There is no doubt that 2020 has been a hugely challenging year. I do not think any of us could quite have anticipated the scale and impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, which continues to influence every one of us. 

Despite the ongoing turmoil, I have been proud of the way that the Commonwealth Sport Movement has adapted under these difficult circumstances. 

Although it has not been possible to be together in person, I am delighted that we have been able to communicate virtually to achieve some notable successes.

We have continued to support the Birmingham 2022 Partnership in preparing, for what I am sure will be an outstanding Commonwealth Games.

Of course, there have been challenges for the event, most notably a significant number of rescheduled major events moving to a hectic sporting calendar in 2022. However, an innovative and collaborative approach has enabled a minor 24-hour shift in the start date to the Games. 

This slight adjustment to the schedule, was the result of multiple collaborative discussions, between the leaders of some of the world’s major sporting events. It ensures Birmingham 2022 will now host two full weekends of Commonwealth Sport, whilst extending the rest and recovery period, for those athletes competing in the 2022 World Athletics Championships.  ​
​

Swedish Division One League side, FC Trollhättan has completed the signing of Ghanaian striker Frederick Ofori Acheampong, Modernghana Sports can report.

The former Unistar Academy forward last played for Swedish Division 2 outfit Västra Frölunda where he scored a number of goals.

On the back of his outstanding displays, his services have been secured by FC Trollhättan for the upcoming 2021 football season.

Mr. Ali Ajami, Marketing Director of Twellium Industrial Company Ltd has pledged his company’s support for Ghana Amateur Boxing and promised to refresh boxers, officials and guests at all events organized by the Ghana Boxing Federation (GBF).

After refreshing patrons at the Special Fight Night in honour of the late former President J.J. Rawlings, Twellium were on hand again on Boxing Day, December 26 to support the Special Juvenile Tournament staged by Besesaka Boxing Projects.

Mr. Ali Ajami, who has been appointed as a Goodwill Ambassador of the United Nations youth in Ghana said Ghana Boxing is a great brand, and they are proud to be associated with Ghana Boxing and hope Ghana wins a medal at the Olympic Games.

Ghana midfielder Thomas Partey has returned to training with Arsenal following his recovery from injury.

Partey has been unlucky with injuries since joining the Gunners in big money move from Atlético Madrid in the summer.

Dear colleagues, friends, members of National Federations and all boxing fans!

I sincerely wish you a Happy New Year!

The outgoing year has been challenging for the whole world, including our boxing community.

The pandemic has made adjustments to our plans, but we have passed all the tests with dignity.
​

The jury of 108 players who competed at the World Tour in 2020 rewarded the 29-year-old Latvian after a stellar season, which saw him win 2 individual awards (Doha Masters and Jeddah Final MVP) and 3 team trophies with Team Riga (Hungary and Doha Masters, Jeddah Final). 

Miezis elevated his game in the money time this season. He led all players on the Tour with 3 different Tissot buzzer beaters (nobody else had more than one), including one for the ages to defeat Liman in the championship game in Jeddah.

Davidson Owumi will replace Nduka Irabor as Chief Executive Officer of League Management Company (LMC), organiser of the Nigeria Professional Football League.

The former Nigeria international and current General Manager of Enugu Rangers was approved as CEO-designate by president of Nigeria Football Federation, Amaju Pinnick.

Owumi is expected to resume office after the annual general meeting of the LMC.

Nduka Irabor, who was first chairman of the body before becoming CEO, resigned from the position months ago.

“The LMC has started the new season on a positive note, putting their best foot forward with the telecast of the matches on NPFL.TV and some star games on NTA. The excitement is back and the spirit is right. It is the right time to bring in a class act like Owumi to help in steering the ship in the sterling direction that it has assumed,” Pinnick said on Wednesday.

The Eexcutive Committee of the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, met on Monday, December 28, 2020, to deliberate on matters surrounding the football in the going year and plan for coming 2021.

In  a communique circulated on Tuesday night, the NFF reached some major agreements affecting the local leagues, the Super Falcons and women football, and the youth teams.

