Sports

6, December 2018

Ivory Coast to Biya: ‘We remain hosts of 2021 Nations Cup’ ⁰

The Ivorian Football Federation (FIF) insists neither they nor the Ivorian government have been informed by the Confederation of African Football (Caf) of a possible shift in their hosting of the Africa Cup of Nations in 2021.

The Ivorian Federation reacted to an interview Caf president Ahmad gave to Afrique Media TV on Monday when Ahmad said that Cameroon – stripped of the 2019 hosting rights – would replace Ivory Coast as hosts in 2021 and the latter would instead stage the 2023 tournament.

“We made this decision to shift, because we saw that Ivory Coast also is not ready for 2021. To do things in a more humane way, in 2021, the Cameroonians will be ready.

“And in 2023, we will organise the tournament in Ivory Coast. This is the decision taken by the Caf Executive Committee on November 30, 2018 in Accra,” Ahmad said.

A letter from Ahmad to the Cameroon President Paul Biya dated 30 November 2018, seen by BBC Sport, has also surfaced in Cameroon where Ahmad has invited Cameroon to host the 2021 Nations Cup.

However, FIF revealed in a statement on Tuesday, that it has written to Caf to remind the body of the decision it took in 2014, and said the “Federation deplores this way of proceeding.”

“It is reported that the Ivorian state authorities and the leaders of the Ivorian Football Federation have been approached by the Confederation of African Football (Caf) and that they would have been consulted on the recent decision taken by the Executive Committee of the said Confederation regarding the organisation of CAN 2021 which has been designated to the Ivory Coast, by the unanimous members of the Caf Executive Committee meeting in Addis Ababa in September 2014, following a successful bid,” the Ivorian Federation stated.

“The Ivorian Football Federation wishes to formally deny this allegation. No Ivorian state authority, nor any leader of the Federation, at any level whatsoever, has been contacted or approached by the African Football Confederation before taking this decision.

“In addition, President Augustin Sidy Diallo was in Accra to attend the final of the CAN Women and at no time was he informed by any leader of the African Football Confederation with regards to anything relating to this subject.”

Caf, which is still looking for a new host for the 2019 Nations Cup, has not made any official statement on the reported swap and some top officials told the BBC that only president Ahmad or the general-secretary Amr Fahmy can confirm this latest development.

Guinea, who were given hosting rights for 2023, would also be affected by this shift. Guinea, which has never hosted the competition, promised to use Conakry, Kankan, Labe and Nzerekore as venues.

Back in October, Ivory Coast Prime Minister Amadou Gon Coulibaly had laid the foundation stone of a brand new football stadium in Yamoussoukro as work commenced in preparation for the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations.

Hundreds of people were present at the site for the 20,000-capacity stadium in the political capital, which is expected to be one of six venues for the tournament.

Coulibaly promised a budget of 300 million euros ($345 million) investment in infrastructure in preparation of the country’s first hosting of the event since 1984.

Work on a separate 60,000-capacity stadium in Abidjan began in 2016, while other new grounds are scheduled at San Pedro and Korhogo, and the renovation of a major stadium at Bouake (40,000) is also on the agenda.

Source: BBC

4, December 2018

Modric beats Ronaldo, Messi to win Ballon d’Or ⁰

Luka Modric ended the long reign of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo by winning the Ballon d’Or for the first time on Monday, while another first saw Norwegian forward Ada Hegerberg win the inaugural women’s trophy.

Messi and Ronaldo had won every Ballon d’Or since 2008, and usually fought only each other for the greatest recognition among soccer’s elite. Women’s fight for recognition on the biggest stage took a big step with Hegerberg’s award.

Modric won the Champions League with Real Madrid and then guided Croatia to the World Cup final in July. The midfielder was voted player of the tournament. “As a kid we all have dreams. My dream was to play for a big club and win important trophies,” Modric said. “The Ballon d’Or was more than just a dream for me and it is really an honor and a privilege to hold this trophy.”

