Sports

9, August 2021

Olympic flag arrives in Paris ahead of 2024 Games ⁰

Mayor Anne Hidalgo returned to the French capital on Monday with the Olympic flag from Tokyo ahead of Paris’s turn to host the Games in 2024.

Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo brandished the Olympic flag after disembarking from the Air France flight that brought many of France’s Olympic medalists back to Charles de Gaulle airport.

Hidalgo, who formally received the flag Sunday during the Tokyo closing ceremony from International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach, told reporters the flag “is the symbol that now, really, the Paris Games are coming”, adding: They will be “very positive for our country”.

She said the Tokyo Games were “organised in very difficult conditions” because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

French organisers will stay in touch with Japanese counterparts to prepare for the Paris Games, including on security issues, Hidalgo added.

The Olympic flag will be raised at Paris City Hall later on Monday. A celebration will then take place at Trocadero square, which overlooks the Eiffel Tower, so that the public can welcome the French medalists home.

(FRANCE 24 with AFP)

6, August 2021

Football tsunami: Barca captain Busquets ‘trying to digest’ Messi departure ⁰

Barcelona captain Sergio Busquets said the shock of Lionel Messi leaving the Spanish giants had yet to sink in as he thanked the Argentine for all he’d done for the club on Friday.

The six-time Ballon d’Or winner Messi had been expected to sign a new five year deal with Barcelona on Thursday but instead, after 788 games, is leaving the club at the age of 34.

“I’m still trying to digest the news,” Busquets wrote on social media.

“I can only thank you for everything you did for the club and for those of us who were there with you over the years, me especially,” said Busquets, who played alongside Messi in midfield.

“I shared so many moments with you, nearly all good ones, and I was lucky to grow up alongside you over 13 seasons.”

“We will miss you.”

Messi had reached agreement with Barcelona to sign a five-year contract with the trade-off that he earn 50 percent less per year.

But La Liga’s financial fair play rules, which are expected to reduce the amount Barca can spend on salaries this season by some 200 million euros (235 million dollars), led Joan Laporta to conclude they were unable to afford the deal.

Paris Saint-Germain are expected to lead the chase for Messi but Manchester City, who attempted to sign him last year, could also join the bidding.

Source: AFP

6, August 2021

Enfin: Lionel Messi no longer a player with FC Barcelona ⁰

Argentine superstar Lionel Messi will not sign a contract extension with Barcelona, which he is leaving at 34 after more than 20 seasons in the Blaugrana shirt, the Catalan club announced Thursday.

“Although an agreement has been reached between Barcelona and Leo Messi (…) it will not be able to be formalized due to economic and structural obstacles (Spanish La Liga regulations),” Barca said in a statement, pointing to La Liga’s salary cap rules that would prevent the Argentine’s contract from being registered.

“Faced with this situation, Lionel Messi will not remain linked to Barcelona. Both parties deeply regret that the wishes of both the player and the club cannot be realized,” the club continued. “Barca wants to thank the player wholeheartedly for his contribution to the institution and wishes him the best for his personal and professional life.”

FC Barcelona thanking Messi

At the end of his contract last June, the six-time Ballon d’Or winner finds himself free to sign wherever he wants, a thunderous blow even as the Spanish press expected the agreement between the two parties to be concluded imminently.

– Financial difficulties –

Since the end of the disappointing 2020-2021 season, which ended with the only King’s Cup trophy on the shelf, the Catalan club has done everything to keep its jewel and chase away the Argentine’s desires for elsewhere, who had already expressed in the summer of 2020 his desires for elsewhere.

But the serious financial difficulties of Barça to stay within the limits of the financial fair play of the Spanish League, have been the reason for the operation, despite a monetary effort of the small Argentine striker, ready to divide his salary by two and to extend for five seasons according to the Spanish press.

The six-time Ballon d’Or winner, who just won the Copa America with Argentina, had become the player with the most appearances for Barça this season, ahead of the 767 appearances of the legend Xavi.

This shocking turn of events concerning one of the greatest players in history could upset the transfer market and the specialized press, before the Argentine star’s destination is known.

Last summer, Messi’s desire to leave the club caused a long drama, but the player finally decided to stay in Catalonia, despite the interest of Paris SG and Manchester City.

Source: Africa News

3, August 2021

Jamaica’s Thompson-Herah wins 200m to seal Olympic double ⁰

Jamaica’s Elaine Thompson-Herah made Olympic history in Tokyo Tuesday, blazing to victory in the 200 metres to complete an unprecedented women’s sprinting “double-double”.

Thompson-Herah, the 2016 Olympics 100m and 200m gold medallist who successfully defended her 100m title on Saturday, bagged a record fourth individual gold after storming home in a blistering 21.53sec.

Namibia’s Christine Mboma took silver in 21.81sec while the USA’s Gabby Thomas took bronze in 21.87sec.

The 29-year-old Thompson-Herah’s time was the second fastest in history after Florence Griffith Joyner’s world record of 21.34sec set at the drug-tarnished 1988 Seoul Olympics.