It mandated the League Management Company, organisers and administrators of the Nigeria Professional Football League to "to offset outstanding entitlements of match officials and Members of the Referees Appointment Committee once it receives the first tranche of payment from partners, Redstrike."

The country's senior women national football team, Super Falcons, will participate in a tournament in Turkey and two-match tour of Morocco, as a way of keeping them busy in the coming year since the African Women Championship has been moved to 2022.

The Executive Committee resolved to allow the U17 Boys National Team, Golden Eaglets, to participate in the upcoming WAFU B Tournament with a view to qualifying for the 2021 Africa U17 Cup of Nations, as it sees the youth tournaments as developmental programmes for the purpose of discovering talents for the senior teams.

The winners of the prestigious ICC Awards of the Decade including the Rachel Heyhoe-Flint for Best Female Player and Sir Garfield Sobers for Best Male Player, were announced simultaneously across all ICC Digital channels, as well as the Star Sports Network, on Monday, December 28.

• Virat Kohli wins the Sir Garfield Sobers Award for ICC Male Cricketer of the Decade
• Ellyse Perry wins the Rachael Heyhoe-Flint Award for ICC Female Cricketer of the Decade
• Steve Smith is ICC Men’s Test Cricketer of the Decade
• Virat Kohli is ICC Men’s ODI Cricketer of the Decade
• Ellyse Perry is ICC Women’s ODI Cricketer of the Decade
• Rashid Khan is ICC Men’s T20I Cricketer of the Decade
• Ellyse Perry is ICC Women’s T20I Cricketer of the Decade
• Kyle Coetzer is ICC Men’s Associate Cricketer of the Decade
• Kathryn Bryce is ICC Women’s Associate Cricketer of the Decade
• MS Dhoni wins ICC Spirit of Cricket Award of the Decade

Virat Kohli, who had scored 20,396 runs in all international cricket during the time period, which is more than anyone else, was also part of team India that won the ICC CWC 2011 and ICC Champions Trophy 2013. He was also named ICC Cricketer of the Year in both 2017 and 2018, so it was no surprise that he emerged as the clear jury favourite with winning the Sir Garfield Sobers Award for ICC Male Cricketer of the Decade.

All-rounder, Ellyse Perry was a clear favourite in the Female Cricketer of the Decade category and won the Rachael Heyhoe-Flint Award, as she had scored 4,349 runs with four centuries and took 213 wickets in all international cricket during the decade – which was also the most wickets taken by any player. Perry was also part of the Australian team that won ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup in 2013 and ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in 2012, 2014, 2018 and 2020 and also won the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Award for leading Women’s Cricketer in 2017 and 2019. She also went on to win the ICC Women’s ODI Cricketer of the Decade as well as the ICC Women’s T20I Cricketer of the Decade.

Kohli was also awarded the ICC Men’s ODI Cricketer of the Decade, whilst Steve Smith bagged the ICC Men’s Test Cricketer of the Decade for scoring 7,040 runs in 69 Tests in the period at an average of 65.79 with 26 centuries. He was also named the ICC Player of the Year in 2015 and ICC Test Player of the Year in 2015 and 2017. In the MRF Tyres ICC Test Player Rankings, his points tally was of 947 at the end of 2017 which is the second-highest in the history of the ICC Test batting rankings history.

Rashid Khan took home the ICC Men’s T20I Cricketer of the Decade award, for taking 89 wickets at an average of just 12.62 apiece with an economy rate of 6.14 runs per over in 48 matches during the decade. These are more wickets than anyone else despite starting in 2015. He went on to become the first bowler to take four wickets in four balls in T20I cricket when he performed the feat against Ireland at Dehradun in 2019. He is also the fastest bowler to reach 50 wickets in T20I cricket in terms of time, taking just 2 years 20 days to reach the landmark.

MS Dhoni won the ICC Spirit of Cricket Award of the Decade, chosen by fans unanimously for his gesture of calling back former England batter Ian Bell following a disputable runout at Trent Bridge in 2011. 

Najat Norley Lokko, an 11 year pupil of Happy Days Academy at James Town, was adjudged the best female boxer at the exciting and well organized Besesaka Amateur and Juvenile Boxing Tournament at the Bukom Square on Boxing Day December 26, 2020.

