finals loom

6/30/2016

Kira Walkenhorst (left), one of the most dominant players at the net on the world tour, and partner Laura Ludwig slap hands during a match where the Germans posted their 15th-straight FIVB win Thursday against a Croatia team at the Porec Major

Porec, Croatia, June 30, 2016 - With the US$800,000 Porec Major the fifth of nine “big” events on the 2015-2016 FIVB World Tour calendar, it is time to start focusing on the season’s international finale where the planet’s best Beach Volleyball players will be competing for $1-million in prize money this September.

Young Mauritius setting bigger goals

6/30/2016

© AFP
Going into their final CAF Africa Cup of Nations 2017 qualifier against Mozambique in September, Mauritius have already been eliminated from the competition. But that does not mean the players will take it easy. Far from it.

“For us the last game is very important," Mauritius national coach Joe Tshupula told FIFA.com recently. "It is very important that we try to win this game. If we manage that, it would be the first time that Mauritius finished second in their qualifying group and it would auger well for the future.”

Host Cities to create a smoke-free environment

6/30/2016

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The creation of a tobacco-free environment during the 2018 FIFA World Cup™ and other major sporting events to be held in Russia was discussed in a conference held in Moscow on Tuesday 28 June. The event was organised by FIFA and the Russia 2018 Local Organising Committee (LOC) in partnership with the World Health Organisation (WHO). Major conference attendees included representatives of the Russia 2018 Host Cities responsible for developing sport, healthcare and setting up fan zones during the upcoming tournament.

Wasteful Medeama held at home in CAF Cup

6/30/2016

Woeful finishing cost Medeama of Ghana maximum points as they were held 0-0 at home by Mouloudia Bejaia of Algeria Wednesday in matchday 2 of the CAF Confederation Cup.

Some of the misses in Sekondi had to be seen to be believed with the home team failing to convert several scoring opportunities from just a few yards in front of an unguarded goal.

U17 Women's Games: Friday 1 July

6/30/2016

China v Spain, FIBA U17 Women’s World Championship, Zaragoza - C.D.M. Siglo XXI (Spain), Quarter-Finals, 29 June 2016

ZARAGOZA (2016 FIBA U17 Women's World Championship) - Here are Friday's five games to look forward to at the 2016 FIBA U17 Women's World Championship in Zaragoza including the Semi-Finals.

Madagascar to host first Zone 7 Beach Volleyball Nations Cup

6/30/2016

Mauritius won the 2012 Zone 7 tournament

Mauritius, June 29, 2016 - The first stage of the CAVB Beach Volleyball Nations Cup will be hosted by Madagascar from July 8-10, 2016 with the tournament set to welcome teams from the region.

The competition will take place in Soma Village Mahajanga, Madagascar with teams arriving on July 6.

Doege out to impress on the world stage

6/30/2016

Leonie Doege has already plotted a route through the group stage of the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup Jordan 2016, as she revealed exclusively to FIFA.com: "It would be great if we finish top of our group and meet Jordan in the quarter-finals."

The reason Germany’s 17-year-old goalkeeper is so keen for that particular showdown is quite simple: Doege's Bayer 04 Leverkusen team-mate and close friend Sarah Abu Sabbah is a Jordanian youth international. Both girls have been reluctant to talk about anything else since the draw for this summer’s finals was made in May this year.

Saint George crowned champions as curtains come down

6/30/2016

The curtains for the 2015/16 Ethiopian Premier League was brought down on Wednesday, 29 June 2016, as Saint George was decorated champions in front of an enthusiastic crowd at the Addis Ababa Stadium.

The capital-based club emerged champions of the elite division once again, for the 27th time and 13 since the 1997/98 season, when the league was restructured.

Thuso Phala Foundation Academy Players goes Techno

6/30/2016

The Thuso Phala Foundation (TPF) is pressing ahead with its double goal objective of empowering the youth on and off the field. A total of fourty (40) players from the Thuso Phala Academy have undergone the first phase of computer coding at the UNISA Florida campus.

The training is a result of the partnership between the TPF and the Africa Teen Geeks (ATG), a non-governmental organisation (NGO) that teaches school children computer programming.

The journey to Korea Republic begins

6/30/2016

There is less than 12 months to go until some of the world’s most talented young footballers convene in Korea Republic for the FIFA U-20 World Cup. However, while dreams of the finals may be forming in the minds of aspiring Diego Maradonas and Andres Iniestas, there is no time to have your head in the clouds.

The 23 remaining spots, joining hosts Korea Republic are set to start getting sewn up in the coming weeks, right through to March 2017, when the African contingent will be the final quartet to book their flights to east Asia. But, first up is Europe.

CPL secures broadcasting first for cricket with Facebook Live

6/30/2016

CPL COO Pete Russell says using Facebook Live has the potential “to change the face of cricket broadcasting”

All 34 CPL matches Live in 40 countries, including Pakistan & South Africa, starting with tonight’s opener
The Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) are delighted to announce that all 34 matches in this year’s CPL will be broadcast live on Facebook around the world, via Facebook’s official live streaming partner Grabyo.

Basketball Champions League clubs and draw date confirmed

6/30/2016

The Board also approved the official draw of the competition, which is to take place in Munich, on 21 July.

The Basketball Champions League made good on its promise and philosophy to deliver a competition based on sporting principles, with a total of 48 teams from 31 different European leagues, including 17 national champions being admitted to the inaugural season. From those the Board approved 24 clubs for a direct spot in the Regular Season. The remaining eight places will be determined through the Qualification Round.

Ekramy howler gifts ASEC victory

6/30/2016

A goalkeeping blunder by Al Ahly shot-stopper Sherif Ekramy gifted Ivorian giants ASEC Mimosas a shocking late winner in their Group A Day Two clash in Alexandria on Tuesday.

Ekramy fumbled with a harmless header from an ensuing counter by the Ivorians in the dying minutes allowing the ball to stroll through his legs for Armand Niamke to score the winner 10 minutes from time, as the Egyptians succumbed to their successive defeat at the group stage.

Angolan De Sousa looking for his chance with senior team

6/30/2016

Silvio De Sousa (ANG) - Angola v Canada. 2014 FIBA U17 World Championship, Dubai (United Arab Emirates). Day 4, Round of 16.

MADRID (2016 FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournaments) - With Yanick Moreira opting to pull out of the Angolan team for the 2016 FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament (OQT) in Belgrade, a number of newcomers are emerging and looking to earn their chances with the senior team.

While Gerson Domingos looks to be a solid and strong option at the guard position, Silvio De Sousa continues to increase the likelihood of filling the Angolans' front-court for the OQT.