Ronaldo was second in the polling followed by France forward Antoine Griezmann. France’s teen star, Kylian Mbappe, was fourth. Brazil star Neymar was third last year but only 12th this time. Messi was fifth in the voting, having been runner-up to Ronaldo the past two years and in the top three every year since 2007. Modric had never previously been in the top three.

“2018 is a dream year for me,” the 33-year-old Modric said. “Throughout my career I realized hard work, persistence and belief in yourself in difficult moments are the foundations of success.” Modric’s father was shown on the big screen wiping away tears during the ceremony at the imperious Grand Palais in Paris.

Ronaldo missed out on a record sixth award, which would have moved him one ahead of Messi. The last player to win it before those two started dominating world soccer awards was Brazil midfielder Kaka with AC Milan in 2007.

Ronaldo also won the Champions League last season with Modric, before leaving to join Juventus. He scored a hat trick against Spain at the World Cup but he failed to make an impression when Portugal lost to Uruguay in the round of 16.

Mbappe and Griezmann scored in the 4-2 World Cup final win against Croatia. Mbappe earned a domestic treble with Paris Saint-Germain. Griezmann also scored twice for Atletico Madrid in the Europa League final win against Marseille.

France coach Didier Deschamps said a France player should have won the award. “They deserve it because of what they did with the national team at the World Cup and also because of the trophies they won with their clubs,” Deschamps said.

The 19-year-old Mbappe the youngest player since Pelé to score in a World Cup final won the Raymond Kopa Trophy awarded to the best young player. France Football magazine has been awarding the Ballon d’Or since 1956, and created a women’s award for the first time this year.

Hegerberg is a three-time Women’s Champions League winner with French side Lyon and scored a tournament-record 15 times last season. “I want to say thanks to France Football. It’s a huge step for women’s football,” Hegerberg said. “I want to end this speech with a message to all young girls in the world. Believe in yourselves.”

The outspoken 23-year-old Hegerberg said she won’t play for Norway at the Women’s World Cup in France next June. Taking a stand against what she describes as a lack of respect for female players in Norway, she hasn’t played for the national team since 2017 when it crashed out of the group stage of the Women’s European Championship without scoring a goal.

Speaking in an interview shortly before collecting her Ballon d’Or, Hegerberg told The Associated Press on Monday she has no plans to reconsider her decision taken to preserve her “authenticity and my values, as a person, as a footballer.”

“A lot of things need to be done to make the conditions better for women who play football,” she said. “It’s all about how we respect women’s football. I don’t think the respect has been there. “Sometimes you have to take tough decisions to stay true to yourself. I let them know, quite clearly, what I found wasn’t working.”

(AP)

4, December 2018

African Cup of Nations Looking for New 2019 Site ⁰

There have been mixed reactions in Cameroon after the Confederation of African Football (CAF) withdrew the 2019 continental soccer event-hosting rights from the central African state. The government has described the CAF decision as “total injustice” while some people say the suspension should act as an eye opener for the government to solve the crisis that has destabilized the English speaking regions for more than two years.

Night shift workers transport roofing material and seats to the Olembe stadium on the outskirts of Cameroon’s capital, Yaounde. It is here the government of Cameroon had announced the opening and closing matches of the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations would take place.

Olembe stadium on the outskirts of Cameroon's capital, Yaounde, Dec. 1, 2018. — Olembe stadium on the outskirts of Cameroon’s capital, Yaounde, Dec. 1, 2018.

Work supervisor Angel Thamin says they are working night and day so that the stadium should be ready by March 2019, three months before the official kickoff of the competition.

“For the main stadium, all the structure elements are here, almost a hundred percent,” he said. “When it comes to office ventilation as you can see, I mean, you know it is extremely advanced and the main stadium will be finished in terms of structures and as you can see now, it is not only foundations and columns, but you can see slabs that are ready.”

