Madagascar has officially withdrawn from qualifying for the Beach Soccer Africa Cup of Nations scheduled for Senegal from May 23 to 30, 2021.

The withdrawal means that Seychelles, their opponents in the qualifiers, will now qualify for the final tournament.

The draw for the Beach Soccer AFCON is on Thursday, 29 April 2021 at 12h00 (Cairo time) - 10h00 GMT.

The first seven qualified teams were already known, with two seeds: Senegal as host of the tournament and Egypt, best ranked team based on the results of the Beach Soccer AFCON, Egypt 2018.

Morocco, DR Congo and Uganda respectively benefited from the withdrawal of Libya, Côte d'Ivoire and Ghana from the qualifiers.

Mozambique and Tanzania defeated Comoros and Burundi respectively to secure their tickets for Senegal.

The double header between Madagascar and Seychelles, initially scheduled for May 1 and 8, was to determine the eighth participating team. The cancellation of these two matches brings the qualifying round to a close and propels Seychelles directly towards Senegal.

This will be Seychelles' second participation in a Beach Soccer Africa Cup of Nations finals, after the very first edition that the archipelago hosted in 2015.The Piratesintend to make a better impression during this edition.

As a reminder, the draw for the competition will take place this Thursday, April 29, 2021 in Cairo, Egypt under the leadership of Khaled Nassar, Head of CAF Competitions. He will be assisted by legend Mohamed Fawzy, captain of the Egyptian Beach Soccer team.

The goalkeeper ofthe Pharaohshas played an important role in the performance of the Egyptians who finished third in the competition they organized on their land in 2018. Fawzy had also participated in the 2015 and 2016 editions of the Beach Soccer Africa Cup of Nations.

Source - cafonline

The Ghana Football Association on Wednesday, April 28, 2021, launched the Juvenile football season at the headquarters in Accra.

The programme attracted followers of the game and ambassadors of juvenile football including former Ghanaian International Laryea Kingston.

President of the Ghana Football Association Kurt Edwin Simeon-Okraku who doubles as Chairman of the Juvenile Committee led the entire event with support from Executive Council members, Dr. Randy Abbey, Samuel Anim Addo – Vice Chairman of the Juvenile Committee and Technical Director Bernhard Lippert.

Deputy Head of Mission for the Spanish Embassy in Accra – Mr. Rafael Rodriguez Ponga Albala was the special guest.

In attendance were Prosper Harrison Addo (Esq.), General Secretary of the Ghana Football Association, Dr. Kwame Baah – Nuako, Chairman of the Club Licensing Board, Members of the Juvenile Committee, Chairman of the Greater Accra Regional Football Association Samuel Aboabire and Alhaji Abu-Hassan Mahamadu, Chairman of the Northern Regional Association.

The gathering observed a minute silence for the six kids who lost their lives in the Offinso accident in September 2020.

The GFA intends to use the season to identify budding talents to mark the start of a long term development project that would benefit the various national teams.

The 2020/21 Juvenile football League will commence on the weekend of May, 7/8/9 2021.

GFA COMMUNICATIONS

…ahead of Madagascar qualifiers

The Ghana Weightlifting Federation (GWF) will hold its third and final trials on Friday ahead of the Madagascar championship next month.

Slated for the Accra Sports Stadium at 9.am, the trials will see the lifters sharpening their armoury for the Madagascar competition, which would serve as final qualifiers for the Tokyo Olympic Games.

A statement signed by the Communications Director of the GWF, John Vigah, said five crack lifters including Christian Amoah and UK-based Forrester Osei are expected to leave Accra early next month for the championship billed for the Madagascan capital, Antananarivo, from May 16-23, 2021.

Lady lifters Winifred Ntumi and Sandra Mensimah Owusu are determined to make the trip and are poised to push to the limit in the final Accra trials.

Amoah and Osei are just a few points away from landing safely in Tokyo, and are heavily favoured to seal it off in May. Osei is said to have booked a place in the Games after an imposing performance in an individual event, but that would only be confirmed in Madagascar.

Meanwhile, there was some amusement in the camp of the Black Cranes at training last week when young female lifter Sandra Owusu recorded a new time.

