(AFP (eng) 03/16/17)
Africa will host a Commonwealth Games one day despite the blow of Durban being stripped of hosting the 2022 edition, David Grevemberg, the chief executive of The Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF), told AFP. Durban lost the right to host the Games on Monday -- just 18 months after being awarded them -- when it failed to meet criteria laid down by the CGF, primarily over costs. "I wouldn't want to make a judgement call," Grevemberg told AFP on the sidelines of a briefing by 2018 Games hosts Gold Coast on Wednesday. "Durban has hosted some great events, it is a fantastic city and are wonderful warm hosts with bright ambitions and great aspirations. "However, it...
(AFP (eng) 02/10/17)
Up to 18 players at the just-completed Africa Cup of Nations could be involved in the new-look CAF Champions League when it kicks off this weekend. Among them is Georges Bokwe, one of two unused goalkeepers in the Cameroon squad that defeated Egypt in the final last Sunday in Gabon. Bokwe was kept out of the starting line-up by the consistent brilliance of Spain-based Fabrice Ondoa, who was included in the team of the tournament. But Bokwe is the first choice for regular Champions League entrants Coton Sport from northern Cameroon cotton town Garoua. Coton qualified for the 2008 final, losing to Al Ahly of Egypt, but have fared poorly recently with first round exits in the past two seasons...
(AFP (eng) 02/04/17)
Alain Traore scored with one minute left to give Burkina Faso a 1-0 win over Ghana Saturday and third place in the Africa Cup of Nations. The Turkey-based attacker thumped an angled free-kick over goalkeeper Richard Ofori and into the net in Gabonese coastal city Port-Gentil. It was the second highest finish in the biennial African football showcase for the Burkinabe Stallions, who finished runners-up four years ago. The Black Stars of Ghana have played in five third-place play-offs, losing four. Ghana could have been several goals ahead by half-time as they dominated possession only to be let down by poor finishing and bad luck.
(AFP (eng) 02/01/17)
Burkina Faso's Portuguese coach Paulo Duarte says Jose Mourinho is "like a father" to him and revealed he received a phone call from his illustrious compatriot ahead of the Africa Cup of Nations semi-finals. Duarte's side take on record seven-time champions Egypt in the first semi-final in Libreville on Wednesday after beating Tunisia 2-0 in the last eight at the weekend. "He is like a father to me. He is someone who completely changed the mentality of Portuguese football," said...
(AFP (eng) 01/31/17)
With his giant frame and his instantly recognisable hairstyle, it is hard to miss Aristide Bance, the man who fired Burkina Faso into the semi-finals of the Africa Cup of Nations. And yet it has been a case of blink and you might miss him when it comes to his club career, which has seen the 32-year-old turn out for sides in a dozen different countries. The player who came off the bench in Saturday's quarter-final in Libreville against Tunisia...
(AFP (eng) 01/23/17)
Burkina Faso and Cameroon secured progress to the quarter-finals of the Africa Cup of Nations on Sunday as hosts Gabon crashed out. Gabon were held to a 0-0 draw by Cameroon in Libreville, and their opponents went through to the last eight as runners-up in Group A. Burkina Faso won the group on goal difference after a 2-0 victory against Guinea-Bissau in Franceville. A Rudinilson Silva own goal and a Bertrand Traore effort gave 2013 runners-up Burkina Faso the win...
(AFP (eng) 01/19/17)
Cameroon closed in on the quarter-finals of the Africa Cup of Nations by beating Guinea-Bissau 2-1 on Wednesday while hosts Gabon were left still waiting for a win despite another goal from Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. The Indomitable Lions came from behind to defeat Guinea-Bissau with Sebastien Siani and Michael Ngadeu netting after Piqueti's contender for goal of the tournament had given the debutants the lead. Cameroon now know a draw against Gabon in their final Group A game on Sunday will secure them a place in the last eight after a build-up to the finals marred by the refusal of several
(AFP (eng) 01/09/17)
Gabon witnessed one of the most sensational finishes to an Africa Cup of Nations tournament when no-hopers Zambia stunned the Ivory Coast to win the 2012 final. Zambia failed to qualify this time, but the Ivorians will be among the favourites again when the competition returns to the central African state with the first fixtures scheduled for Saturday. AFP Sport rates the chances of the 16 challengers for the $4 million (3.8 million euros) first prize (last three competitive results...
(AFP (eng) 01/06/17)
Burkina Faso coach Paulo Duarte on Friday named a 23-man squad for the Africa Cup of Nations in Gabon from January 14 to February 5. Defenders Ernest Congo and Issoumaila Lengani were cut from the initial 25-man team named on December 21. Burkina Faso -- drawn in Group A along with tournament hosts Gabon, Cameroon and Guinea-Bissau -- continue their preparation with a friendly against Mali on Saturday. Squad: Goalkeepers: Moussa Germain Sanou (Beauvais/FRA), Herve Koffi (ASEC Mimosas/CIV), Aboubacar Sawadogo...