Issa Tchiroma, Cameroon government spokesperson and minister of communication says the government has instructed all companies working on infrastructure projects for the football feast to continue as if CAF had not stripped hosting rights from Cameroon.

Cameroon communication minister and government spokes person Issa Tchiroma says the decision to withdraw hosting right is total injustice.

“Cameroon has put in a creditable performance,” said Tchiroma. “It shall prove it to the entire world by completing with the same determination and on time, the construction of this modern infrastructure belonging to the Cameroonian people. Our country which has written the pages of African football in bold letters will not relent her effort in working with other African countries to develop football in our beloved Africa.”

Issa Tchiroma says Cameroon, a five-time African football champion, agreed to host the prestigious African event even though CAF decided to increase the size of the tournament from 16 to 24 teams without asking its opinion.

But during Friday’s extraordinary meeting of CAF’s executive committee in Accra, Ghana, the football body said the infrastructure was not ready. They also raised security concerns, especially in the restive English-speaking regions where armed conflicts have continued for more than two years, leading to the deaths of more than 1,200 civilians, fighters and military personnel, and leaving hundreds of thousands displaced.

Bepanda Stadium in Douala, Dec. 1, 2018.

Gladys Matute, a 24-year English-speaking Cameroonian says she is very okay with the decision to remove hosting rights from Cameroon until peace is negotiated in the restive regions.

“We cannot be hosting an event when we know that the two English speaking regions are not at peace,” she said. “They are killing people, so it is good for the president to come back and sit and talk with the Anglophone regions so that there should be some peace. Paul Biya should sit up and there should be some peace talks.”

Secondary school student Rose Ghani says she had expected CAF to withdraw the hosting rights a long time ago.

“We are not surprised because embassies have been refusing their citizens from traveling to Cameroon especially to the northwest and southwest,” she said. “And also we have the Boko Haram fight in the far north. Moreover, all the towns to host are suffering from insecurity. There is also fear that when the tournament will be going on the Ambazonian fighters might attack people in Yaounde.”

The 2019 finals will take place from June 15-July 13, a change from the traditional January period.

Cameroon had proposed five cities, Limbe, Bafoussam, Douala, Garoua and the capital Yaounde as competition venues.

CAF says it has initiated an urgent and open call for a new host.

Source: VOA

4, December 2018

Africa Cup of Nations Mess: Why it is weeping for Cameroonian business people ⁰

Two major hotels in Yaoundé that were due to host some foreign delegations had gone into a loan agreement with the government and were already carrying out extension works for better accommodation

Jarvis Bisong, a hotel manager in Yaoundé, secured a loan from a micro finance institution and started renovating his hotel ahead of the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) football tournament.
He said the renovation works to cost $17,000 (Sh1.7 million) were supposed to end by February, 2019.

“I knew that during the Afcon from June to July, I will recover the money and pay back the loan, but now that we [Cameroon] will no longer host the tournament, I am just confused,” he said.

Many hotel managers are now found in the same type situation like Jarvis, following the announcement Friday by the Confederation of African Football (Caf), withdrawing the hosting rights of the 2019 Afcon tournament from Cameroon.

Two major hotels in Yaounde that were due to host some foreign delegations had gone into a loan agreement with the government and were already carrying out extension works for better accommodation.

They groan over the news of the withdrawal of the hosting rights expressing worries over the loans they were supposed to pay back after making some brisk business during the month-long soccer competition.

The local organizing committee of the competition had selected 21 hotels in the five host cities to accommodate teams and delegations.

The group phase of the competition was due to be staged in five cities, namely Yaoundé, Douala, Bafoussam, Garoua and Limbe.

Yaounde and Limbe both hosted the 2016 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations.

In the transport sector, proprietors of inter-city bus agencies claim they had made huge investments by importing brand new buses to expand their fleet.

the Caf decision, they now weep that they will have to wait for two years to reap what they expected to recover in just a few months.

