The refusal of seven Cameroon players to play for their country in the 2017 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Gabon has once again brought about the controversy and related issues surrounding the timing of the African continental showpiece.

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Cristiano Ronaldo thinks 2016 has been the greatest of his extraordinary career. The 31-year-old, who is vying with Antoine Griezmann and Lionel Messi for The Best FIFA Men’s Player award, helped Real Madrid win the UEFA Champions League and FIFA Club World Cup, netting a hat-trick in a thrilling 4-2 victory over Kashima Antlers in the latter’s final. Furthermore, Ronaldo propelled Portugal to an unforeseen UEFA EURO conquest, and went joint-fourth on the list of the highest-scoring Europeans in international football history, behind Ferenc Puskas, Sandor Kocsis and Miroslav Klose. 

Black Stars new call ups GPL Goal Kng Latif Blessing and Nuru Sulley received massive applauds from hundreds of fans who thronged the Acqauinas Park to watch the maiden training of the team ahead of the 2017 Afcon.

The Liberty Professionals top striker and MVP of the Ghana Premier League proved his talent and skills on the ball just like Alanyaspor defender who was handed a late inclusion in the provisional squad of the Black Stars and displayed impressive performance which forced the fans to hail him.
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Sulley’s pair with Rashid Sumaila in one of the two teams that played an intensive seven-aside game was hugely lauded by all who came to watch the team train.

​As part of the end of year activities of the MTN Ghana Foundation, employee volunteers of MTN Ghana have distributed hampers worth GH¢36, 000 to over 200 babies born on Christmas day across the country.
 
The hampers, each comprising blankets, diapers, towels, shawls, bibs, toiletries, clothes and other baby essentials were distributed to mothers in 11 hospitals in four regions of Ghana. Mothers with multiple births were given additional hampers for each baby.
 

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2016 has been quite the year for Mamelodi Sundowns’ Hlompho Kekana. After a 2015/16 domestic title triumph in May, the South African midfielder was trusted with the club captaincy in August after the departure of former team-mate Ramahlwe Mphahlele. 

The Ghana Football Association (GFA) has taken a courageous decision to beef up the Black Stars technical bench, with Coach Sam Arday as a key introduction as part of efforts to excel at the Gabon 2017 Africa Nations Cup slated for January 14 to February 5.
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That was a fallout from a critical meeting between the Black Stars Management Committee and Coach Avram Grant held in Accra last Monday. Coach Arday, who is currently the chairman of the GFA Technical Committee, was considered a qualified candidate for that important position due to his wealth of experience as a veteran coach and has been part of the technical set-up of the Stars three previous World Cup campaigns in Germany, South Africa and Brazil.

Mamelodi Sundowns, who have already won honors this year, had more good news this week when it was announced that their goalkeeper, Dennis Masinde Onyango, has been ranked 10th in the world by the International Federation of Football History and Statistics (IFFHS) with five points.
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Onyango guided Masandawana to the PSL title in South Africa in May before helping Pitso Mosimane’s team to lift their first ever CAF Champions League title, after they beat Egypt’s Zamalek 3-1 on aggregate.

BAMAKO (FIBA AfroBasket Women 2017) - Five years ago, Mali had a disappointing FIBA AfroBasket Women campaign when finishing third as hosts of the tournament. 
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Now, things look a lot brighter and as they prepare to host the tournament next summer, the Malians are emerging among front-runners and have proclaimed themselves as candidates to win the trophy not only because of the home-court advantage but also because they currently have at their disposal some of most talented players in years.

Highly rated world class boxing referee Roger Nii Bonney Barnor feels he has done enough to be honoured by the Sports Writers Association of Ghana (SWAG).
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Speaking to Yours Truly in an exclusive interview Roger Barnor who was banned some years back in a controversial fight involving Emmanuel Tagoe was the center man when Tagoe beat South African Fana to annex the IBO Lightweight title in Accra.

22 players representing the transformed Black Stars of Ghana training under Israeli Coach Avram Grant have began their non-residential training from Wednesday at the St. Thomas Aquinas School Park at Cantoments in Accra.
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Coach Grant who has made some surprise call ups for players like hard working Former Accra Hearts of Oak defender Nuru Sulley, Top Scorer Raphael Dwamena, Goal King Latif Blessing, Former Asante Kotoko defender Rashid Sumaila and new sensation Bernard Terkpetey proves that really proves that he is putting the team together well and we should watch him.

Ghana Black Stars Coach Avram Grant on Tuesday paid a surprise visit to the Bronx Boxing Gym at Akoto Lante, near Bukom in Ga Mashie, Accra.
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Head Coach of the Gym, Coach Carl Lokko told Yours Truly he was not aware of the Grant’s coming to Akoto Lante, and it was a surprise Christmas Gift to the whole Gym made up of young budding talents and experienced world class boxers and champions like Richard Commey and Duke Micah.