(AfricaNews 12/05/16)
Cameroon’s Indomitable Lionesses failed to use home advantage and revenge in the final of the Women African Cup of Nations (AWCON 2016) losing by a goal to Nigeria’s Super Falcons. The Super Falcons thus successfully defended the title they won in 2014 by defeating Cameroon in Namibia. The hosts entered the final aiming to win their first title and avenge two previous defeats by Nigeria. But a late goal by Oparanozie Desire dashed hopes and sent disappointment through the teeming...
(AFP (eng) 11/10/16)
All CAF competitions will offer increased prize money from 2017, the Cairo-based African football body said Wednesday. The announcement came months after French oil-gas company Total signed an eight-year sponsorship deal with CAF reportedly worth more than one billion dollars (915 million euros). Winners of the biennial Africa Cup of Nations will receive $4 million, up from the $1.5 million pocketed by 2015 champions the Ivory Coast. CAF Champions League title-holders are going to collect $2.5 million -- $1 million...
(AFP (eng) 11/03/16)
African champions Mamelodi Sundowns won for the first time in the South African Premiership this season Wednesday and climbed off the bottom of the table. The Pretoria club triumphed 2-0 at Polokwane City thanks to goals from Percy Tau and Zimbabwean Khama Billiat, two stars of the 2016 CAF Champions League triumph. Sundowns became African champions for the first time 11 days ago by defeating Zamalek of Egypt 3-1 on aggregate in the final. But a domestic fixture backlog meant...
(AfricaNews 09/19/16)
The agreement on African games signed in Cairo over the weekend between the African Union and the Association of National Olympic committees of Africa will be implemented after validation by the Africa Union commission. The two parties are expected to mobilise renowned African athletes and the best teams to help raise their level of performance. Sources say the African Union will continue to manage the African games while the Union of African Sports Confederations will take care of its technical...
(AFP (eng) 07/22/16)
French petroleum giant Total signed an eight-year deal to become the new sponsor of African football and its showpiece event, the Africa Cup of Nations, on Thursday. The sponsorship of the tournament will start at its next edition in Gabon from Jan 14 to Feb 5, 2017. "This partnership is a major milestone in our ongoing search for additional resources to accelerate African football’s development, bring its governance up to date, upgrade its sports infrastructure and advance its performance globally,"...
(AFP (eng) 06/16/16)
Fortified by a diet of goat meat and millet beer, Idrissa and Eloi train hard all year long to help maintain Burkina Faso's colourful and age-old traditional wrestling. But the two 25-year-olds, both over 80 kilos (176 pounds) and boasting impressive physiques, believe that rigorous physical preparation is not enough to win tournaments: sorcery, mysticism and the power of their ancestors also play a part. "It is the only sport that has not been imported like football or karate," said...
(AFP (eng) 06/16/16)
Demarte Pena was too young to fight in Angola's civil war, where his family played a major role, but he has fought his way to a mixed martial arts championship. Instead of an AK47, "The Wolf" as he is known in the ring, uses fists, feet and pure muscle to subdue his opponents in what is seen as one of the fastest growing sports in Africa. Pena is bantamweight champion among the new crop of mixed martial arts fighters in...
(AFP (eng) 04/22/16)
Scrap metal, tin cans, auto parts! At a rough and ready gym in Ouagadougou's rundown Dapoya district, young bodybuilders using homemade weights know powerful muscles can lead to a job. "We started out with tin cans that we filled with cement or with sand," says Maxime Tiendrebeogo, 40, who founded the MM Club with his brother Mathieu 20 years ago. Surrounded by rundown buildings and a graveyard of rusting vehicles and scattered auto parts, a dozen sweaty people are working...
(Voice of America 03/15/16)
George Wyndham of Sierra Leone is a force to be reckoned with. He’s been playing table tennis for 14 years, despite being paralyzed by polio as a child. Now, at age 26, he is among the best physically challenged players in Africa. "Whenever I play table tennis, it always makes me happy and forget about my disability," Wyndham said. Having polio has pushed him even harder to make something of his life, he says, especially in a country where there...
(APA 02/22/16)
Burkinabe international footballer, Isidore Bertrand Traore, who is plying his trade with English Premier League side Chelsea, is currently riding high at the club, scoring every time he is played by Dutch coach Guus Hiddink. During an FA cup last sixteen tie against Manchester City on Sunday, the Burkinabe star again contributed a goal to his team's win, scoring from a glancing header for the Blues' fifth goal of the game. Traore had earlier in the match won a penalty,...
(Reuters (Eng) 01/16/16)
FIFA presidential candidate Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein of Jordan has asked soccer's world governing body to investigate Friday's agreement signed between the African and Asian confederations in case it breaches the electoral code. Asian Football Confederation (AFC) President Sheikh Salman Bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa and Confederation of African Football (CAF) counterpart Issa Hayatou signed the 'co-operation agreement' in Rwanda, just over a month before the FIFA presidential election in Zurich on Feb. 26. Sheikh Salman, South African politician and...