Stories abound of small and medium size enterprises, and catering services which will not go operational near the venues of the tournament due to the postponement.

According to senior analyst for Central Africa at International Crisis Group, Hans De Marie Heungoup, more than $1.1 billion (Sh110 billion) of investments had already been done in the country or scheduled in 2019.

One thing that was due to witness a hike in sales and consumption during the Afcon 2019 competition was supposed to beer as most Cameroonians cherish boozing which is indeed a way of life in Cameroon during such events.

Statistics by SABC, the Cameroon’s largest beer company, show that overall beer sales in Cameroon in 2015 are estimated at about 6,600,000 hl (660 million liters), including imports.

These figures were expected to see an increase next year with the organization of the Afcon.

The Tourism Industry in Cameroon was already envisaging a boom with thousands of visitors that were expected to come but it will not be the case again.

The number of visitors coming to Cameroon dropped since the outbreak of Boko Haram activities in the Northern part and with the recent separatist movement in the English speaking regions of the country.

The organization of the Afcon was going to change as thousands of visitors were expected to jet into the country for the football jamboree.

The African Cup of Nations is a big tournament which usually gives a boost to the economy of host countries.

Cameroon has lost this blessing which could have profited its limping economy.

Source: Daily Nation

4, December 2018

Biya and CPDM gang blamed for Africa Cup of Nations mess ⁰

There has been an outburst of reactions from football fans and analysts in Cameroon since the Confederation of African Football (Caf) officially announced it has stripped the five times African champions of the hosting rights for the 2019 African Cup of Nations (Afcon).

Caf said on Friday that Cameroon has not met a number compliance conditions and could not host he tournament.

While some fans suspect that some North African countries that were interested in hosting the tournament played behind the scenes to deprive Cameroon of the hosting right, others blame the lackluster attitude at which the government has been preparing for the game.

“The Caf decision is not a surprise as Morocco has been scheming to ensure the hosting rights are withdrawn from Cameroon in their favour,” said Ernest Nfor, a football fan, in Yaounde.

Yet, sports analyst Francis Ajumane said he saw it coming from the various Caf inspection missions that came to Cameroon. “Anthony Baffoe, Amaju Pinnick and Daany Jordan were in Cameroon months ago and I could tell from their body language all was not well despite their assurances to the press,” Ajumane said.

“It became evident when Caf postponed its decision back at the end of September due to Cameroon’s Presidential election.”

Ajumane admits that Cameroon was lagging behind in terms of construction at the various sites and tried to use diplomacy by bringing the Caf president to the country; which diplomacy apparently failed.

Sports journalist and editor-in-chief of This is Sports magazine, Franklin Sone Bayen said the socio-political climate in Cameroon is not conducive enough for the continental soccer jamboree to be staged.

“The Afcon withdrawal is shocking without measure for socio-political and socioeconomic reasons, though it should have been expected because Cameroon was falling short in infrastructure, and the sociopolitical climate is not conducive,” he said.

“It is a big blow to football fans though opponents of the president are happy because they consider that Afcon would have distracted attention from the Anglophone crisis and acrimony from recent electoral flaws,” Bayen said further.

Source: Daily Nation

2, December 2018

CAF president offers Biya regime chance to host 2021 Nations Cup ⁰

Just a few hours after stripping Cameroon of the rights to host the 2019 African Nations Cup, CAF president Ahmad Ahmad wrote to the country’s president Paul Biya proposing that it hosts the 2021 edition, Cameroonian media outlets reported on Saturday.

The CAF executive committee snubbed Cameroon on Friday, citing serious delays with its preparations in the midst of a violent separatist rebellion near two of the venues that are set to host the Nations Cup games.

“I would like, Mister President, to assure you, that seeing the efforts that you have already accomplished and in light of the importance of your personnel implication, CAF and its executive committee would be honored if Cameroon accepts to host the 2021 edition of the Africa Cup of Nations,” Ahmad reportedly said in a letter addressed to Biya and that was published by several Cameroonian media outlets.