Former athletics chief, George Haldane Lutterodt, has tipped Ben Nunoo Mensah, President of the Ghana Weightlifting Federation (GWF), as one of the persons who have the capability to lead the Ghana Olympic Commitee (GOC) when nominations open for elections in March next year.
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The man who dreaded the re-election of incumbent Professor Francis Dodoo said the President of the Ghana Athletics Association (GAA) had reduced the GOC and there is need for change for the better.

The board of the Ghana Boxing Authority GBA has visited some old boxing stake holders who have helped raised the image of boxing in Ghana back some time, but are now weak to function.
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The stakeholders visited were presented with some token, apart from Alhaji Shoomi.

Vernon Philander and Kyle Abbott found the St George’s Park pitch very much to their liking as they reduced Sri Lanka to 181 for seven on the second day of the first Test yesterday.
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South Africa’s new-ball bowlers blew away the Sri Lankan top-order to restore some of the Proteas’ Christmas cheer after their first innings had collapsed to 286 all out on the second morning, reducing the tourists to 22 for three before their lower-order hung around to prevent total obliteration.

​Photo Credit: safa.net


Interim head coach of the Sasol-sponsored Banyana Banyana, Desiree Ellis, has named a squad of 22 players to face France in an international friendly match scheduled for Sunday, 22 January in Saint-Denis, Reunion Islands.

​The tenth edition of the Sprite Ball Championship has started with full excitement from today December 28 at the El Wak Stadium in Accra.
Defending champion St. Augustine’s College opened the boy’s division in Group A with a 23-18 win over Presbyterian Boys Senior High School (PRESEC-Osu). Girls defending champions, Aggrey Memorial also beat West Africa SHS21-13. 

​2016 was an eventful year for 3x3 and we look at the 10 women who made the biggest impact this season. We’ll come back tomorrow with the 10 men who made 3x3 in 2016 and finish our trilogy on Friday with the 10 teams of the year.

​Africa Dream Project participants at Farafenni
 
Banjul, Gambia, December 27, 2016 – Gambia Volleyball Federation inspected three of the four Africa Dream Project centres in Banjul, Brikama and Farafenni over the weekend.
 
The Dream Project is an initiative of FIVB President Dr. AryS. Graça F°, aiming to bring Africa at the centre stage of world volleyball.
 

FAP Basketball v Groupement Sportif des Pétroliers, 2016 FIBA Africa Champions Cup for Women Final Round (MOZ), Maputo(Mozambique), Classification 5-6, 4 December 2016
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ALGIERS - Making their FIBA Africa Champions Cup for Women debut last month, GS Petroliers arrived in Maputo with low expectations but returned home with plenty of positives.

​Kenya is looking to professionalise beach volleyball
 
Lausanne, Switzerland, December 26, 2016 – Kenya has never had a professional beach volleyball player, prompting the Kenya Volleyball Federation to encourage schoolchildren to take up the sport as part of the federation’s strategy to professionalise the game, The Star newspaper has reported.

Schalke 04 striker Bernard Tepketey has been named in Avram Grant’s provisional team that will begin preparations for the Africa Cup of Nations in Accra.

Tepketey has only featured in one Bundesliga game this season but there is a lot of buzz around the the 19-year-old forward.
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Ghana’s Israeli coach Avram Grant has reportedly handed the young striker a chance to train with the team before he trims the team back to the required 23.

18 key players have been invited by Black Stars head coach Avram Grant to start preparations for the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations tournament in Gabon.
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The players who are currently in the country for Christmas holidays will start training on Wednesday 28 December at the St. Thomas Aquinas School Park. Reporting time is 3:30pm.

6 Kelvin Martin (GER) - MHP RIESEN Ludwigsburg v Stelmet Zielona Gora, 2017 Basketball Champions League, Ludwigsburg - MHP Arena(Federal Republic of Germany), Regular Season, 13 December 2016
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With 2017 fast approaching, we thought we'd reflect on 2016 and take a look back on the nastiest poster dunks of the Basketball Champions League so far.

Kumasi Asante Kotoko will lock horns with Aduana Stars in the Sports Writers Association of Ghana (SWAG) Cup next year.
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The organizers have named both Ghanaian top-flight sides to clash in annual competition.

Aduana Stars who placed second in the Ghana Premier League clinched this year's GHALCA FAB G6 tournament whiles the Porcupine Warriors placed third in the competition.

Former Ghana Under-20 star, Ibrahim Moro in nearing his nationality switch to Togo ahead of next month’s Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) billed to be staged in Gabon.
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The mercurial midfielder, who scored the only goal that won New Edubiase United the Ghana FA Cup in 2012, is set to meet some officials of the Togolese FA in France for his Passport which will make eligible to feature for the West African country.