Executives of the 13th African Games have on Saturday paid a visit to the camp of the Black Stars to extend their well wishes for AFCON 2023.

The Executive Chairman of the LOC, Dr. Kwaku Asare-Asare presented cartons of mineral water and tee shirts promoting the African Games to the skipper of the national football team, Andre Ayew and his colleagues.

Ghana is hosting the African Games which comprise 25 sports for the first time from March 8 to 23.

The Black Stars, four times champions, have not won the African Cup since 1982.

Meanwhile the money prize for winners of the AFCON has been increased and more sponsors have come on board to support the Confederation of African Football (CAF).

By Sammy Heywood Okine

Ghana star, Mohammed Kudus is now the 50th most valuable football player in the world, this is according to CIES Football Observatory.

The 23-year-old joined West Ham United in the summer transfer window after a lot of clubs showed interest in securing his services.

Five months on, Mohammed Kudus is a key man for the Hammers and is regarded as one of the best players in the ongoing English Premier League campaign.

Halfway through the 2023/24 football season, Mohammed Kudus has scored 10 goals in all competitions for West Ham United.

Following his remarkable display for West Ham United, Mohammed Kudus’ value has now skyrocketed to a whopping €93.8 million, this is according to CIES Football Observatory.

In the list of most valuable players released by CIES Football Observatory, the Ghana star is ranked the 50th most valuable football player in the world.

The player ranked most valuable in the world is Real Madrid and England star Jude Bellingham. His current value of 267.5 million euros.

Other players in the top 10 include Erlind Haaland, Vinicius Jnr, Rodrygo Goes, as well as Phil Foden.

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The Confederation of African Football (CAF) on Thursday, 4th January 2024 announced an increase of 40% in the prize money for the winner of the AFCON 2023.

The increase in the prize money depicts the progress the tournament has made since its 33rd edition in Cameroon.

The biggest Football governing body in Africa seeks to make the 34th edition a memorable one as it has always been.

The winners of the 34th edition of the Africa Cup of Nations will be receiving a whopping $7 million with the runner-up accumulating $4 million. The third and fourth-place teams will take home $2.5 million each while the quarter-finalists will also receive $1.3 million.

CAF President, Dr Patrice Motsepe explained the importance of the increase of the prize money after it was disclosed to the public. He also emphasized on the progress CAF has made in the past two years.

“We have increased the Prize Money of the AFCON Winner to USD 7 000 000 which is a 40% increase from the previous AFCON Prize Money. I am confident that a portion of the Prize Money will contribute to developing football and also benefit all the football stakeholders, as well as assist our Member Associations with their administrations”; said Dr Patrice Motsepe.

From Sammy Heywood Okine

The Confédération Africaine de Football (“CAF”) has announced Air Cote d’Ivoire as the latest Official Sponsor for the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations Côte d’Ivoire 2023.

Through the partnership, Air Côte d'Ivoire, also the national airline of host country, Côte d'Ivoire, becomes the official carrier for the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations Cote d’Ivoire 2023.

As the official carrier, Air Côte d'Ivoire will play a vital role in facilitating the transportation of teams, officials, and fans to and from the tournament venues across the West African country.

With their extensive network and modern fleet, the airline is well-equipped to ensure a seamless travel experience for all involved.

Chief Executive Officer of Air Cote d’Ivoire, Laurent Loukou said: ”We are happy and proud of this partnership with CAF towards organising a memorable TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations for African football fans and beyond. Subsequently, our fleet and flight schedule have been readjusted to meet the travel needs of the competition.”

The tournament will take place from 13 January to 11 February 2024 in the cities of Abidjan, Bouake, Korhogo, San Pedro and Yamoussoukro.

For further inquiries, please contact:

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

CAF | Communication Department                                                                   

About Air Cote d’Ivioire:

Air Côte d’Ivoire was created in May 2012 at the initiative of President Alassane OUATTARA, whose vision was to provide Côte d’Ivoire with a major airline that would contribute to its economic recovery and international influence.

Since the launch of its flights in November 2012, the company has grown rapidly to position itself very quickly as a market leader with more than 50% market share.

www.aircotedivoire.com

Beyond a Reflecting, Antedating 2023-2024

Embark on a journey with Ghana Badminton as we look back at the last year and the exciting New Year to come. But first, here are some of the best moments from 2023.

Graduated 423 National Foundational Coaches -February 2023

Since 2017, we have graduated 423 National Shuttle time Coaches, levelling up with our 10-year Strategic Mission 2027 Plan achievement of 600 national coaches by December 2027. The spiralled level and its endemic ecosystem benefits will grace the sport of Badminton as we have achieved 70.5% of our growth strategy with only four years left in the ten-year strategic plan and are still climbing tall as our sport allows every child to play for life.