The CAF chief also added that he believes that the 2021 tournament will allow Cameroon to “complete in comfort and safety, all the projects planned for this event.”

This offer comes as a consolation for the country that was stunned by the CAF decision, especially after Ahmad’s visit to Cameroon in October where he told Biya in front of reporters that “CAF has no Plan B, nor have we ever considered taking the Nations Cup away from Cameroon.”

The tournament is set to start in June. CAF have announced that a new bidding process will be opened and countries have until the end of December to submit bids.

Source: ahramonline

1, December 2018

Merci Beaucoup President Ahmad ⁰

Cameroon has been stripped of the right to stage the 2019 African Nations Cup finals, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) said on Friday. CAF confirmed the unanimous decision after a meeting of its executive committee in Accra. Morocco is the favourite to take over the hosting of the expanded 24-team tournament, which is being held from June 15-July 13.

The new host is expected to be named before the end of the year, a CAF executive committee member told Reuters. Cameroon’s ability to host the finals was first questioned when CAF announced in July last year that the tournament would have eight additional teams and only countries capable of putting on world-class tournament, with complete facilities and extensive infrastructure would be allowed to stage the event.

Morocco immediately said it was ready to replace Cameroon, beginning more than a year of claims and counter-claims that CAF intended taking the tournament away from Cameroon and giving it to the north African country.

CAF sent several inspection teams to Cameroon to check on the progress of the construction of five stadiums proposed for the tournament.

When CAF president Ahmad went to Cameroon in October he told the country’s President Paul Biya in front of assembled reporters: “CAF has no Plan B, nor have we ever considered taking the Nations Cup away from Cameroon.”

But last week he criticised Cameroon’s inability to regularise the affairs of its football federation, which has been under the control of a normalisation committee for more than a year while it struggles to adopt a new constitution and elect a new executive.

Next year’s Nations Cup will be the first moved to mid-year to end a long-standing clash between clubs and countries over the release of their players.

It will be the fourth successive Nations Cup to have a change of host. The 2013 finals were to be held in Libya but the security situation there meant they were moved to South Africa.

In 2015 Morocco had the hosting rights taken away after they expressed fears that travelling fans might bring in the Ebola virus and Equatorial Guinea stepped in with just six months to prepare.

The 2017 finals were originally due to be held in South Africa, but they had swapped with Libya, which was then also unable to host and Gabon took over.

Reuters

30, November 2018

Accra: Cameroon stripped off Africa Cup of Nations hosting rights ⁰

Reports indicate that Cameroon have been stripped off the rights to host the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon).

The hosting of the Afcon was part of the agenda in the Confederation of African Football (Caf) Extraordinary Executive Committee meeting held in Accra, Ghana on November 30.

Two reports that were central to the final decision regarding Cameroon were to be tabled namely; report of inspection visits of the security committee from October 27 to November 1 as well as a report of the inspection visit from November 11-15.

In October, Caf President Ahmad Ahmad visited Yaounde for a meeting with Cameroon President Paul Biya just days after Caf deferred the final decision on the hosting of next year’s Afcon.

At that time, a report by the last inspection team to Cameroon revealed “a significant delay as far as the delivery of infrastructure is concerned.”

Cameroon’s hosting of African football’s showpiece event has been in jeopardy for months since the decision to increase the tournament from 16 to 24 teams.

Caf will now give a one month window where countries interested in hosting the tournament will submit their official bids.

Morocco, who unsuccessfully bid for the 2026 Fifa World Cup, are likely to replace Cameroon as hosts. South Africa, hosts of the 2010 World Cup, could also be considered.

This will be the second time in recent times that Caf has stripped a country of hosting rights of a continental tourney. Kenya was declared unfit to host the Africa Nations Championships (Chan) in January this year. Morocco replaced Kenya as hosts.

