by Silas Boahene | May 31, 2024 | Africa, Boxing, Ghana, International
Ghana’s aspiration for boxing success at the 2024 Paris Olympics is in jeopardy following Joseph Commey’s defeat at the World Olympic Boxing Qualifiers in Bangkok, Thailand.
Commey, a light welterweight who replaced Samuel “Ring Warrior” Takyi, was just two wins away from securing his Olympic berth. However, American boxer Emelio Garcia dashed the Ghanaian’s dreams with a unanimous points decision victory on Wednesday, May 29.
Commey’s defeat adds him to the list of eliminated Ghanaian boxers at the qualifiers, including featherweight Amadu Mohammed, heavyweight Jonathan Tetteh, super heavyweight Mark Kojovi Ahondjo, and middleweight Henry Malm.
Ghana’s hopes now hinge on the remaining two boxers: flyweight Theophilus Allotey and middleweight Ornella Sathoud, the team’s sole female representative.
Allotey will face Anvarzhan Khadzhiev from Kyrgyzstan on Thursday, May 30, needing two wins to qualify for Paris. Sathoud is set to take on Aynur Rzayeva of Azerbaijan on Saturday, June 1, in the women’s middleweight category.
This marks Ghana’s final opportunity to secure boxing spots for the Olympics, having previously failed to qualify in tournaments held in Senegal (2023) and Italy (2024).
4o
by Silas Boahene | May 30, 2024 | Africa, Ghana, International, Soccer
Amidst the ongoing discussion surrounding Laryea Kingston’s resignation as the Black Starlets coach, fresh details have emerged, including a reported caution letter from the Confederation of African Football (CAF) to the Ghana Football Association (GFA) regarding Laryea Kingston’s conduct.
Renowned sports journalist Bright Kankam Boadu revealed this latest development, indicating that a viral video depicting Laryea Kingston using certain language in his address to the players caught the attention of CAF.
According to Boadu, CAF, upon viewing the video, corresponded with the FA, expressing concern over what they perceived as the use of inappropriate language by Laryea Kingston.
He elaborated that in accordance with tournament regulations, CAF considers players of Under-17 teams as minors who should be shielded from certain language and behaviors.
Boadu claimed that when the GFA forwarded the communication to Laryea Kingston, the former Black Stars winger did not respond.
“When the video of Laryea Kingston’s instructions to the players circulated on social media, CAF sent a letter to the Ghana Football Association questioning them about his conduct. FIFA has established a code of conduct for players and coaches at this level.
“At this stage, they are considered minors, so you cannot address them using abusive language. CAF questioned the FA about whether they had familiarized themselves with the code of conduct because they observed that Laryea Kingston used certain abusive words.
“They informed him that he couldn’t use such language. My understanding is that the FA communicated with him and sent him the letter, but he did not reply. They also allege that there are certain actions he performs in front of the players that are inappropriate,” he stated.
Laryea Kingston announced his resignation from the Black Starlets following the team’s loss to Burkina Faso in the semi-final of the 2024 WAFU Zone B Championship.
The Black Starlets were defeated 2-1 by Burkina Faso in the match held at the University of Ghana Sports Stadium on Saturday, May 25, 2024.
“I am aware that Ghanaians recognize me for my contributions as a player and are familiar with the sacrifices I made for the country during my playing career. I dedicated myself entirely as a player, but in the end, I was not satisfied. I shifted my focus to my coaching career and underwent training to ensure I returned to reshape the narrative surrounding Ghanaian football.
“During the past seven months as Head Coach, I have given my utmost effort. I made the decision to resign after the WAFU competition upon our return from Russia. Further explanations will follow,” he remarked.
3.5
by Silas Boahene | May 30, 2024 | Africa, International, Soccer, World Cup
In response to the recent clash between president Samuel Eto’o and coach Marc Brys, the Cameroon Football Federation has called for an emergency meeting of its committee. This meeting, convened after a missed working session at Fecafoot, aims to address the heated exchange between Eto’o and Brys.