As well as becoming the first woman to claim a 100m-200m “double-double”, Thompson-Herah is the only female track and field athlete to win four individual Olympic golds.

Thompson-Herah got off to a blistering start, building a lead off the bend which she never relinquished.

It looked as if Thomas and Jamaica’s Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce would take the silver and bronze, but that duo were passed by a scorching finish over the final 20 metres from Namibian teenager Mboma who plundered silver.

Source: AFP

30, July 2021

CAF confirms date for Africa Cup of Nations draw in Cameroon ⁰

The 24 qualified countries for next year’s continental showpiece will learn their fates in Cameroon next month

The Confederation of African Football (Caf) has announced the draw for the 2022 Africa Cup of Nations will take place on August 17 in Cameroon.

The event which was initially postponed in June due to logistics related to the coronavirus has the draw scheduled for the Yaounde Conference Centre at 18h00 GMT with the 24 qualified countries to be drawn into six groups of four.

The 2022 Afcon is expected to start on January 9 until February 6 with five host cities confirmed for the biennial tournament.

“Caf together with the Local Organising Committee (LOC) of Cameroon announce that the draw for the final phase of the 33rd edition of the TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations, Cameroon 2021, will take place on Tuesday, August 17, 2021 at the Yaounde Conference Centre, Cameroon at 19h00 local time (18h00 GMT),” read a statement on the Caf website.

“The draw will see the 24 countries that will participate in next year’s TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations descend in the country ahead of the 9 January 2022 kick-off.

“Caf will release more information in due course including the draw procedure and special guests.”

The qualification series ended on June 15 after Sierra Leone pipped Benin 1-0 in Guinea to secure the last ticket to Cameroon and the second spot in Group L, behind Nigeria.

Host nation Cameroon are in Pot 1 alongside Algeria, Senegal, Tunisia, Nigeria and Morocco while Egypt, Ghana, Mali, Ivory Coast, Guinea and Burkina Faso are in Pot 2. In Pot 3, there is Cape Verde, Gabon, Mauritania, Zimbabwe, Guinea-Bissau and Sierra Leone. Sudan, Malawi, Comoros, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia and Gambia make Pot 4.

The tournament was first planned to take place between June and July 2021, but it was brought back to the January/February window in 2021 due to unfavourable climatic conditions in Cameroon. Caf was forced to move the tournament after the coronavirus pandemic disrupted economic activities and football’s calendar last year.

Source: Goal.com

27, July 2021

CPDM Crime Syndicate: Paul Biya Stadium contractor Magil stands by for an $89m lifeline ⁰

Initially led by the Italian Gruppo Piccini, the construction of the Paul Biya Stadium is now being handled by Magil construction.

The Canadian company Magil has been drawing on its own funds to carry out work on the Paul Biya Stadium, which is due to welcome the Africa Cup of Nations in January and February 2022. Now, it desperately wants to be paid.

The Biya criminal gang in Yaoundé recently pleaded for a suspension of interest payments on its sovereign debt with the right hand and with the left hand the regime called on the banks to loan it more money to enable it to complete construction of the Paul Biya Stadium.

All what the so-called CPDM barons claimed to have done with the money received for the Africa Cup of Nations project ranges from plain fiction to the absurd.

Correspondingly, Franck Mathière, the vice-president of the group building stadiums for the Biya Francophone Beti Ewondo regime returned to the country in April after obtaining a suspension of the Interpol Red Notice against him. The Frenchman was detained in Ukraine after Nigeria issued the warrant.

The appearance in Yaoundé on 15 April of the vice-president of Canadian group Magil Construction, Franck Mathière, alongside sports minister Narcisse Mouelle Kombi raised eyebrows both in Yaoundé and Abuja.

How could the Frenchman have returned when only a few weeks earlier, he was banned from leaving Ukraine due to an Interpol Red Notice issued against him? His case has set tongues wagging in Nigeria – which issued the international arrest warrant in 2018, accusing him of corruption – but in Cameroon, where Magil is leading the construction of the Olembe stadium he is seen as a messiah.

While his country is struggling to pay contractors who are laboring to build a football stadium in his honour, Mr Paul Biya returned to his Swiss Intercontinental Hotel last week and reportedly had a brain surgery in Geneva.

Herbert Schott, the former general manager of the Intercontinental Hotel wrote in his book L’Hôtelier published in 2007 that the 88-year-old President Biya’s loyalty to the 5-star Intercontinental hotel borders on obsession. Since his accession to the presidency until 2017, the estimated cost of his stays amounted to $ 65 million (FCFA 36 116 697 500).

To be sure, the man who has engineered the worst corruption machinery in Cameroon’s history spends $ 40 000 (FCFA 22 168 161) per night for the entire Biya delegation.

By Rita Akana with files from Africa Intelligence

26, July 2021

Football: Terry quits as Aston Villa assistant manager ⁰

John Terry has left his position as an assistant to Aston Villa boss Dean Smith with the aim of becoming a manager in his own right, the Premier League club announced Monday.

Terry, a 40-year-old former Chelsea and England captain, joined Villa ahead of the 2017/18 season and became the skipper of his new side.