Fighting on the weight of 39kg, she defeated all her opponents and emerged as the Best in her category, she did not only win but displayed real boxing artistry and mastery footwork.

She was presented with prizes including a trophy and products from Twellium Industrial Ltd Ghana, producers of Rush Energy and other drinks.

With reading and cooking as her hobbies, one may ask how she became a boxer.

But her dad, Coach Carl Lokko will be the best person to answer, and he says it is in the blood.

Brazilian midfielder, Fabio Dos Santos Gama, played his first competitive match  for Asante Kotoko on Sunday afternoon when they drew 1-1 with Medeama SC in the Ghana Premier League at the Akoon Park at Tarkwa to clear an outstanding match.

Prior to the start of the game, Asante Kotoko interim coach Johnson Smith named new signing Fabio Gama on the substitute bench.

Super Featherweight, Seidu Issufu Yusuf of Akotoku Academy has fought twice as a professional boxer and won all.

His last fight was against Joshua Owusu at the Idrowhyt Events Centre on Boxing Day, December 26, 2020 where his power punch nearly sent his opponent to the hospital.

The Idrowhyt Events Centre at Akukor Foto, Dansoman offered a unique serene and exciting atmosphere on December 26 as they staged their first boxing show dubbed “Boxing Day Rumble” with a few special guests and VVIPs in attendance.

Former IBF, IBO Bantamweight Champion of the world, Joseph “King Kong” Agbeko was on the bill to boast the Ghana Boxing brand and he displayed marvelously to the admiration of all present.

Agbeko, 41, (38-5-0) dismissed experienced Albert Commey with a round 5 KO in their Super Flyweight contest to announce his preparation for another crack at a world title.

The package put up by Cabic Promotions in collaboration with Box Office and Aborigines Promotions saw former WBO Africa Super Welterweight Champion, Patrick Allotey overwhelming Voltarian Victus Kemavor to force his corner to throw in the towel in the second round.

CAF has confirmed the African Nations Football Championship (CHAN) in Cameroon to take place with fans allowed into the stadia with COVID-19 measures implemented.

Initially scheduled to have taken place in April 2020, the tournament was postponed to early 2021 due to the ongoing pandemic. It is now set to run from January 16 to February 7 2021.

According to the Journal du Cameroon, the Sports and Physical Education Minister Narcisse Mouelle Kombi was informed of this decision during a working visit to the Amadou Ahidjo Stadium in Yaoundé.

Abdul Hayye Yartey, president and owner of Cheetah FC, a division two club based in Kasoa on Sunday, December 27, 2020 received accolades from renowned football administrators during the official opening of the Cheetah Direct Store.

The Cheetah Direct Store will now see fans of Cheetah FC patronising the club's replica jerseys, tracksuits, holes among other merchandise at the club's office in Kasoa in the Central Region.

According to the president of the club, Cheetah Direct Store will also embark on delivery service across the country.
​

Black Stars and Ajax superstar, Mohammed Kudus has paid a courtesy call on the National Chief Imam, His Eminence Sheikh Dr. Osman Nuhu Sharubutu while on a short holiday period in Ghana.

The Ghana international in the last summer transfer window sealed a sensational move from Danish Superliga side FC Nordsjaelland to the Dutch Eredivisie giants.

Lionel Messi has not broken Pele's goalscoring record for a single club and will have to score 448 more Barcelona goals to do so, according to a Santos club statement.

Messi scored his 644th goal for Barcelona against Real Valladolid on Tuesday last week, seemingly eclipsing the Brazilian great's long-standing record of 643 official goals for Santos.

However, the South American club released a statement on Sunday claiming the official tally stands at 1,091 goals, as the 448 scored in friendly matches should be counted.

Santos claim that "a goal against Transvaal (from Suriname) has the same value as a goal scored at Real Madrid, in the middle of the Santiago Bernabéu".

Barcelona captain Lionel Messi says he hopes to one day play in the United States but is unsure of his future when his contract runs out in June.

The Argentina forward, 33, can begin negotiations with overseas clubs in January.