The committee, vested with decision-making authority, will determine the course of action for Cameroon’s national team as they prepare for the 2026 World Cup qualifiers. All eyes are now on Tsinga, where the outcomes of the Emergency Committee’s deliberations are eagerly awaited.
The football crisis in Cameroon escalated following the disappointing performance at the recent Africa Cup of Nations (CAN) in Ivory Coast. The appointment of Marc Brys as coach by Sports Minister Narcisse Mouelle Kombi in April further fueled tensions, with Eto’o initially opposing the decision. While eventually accepting Brys, Eto’o insisted on appointing his own technical, medical, and administrative staff.
The conflict reached a boiling point during a meeting at Fecafoot headquarters on May 28. What started as a cordial exchange between Eto’o and Brys quickly escalated, with Eto’o demanding the expulsion of Cyrille Tollo, the sports minister’s technical advisor. Brys was pressured to choose sides, prompting him to leave the room and Eto’o to call for the intervention of the Emergency Committee.
With the World Cup qualifiers imminent, the Federation’s prompt action is crucial. The Cameroonian football community awaits the committee’s decisions, which will shape the future of the national team and potentially resolve the ongoing leadership turmoil.
3.5
by Silas Boahene | May 30, 2024 | Africa, Ghana, International, Soccer, World Cup
The Baba Yara Stadium in Kumasi will be inaccessible as it prepares to host the Black Stars’ crucial 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier against the Central African Republic (CAR) on June 10.
Ghana’s National Men’s Football Team is scheduled to face CAR after their encounter with Mali on June 2 in the latest round of qualification matches for the upcoming World Cup.
The stadium’s closure will impact its operations, with upgrades planned, particularly for the pitch, in preparation for the World Cup qualifier next month.
Ghana Premier League side Kumasi Asante Kotoko is among those affected by this arrangement, as its upcoming league game against Accra Great Olympics will be moved to the Dr. Kwame Kyei Sports Complex.
The league fixture is set to take place on Sunday, June 2 at 14:00 GMT, following Kotoko’s impressive victory over rivals Accra Hearts of Oak.
In a statement, the Porcupine Warriors announced the venue change, allowing “ample time to prepare the Baba Yara Stadium to meet the requirements of CAF.”
3.5
by Silas Boahene | May 30, 2024 | Africa, Europe, Ghana, International, Soccer, World Cup
Cameroon’s football landscape was rocked by turmoil on Tuesday as a meeting between football federation president Samuel Eto’o and the country’s newly appointed Belgian coach Marc Brys erupted into a heated confrontation.
The encounter marked the first face-to-face interaction between Eto’o and Brys since the latter’s appointment by the country’s sports ministry in early April, a decision made without consultation with the Cameroon Football Federation, sparking a contentious standoff.
Brys was invited for a “working session” by Eto’o as Cameroon readies for World Cup qualifiers next month. However, tensions flared when several of Brys’s support staff, also appointed by the sports ministry, were denied entry to the FECAFOOT federation building in Yaounde.
Videos captured by reporters and circulated on social media depicted Eto’o welcoming Brys, but the atmosphere quickly soured. Eto’o forcefully ejected a ministry official seeking entry to the meeting before engaging in a fiery exchange with Brys, who promptly departed.
A statement from FECAFOOT is anticipated later, as the federation had initially expressed openness to collaborating with Brys despite criticizing his appointment as a unilateral decision by sports minister Narcisse Mouelle Kombito.
While football federations typically appoint and finance their coaches, in some African countries, such as Cameroon, government involvement is common, particularly when federations face financial constraints.
Former African Footballer of the Year Eto’o, renowned for his illustrious playing career in Europe, seeks to assert some autonomy but must navigate cautiously in a nation where football affairs hold significant governmental importance.
Cameroon is slated to face the Cape Verde Islands in Yaounde on June 8 and Angola away three days later in their latest qualifying matches for the 2026 finals in North America.
The team secured a home victory against Mauritius and drew with Libya in their opening two Group D qualifiers last November under Rigobert Song, whose contract was not renewed following Cameroon’s elimination in the last-16 at January’s Africa Cup of Nations finals.
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