Source: Daily Nation

30, November 2018

Samuel Eto’o inspiration made me choose Cameroon over Germany: Franck Evina ⁰

The Bayern Munich teenage prodigy dubbed ‘the Bavarian Hulk’ claims he rejected Germany for African champions Cameroon due to the inspiration of all-time record scorer Samuel Eto’o.

Franck Evina, 18, chose to represent Clarence Seedorf’s side instead of Germany earlier this month, inspired by Cameroon legend Samuel Eto’o.

Despite making his first-team debut for the Bundesliga champions this year and featuring for Die Mancshcaft’s U-18 side, the talented forward has opted four the country of his birth.

“It’s my love for Samuel Eto’o that spurred me to play for Cameroon,” Evina told BBC Sport.

“I’ve always admired him, he is a wonderful striker and I wanted to play like him. The thought of playing for Cameroon just like my role model was too attractive to ignore.

The robust forward, who has been nicknamed ‘The Bavarian Hulk’ by Munich-based press, was called up to Cameroon’s U-23 team for their fixture against Chad, but did not make his international debut.

“Watching Eto’o play for Cameroon was exceptional and getting to know that I can play for the Lions like him is incredible.

“It was never an easy decision because both nations have very competitive and talented teams,” Evina explained.

“But I believe joining Cameroon was the best choice for my career. Germany means a lot to me. I’m in one of the best clubs in the world and there’s a part of me that feels German.

“I spoke with my parents extensively on this and also spoke to [Niko] Kovac in Munich. They understood my worry and the coach asked me to make the best decision and I think this is the best choice for my career.”

Source: KICKOFF.Com

30, November 2018

Africa Cup of Nations 2019: D-day for Biya regime ⁰

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) will discuss Friday in Accra the staging of the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations following reports that host nation Cameroon’s preparations were in difficulties. AFCON The executive committee meets in the Ghanaian capital Accra on the sidelines of the Africa Women’s Cup of Nations tournament, an official of the Cairo-based told AFP.

A report of the last two inspection visits to central African state Cameroon will be made during the meeting. CAF inspectors recently travelled to the country, which last hosted the tournament in 1972, to check security, infrastructure, stadiums and accommodation. After the executive committee meeting, a decision whether Cameroon should continue as hosts of the June 15-July 13 African football showpiece is set to be made.

If Cameroon are rejected, CAF will have to launch a new application procedure to designate another host country for the biennial tournament first staged in Sudan 61 years ago. Morocco, who lost out to a United States/Mexico/Canada bid to host the 2026 World Cup, have regularly been reported as possible replacements for Cameroon. At a September executive committee meeting in Egyptian resort Sharm el-Sheikh, CAF noted “a significant delay in the realisation of the infrastructures” necessary for holding the Cup of Nations in Cameroon.

No plan B

However, CAF president Ahmad Ahmad declared the following month during a visit to Cameroon that his organisation “did not have a plan B. “CAF has never thought about withdrawing from the Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon… it depends on Cameroon,” he stressed after talks with head of state Paul Biya. In Sharm el-Sheikh, Cameroon Football Federation head Happi Dieudonne assured executives that “Cameroon would be ready” to organise the Cup of Nations. Cameroon is experiencing a tense security situation with persistent attacks by Boko Haram jihadists in the north and a conflict between the army and separatists in the two English-speaking regions.

The 2019 Cup of Nations will be the first to feature 24 teams — up from 16 at the 2017 edition in Gabon. It will also be the first Cup of Nations played during June and July after the last CAF president, Issa Hayatou, refused to budge from the traditional January/February timetable. The January kick-off meant many Africans with clubs in the leading European leagues had to leave their clubs in the middle of the season for up to six weeks. Cameroon, as hosts, and 12 other countries, including record seven-time champions Egypt, have qualified for the 2019 tournament. The other 11 places will be decided during the final qualifiers in March.

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