The 2023 Ghana Open Championship, Accra

The 2023 Ghana Open Championship in Accra was an outstanding event, among the best we've seen. Players from Esase Bontefufuo in the Amasie West district through Afigya Sekyere to Hamile in the Jirapa/Lambussie district, Ghana Badminton received 164 entries. The event culminated in an exceptionally close and thrilling finale between Kelvin Alphous and Ahmad Samad Abdul in the Men singles event. It ended in a victory for Kelvin Evans Alphous, who became the Men Men's Singles Champion. Congratulations to all participants! The event culminated in beefing up our national team squad for all event categories.

September 2023 BWF World Juniors Championship, USA

As the only African representative at the World Championships, the championship sparked a glorious representation of all Africans. Results showed Ghana performed the best by any African country in the last twenty-three years of the World Championships.

We are incredibly excited about this performance from our young lads, many of whom are defining odds and are en route to the potential for qualification into the 2026 Youth Olympics and other Juniors Championships events within our 2027 Mission Plan. We gotten educational scholarships for the young lad and lass, and we are glad many of them are still ongoing with the courses. Click here for more information on this story.

The biggest badminton venue ever executed in the USA, with more than 30.000 live spectators, the atmosphere, production, venue, and level of Badminton were extraordinary. Ghana Badminton was there to cover the exhilarating event, interview players, and catch all the glimpses with media and profile attention.

December West African Badminton Open and 2023 African Games

The African Games took a bold step as Badminton is one of the seven Olympic Qualifiers for the African Games- with an additional 23 sporting disciplines. Our West African Open Event culminated in our strength in considering our national events and developments. The West African Open created exciting content for the fans at home. It was a fantastic experience for us, the athletes, and the spectators, and it was an unforgettable event.

What a fantastic year! Now, Ghana Badminton would like to present the events we look forward to in 2024.

January 1, 2024: National calendar published

Ghana Badminton has released the National Sports Calendar for 2024, covering all national and international events in which Ghana Badminton will participate. This long-term calendar contains all competitions held under BWF, BCA and nationally sanctioned events. The competitions are understood as conducted according to relevant Badminton Competition and Technical Rules and the published results, including World and National Rankings and qualification to major Championships. Calendar events are subject to change. CLICK HERE TO VIEW

February - 2024 Africa Men's & Women's Team Championships

We're excited to kick off this year with this much-anticipated tournament, serving as pre-curser training and final selection for our African Games after a mixed match in January 2024. We are ecstatic to see who will prevail and become the new African champions. Ghana Badminton and its partners will provide exclusive and original content and coverage, so remember to follow us during the event.

March 2024 – African Games 

For the first time in a new facility, Ghana is hosting the African Games- termed the Olympics of Africa to crown the best and is again ready to crown the best Badminton athletes in Africa. It also has a Mix Team format play, enabling our athletes to enjoy highly ranked and competitive African events. There will also be national officiating assessment before and during the games. The host is in Ghana this time, and the event will be held at Borteyman, Accra. Hopefully, tickets will be available by the LOC, and they can get discounts for our paid-up and non-paid members, so don't miss out.

March 29-April 1, 2024 Regional Mix Team and Individual Event Championships

Watch the best ten athletes from each of the sporting administrative regions of the Country. The 2024 Regional Mix Team Event Championshipswill be hosted at the new facility at Borteyman, in a venue that will host more than 1,500 athletes and spectators. This will be a good chance for spectators to see experienced Badminton players showing off their skills. Ghana Badminton will provide coverage from the courts in Accra for all viewers abroad who cannot come in person. Registration begins for six weeks from January 15, 2024

September - 2024 African U19 Championships

Where do stars come from? They don't come out of nowhere; they all start from somewhere. That is why Ghana Badminton always looks forward to the U19 African Championship every biennial year.  Because this is where stars come from. Athletes such as Moslena Adu, Obabomba Adu, Leslie Addo and a host of new generations all had their initial success at the African U19 Championships. Ghana will also bring the latest content from the emerging Badminton talent to this year's event.

July-September Summer Olympics & Paralympics

And, of course, a 2024 list would not be complete without mentioning the Olympics & Paralympics. One hundred seventy-two and One Hundred Twenty Olympics and Paralympics best badminton players worldwide will meet in Paris to compete to become Olympic and Paralympics champions, the most prestigious title an athlete can hold. We can't wait to see who will achieve their dreams and become Olympic Champions this time. You can check the current Olympic rankings and who can qualify here:

Paris 2024 reveals Olympic and Paralympic Games mascots

These are just some of the most significant events in 2024 that we are looking forward to increasing our participation inline with our 2027 Strategic Plan. But there are many more events, which you can check out here on our calendar page, and a host of more than One Hundred and Eighty Open events worldwide.

We look forward to watching and experiencing more top-class Badminton through developments, research and partnerships in 2024 with all of you.

Source Ghana Badminton

SM Boxing Foundation in collaboration with the Ghana Boxing Federation (GBF) is organizing a special Amateur Boxing Selection Contest on Saturday 27^th January at Maodak Hotel Junction (Korle –Wonko) and Sunday 28^th January 2024 at the Bukom Square in Accra.