One of the outstanding English central defenders of his generation, he played 32 games for the Birmingham club before becoming an assistant to Villa manager Smith.

Terry, speaking to Villa’s website, said: “It has been a tremendous honour and privilege to have spent these last three years at Aston Villa, but I feel now is the right time to make the extremely difficult decision to move on.

“I want to be as respectful to the manager and everyone at Aston Villa as I can and, having given my future serious consideration over the summer, I genuinely don’t feel it is fair to move into a new season without being certain of seeing that through.”

He added: “My immediate plan is to spend some quality time with my family and, thereafter, hopefully take up some invitations to visit clubs and managers around Europe to develop my aim and objective of becoming a manager.

“It has always been my ambition to move into football management and, providing the right opportunity presents itself, I feel ready to take up such a challenge.”

Source: AFP

24, July 2021

Chinese shooter Yang claims first gold medal of Tokyo Olympics ⁰

Chinese shooter Yang Qian won the first gold of the Tokyo Olympics on Saturday, snatching a dramatic last-shot victory from Russia’s Anastasiia Galashina in the women’s 10m air rifle final.

Yang claimed gold with an Olympic record score of 251.8, edging ahead of Russian Anastasiia Galashina on 251.1 and Switzerland’s Nina Christen on 230.6.

Galashina had looked poised to claim gold heading into the last shot, but stumbled with 8.9 on her final effort to allow Yang to seal victory.

The event took place the morning after the Olympics opened in a nearly empty stadium, following an unprecedented postponement and a build-up marred by scandal and controversy.

We have the first Olympic champion of #Tokyo2020!

The first medal ceremony of the Games saw Yang presented with her gold by International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach.

Yang draped the medal around her neck after being handed the gold on a tray offered by Bach, in keeping with Covid-19 protocols in place at the Games.

With fans barred from venues, only a handful of Chinese support staff were on hand to congratulate Yang after the win.

Christen took bronze ahead of Norway’s Jeanette Hegg Duestad, who led after the qualifying round.

(AFP)

23, July 2021

Manchester United sign Sancho on five-year deal from Dortmund ⁰

Manchester United have signed England winger Jadon Sancho from Borussia Dortmund, the Premier League club announced Friday.

No fee for the five-year contract was disclosed but British media reports said Sancho had moved from Germany in a deal worth £73 million ($100 million) — which would make him the second-most expensive English player of all time behind new United team-mate Harry Maguire.

“I’ll always be grateful to Dortmund for giving me the opportunity to play first team football, although I always knew that I would return to England one day,” Sancho told manutd.com.

“The chance to join Manchester United is a dream come true and I just cannot wait to perform in the Premier League,” the 21-year-old added.

“This is a young and exciting squad and I know, together, we can develop into something special to bring the success that the fans deserve.”

His move to Old Trafford follows a year-long pursuit by United, who were reportedly put off at first by Dortmund’s £100m valuation of Sancho, a former Manchester City youth team player.

The deal was also announced just weeks after Sancho, together with new United team-mate Marcus Rashford and Bukayo Saka, received racist abuse following their penalty shoot-out misses in England’s Euro 2020 final defeat by Italy at Wembley.

United finished second, 12 points behind local rivals Manchester City, in last season’s Premier League but Red Devils manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer expects his side to benefit from Sancho’s “untapped” talent — even though the player scored 50 goals and recorded 57 assists in 137 appearances for Bundesliga club Dortmund.

“Jadon epitomises the type of player I want to bring to the club, he is a forward player in the best traditions of Manchester United,” said Solskjaer.

“He will form an integral part of my squad for years to come and we look forward to seeing him blossom,” the United manager added.

“His goals and assists records speak for themselves and he will also bring tremendous pace, flair and creativity to the team.

“Old Trafford will give him the platform he needs to release his untapped talent and perform at the highest level.

“For a player of his age, Jadon has already achieved a great deal and showed the courage to go and prove himself abroad.”

Sancho is United’s second pre-season signing after reserve goalkeeper Tom Heaton joined on a two-year contract earlier this month.

Source: AFP

21, July 2021

Football: Eto’o excited about Qatar World Cup ⁰

Qatar Legacy Ambassador, Samuel Eto’o, looked forward to the Tokyo Olympics and the first FIFA World Cup to be held in the Middle East and Arab world.

“I have no doubt that it will be the most beautiful World Cup ever organised. And I have one wish – to witness a final featuring Cameroon v Qatar for a once in a lifetime experience,” said the former Cameroon international.

Eto’o, who was part of a Gold medal-winning Cameroon side at the Olympic Games in Sydney in 2000, was also excited about the upcoming Olympic in Tokyo.

“Anyone who is passionate about sport will naturally follow the Olympic Games, it is a major sporting competition and those who love sport will not miss it,” he added.

The Cameroonian legend has been a regular visitor of Qatar and is not the only high-profile footballer to hold a role as a Qatar 2022 Legacy Ambassador with the Al Sadd head coach Xavi, Brazil legend Cafu and Australia’s Tim Cahill also in the same role.

Source: Africa News