Speculation over his future has been intense since he handed in a transfer request in August.

"I don't know what I'm going to do yet," Messi told Spanish television channel La Sexta.

Ghana Women’s Premier League team Halifax  Ladies FC have been renamed Berry Ladies FC following a change of ownership.
​
Gifty Oware Aboagye, a member of the ruling National Patriotic Party has successfully taken over the club and has renamed the club to Berry Ladies, ahead of the new season..

President of the Ghana Football Association Kurt E.S Okraku on Thursday, December 24, 2020 delivered a a touching Christmas message to members of the Association and the public at large. Read on for the full transcript:

Recounting 2020 as a challenging year

My dear colleagues in the football Industry. It is a privilege to come your way on this special occasion. On behalf of the Executive Council and the hardworking staff of the Ghana Football Association, I wish to thank you for your patience, loyalty and support in this challenging year of 2020. The year has presented us all with loads of challenges but I am particularly impressed by your show of solidarity, unity and sense of togetherness. To our stakeholders, I want to assure you that even though the year was full of problems and challenges. We started a big process of fixing the fundamentals of a sport as we journeyed to #bringbackthelove. Indeed, we have made good gains in this desire and it is no doubt, 2021 will be a better one.

Five new Committees were established under the adopted AIBA Constitution during the virtual Board of Directors meeting. In addition to four Committees standing in the Constitution - Disciplinary Committee, Ethics Committee, Athletes Committee and the Audit Committee - the directors created five new committees. These are: 

•  Coaches Committee - which will solve the issues of training of qualified coaching staff and develop methods of athlete’s preparation programs; 
•  Champions & Veterans Committee - which consists most respected worldwide boxing veterans and champions who have achieved significant results and who are ready to share their experience;     
• Competitions Committee - which goal is to oversee the organization of AIBA events and to ensure that they meet all international requirements and standards;
• Women’s Committee - which aims to ensure gender equality in the boxing world; 
• Medical & Anti-doping Committee - which will ensure that athletes comply with all medical and anti-doping rules. 

The Committees will start their active work in early 2021. 

MTN Ghana’s People Management practices has received recognition at the third Africa Human Resources Innovation Award held in Accra. MTN carried the day by winning six prestigious awards which was also the highest to be received by any nominee at the event.

The awards received were; HR Innovation of the Year, HR Team of the Year (Gold), Outstanding Employee Retention Policy and Employer of the Year.

The awards were in recognition of MTN’s excellent HR practices and models, innovation and resilience in the HR space and many initiatives employed by MTN especially in this challenging year.

Renowned TV anchor Nana Aba Anamoah has donated various items to ‘Wonder Club’ Accra Great Olympics following their sensational start to the season.

Nana Aba stormed the training grounds of the ‘Wonder Club’ on Tuesday to make the presentation to the playing body.

The items include several bags of rice, bottles of drinks and water.

Accra Great Olympics took to their official Twitter handle and announced the presentation by the Diva.

"Like the wise men from the east, top fan @thenanaaba
"came by our training grounds with gold, frankincense and myrrh.
"She added rice and boxes of water too. Christmas treeHugging face".

Ghanaian sports Journalists who habitually write or talk about boxing have commended the Ghana Boxing Authority (GBA) for battling and surviving the fight against the Corona virus aka Covid-19.

After 10 months of no professional boxing bouts in Ghana, the boxing body has been able to support some promoters to come up with exciting bouts to climax the season.

The promoters and boxing gyms namely; Fight Ready Promotions, Errol Hawk Management, Seconds Out Gym, Bronx Gym, Wisdom Gym, Ace Power Promotions, Box Office Promotions, Cabic Promotions and Aborigines Promotions have all contributed to the survival and revival of professional boxing in the country.
​

President of the Ghana Football Association (GFA), Kurt Edwin Simeon-Okraku says the federation will offer its utmost support to the Black Satellites to prepare well enough for the 2021 U-20 Africa Cup of Nations in Mauritania.

He said this on Tuesday, December 22, when the Head Coach, Abdul Karim Zito led the technical team to present the WAFU Zone B trophy to him at the GFA headquarters in Accra.