Sponsors of the bouts include Base Pharmacy, Gold Star Airlines, Madar Soap, Twellium Industries and others

According to Solomon Otoo, an executive member of the GBF, the process is to select and build the next set of boxers to form the national boxing team, the Black Bombers.

He said amateur bouts are short, but even the 2mins over 3 rounds is exhausting for the averagely fit person. Boxing is heavily aerobic and add that to the adrenalin you are overcoming, you need to possess a good fitness level. Running 5km at 20mins pace, 12 rounds of bag work, 6 rounds of skipping and 50+ press ups, 12+ wide chin ups, 3mins+ planks would all be standard fitness requirements and you’ll see fitter guys than that at this level.

Solomon Otoo urged boxing fans to come and watch to see with their naked eyes the next champions of Ghana Boxing.

He revealed that winners and best performers will travel to Holland and Spain for other international competitions.

By Sammy Heywood Okine

President of the Breaking Federation of Ghana, Nana Tuffour Okai aka B boy Lyricx has commended the Local Organising Committee (LOC) for the 13th African Games for their hard work to ensure that Ghana hosts the greatest sports festival in Africa.

At a meeting with the LOC Executive Chairman, Dr. Kwaku Ofosu-Asare on Wednesday, he hailed the serious hard work of the Committee, especially the Chairman and Chief Operators.

Nana Okai said sports is the current vibe among the youth and Breaking is the sport of choice, and would be available for any demonstrations during the Games, especially at the Basketball matches.

Dr. Kwaku Ofosu-Asare welcomed the Breaking Federation, but chastised them for looking on as preparations were going on. He noted that all sycophants would be ashamed, however it is not too late for any company who wants to sponsor or support or contribute to the Games.

Accompanying Lyricx were Yours Truly, Maxwell, Projects Manager and B Girl Trix Naomi of the Afro Break Academy.

Breaking is one of the new sports to be competed at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.

By Sammy Heywood Okine

Naa Dinaa Donglabong Ganaa lll, Paramount Chief of the Jirapa Traditional Area who is a former Sports man has promised to use sports as a tool to attract development in his jurisdiction.

The ex Volley ball and Football player who featured for the Jirapa team said sports can be used for development as other countries have done.

He promised to raise the image of Jirapa through infrastructural development, maintaining the peace and order that the area is already enjoying and sports.

He assured the promotion of tourism and hospitality in the Jirapa Traditional Area, as they have one of the best hotels in Ghana, Royal Cosy Hills Hotel Safari.

Naa Dinaa Donglabong Ganaa III finally unveiled his vision to help qualify a football team from Jirapa Traditional Area to play in the Ghana Premier League and promote other sports like Athletics, Basketball, Handball, Table Tennis and Volley to the National levels.

He wished the people of Ghana and Jirapa Traditional Area a Happy New Year.

Meanwhile, James Thompson Anlaamige, a sports organizer is planning to organize the Jirapa Marathon and other events to entice the youth to embrace sports.

By Sammy Heywood Okine

Dodzi Kemeh calls off the bluff to challenge Seth Gyimah (Freezy Macbones)

Former WBA Africa & IBF Africa champion Dodzi Kemeh has called off the bluffs to face the most talk about boxer Seth Gyimah (Freezy Macbones) for a fight if the said boxer is up for  the challenge at Super Middleweight or Light heavyweight.

By Sammy Heywood Okine

Dutch-Ghanaian footballer Jeremie Frimpong is ready to launch his Pathways Initiative project in Ghana before expanding it globally.

The 23-year-old sought-after wing-back mentioned in a statement that this groundbreaking program aims to empower young footballers who might not make it to professional leagues, helping them transition into the corporate world.

The initiative will begin in Accra, Ghana, before extending to the UK, Netherlands, Germany, and other parts of the world.

The goal is to address challenges faced by aspiring footballers who leave the game by offering essential training, work experience, and networking opportunities as they explore other industries.

Pathways will collaborate with the tech-led staffing organization Remoteli and sports agency Prolific Sports Group (PSG) to identify and support talented young footballers looking to transfer their skills to other industries.

Remoteli will provide essential training and exposure, while PSG will handle player operations.

“The launch of Pathways in Ghana is just the beginning. Frimpong aims to expand the program to the Netherlands, his birth country, as well as the UK and Germany, where he has played professionally, before going global and incorporating learnings,” the statement added.

“My vision is to create a global impact,” said Jeremie Frimpong.

 “This isn’t just about giving hope; it’s about equipping tomorrow’s generation of talent with the tools to rewrite their own narratives.”

“Pathways is a journey, not a destination. We’re building a global network of support, one footballer at a time.”

“I spoke to loads of players, and they all want to find their way to give back. I think it’s good for them to do whatever feels true to them, and this is what felt true to me.”

****Players will be able to apply via the website joinpathways.com. Where they will be able to tell us their interests and we connect them with the right people to teach about industries, roles, upskilling and helping with interviews.

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