The 20-year-old 59-weight class lifter has been making some astounding progress at training - lifting 85kg in the clean and jerk, beating a previous 80kg recorded in the last trials, last month.

She subsequently snatched 73kg a fortnight ago, upstaging a previous 65kg registered during the same trials.

“Her performance could serve as the much-needed fillip for an invigorating athlete performance at Friday’s final trial,” the statement added.

Keyed up by the moderate feat, an excited coach Johnson Abotsi said he was optimistic of picking a couple of Olympic tickets in the forthcoming Madagascar qualifiers.

"I'm very tickled at the improved performance of Sandra and a good number of our lifters. I believe we can make a big bang in Madagascar and pluck some tickets for the Tokyo Olympic Games," he indicated.

Source - GOC Communications

The Ghana Football Association (GFA) is pleased to announce that Scancom PLC (MTN Ghana), the leading telecoms company in Ghana has once again extended their long sponsorship relationship for the FA Cup for Three (3) more seasons with a total sponsorship package worth over  Four Million Ghana Cedis (GHC 4,000,000.00).

The package includes an annual sponsorship amount of One  Million Ghana Cedis (GHC1000.000.00), Twenty  Thousand Cedis  (GHC 20,000.00)  for the ‘Man of the Match’ prize and MTN products worth Three Hundred And Ninety Ghana Cedis  (GHC390,000.00). The new agreement is for a period of three (3) seasons commencing from the current 2020/21 season to the end of the 2022-23 football season.

Commenting on the new agreement with the GFA, the Chief Marketing officer for MTN, Mr. Noel Kojo-Ganson expressed his delight about the opportunity given MTN to continue to brighten the lives of professionals in the football fraternity and the teaming fans who have over the years benefited from the revival of the FA CUP Tournament in Ghana since it was relaunched in 2010.

He said, “as a company that connects people, we are  happy  to use football as an avenue for  our customers  to entertain themselves and rejuvenate. “We  therefore are confident that the ensuing benefits of the revival of the game will go a long way to strengthen the existing Football Clubs, unearth more talents, drive competition and make Ghana Football the envy of Africa. “

The GFA commenced this great relationship with MTN in the 2010-11 season, to revive the FA Cup competition which had then been off the football calendar for a decade. Since the first agreement, the parties have renewed the sponsorship on two occasions – 2013 and 2017 at a total sponsorship package of GHc1,100,000.00 per year (that is GHC800,000 cash and GHC 310,000 MTN Recharge cards/products).

The last agreement was truncated due to a scandal that  hit the Association  following an investigative piece by Anas Aremeyaw Anas.

The MTN FA Cup is a thrilling competition which brings together 18 Premier League clubs, 48 Division One League clubs and 44 Division Two League clubs from the 10 Regional Football Associations making 110 clubs. The Division One League clubs and the Regional Division Two League clubs play in the Preliminary stage and winners are joined by the “big boys” -18 Premier League clubs in the main competition at the Round of 64 stage.

Winner of the MTN FA Cup receives a giant trophy, cash and products from MTN and qualifies to play in the CAF Confederation Cup competition.

Source: ghanafa.org

The Organizing Committee of the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games has made the following draft adjustments to their earlier plans of super strict quarantine rules for athletes and others who will be attending the Games.

A five-way meeting of the Tokyo Games organizing committee, the central and Tokyo metropolitan governments, the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) will be held soon to discuss and confirm the details of the draft.

Kindly find below draft details:

1. Athletes and officials participating in the Games will be allowed to practice from the day they arrive in Japan but will be bound by the Japan government’s coronavirus rules and regulations.
2. Athletes and officials will be exempted from the 14-day mandatory self-isolation rule provided they commit to undergo daily Covid-19 tests and limit their scope of activities and physical contacts.
3. Any athlete and/or o‑cial who goes contrary to any of the following rules will have his/her accreditation revoked and the individual removed from Japan immediately.
4. In the case of athletes who are found to break the rules, a revocation of their accreditation also means disqualification from competing.
5. Everyone entering Japan will be required to take a PCR and antibody test two times within a 96-hour period before departing their countries and upon arrival in Japan.
6. All teams will be required to submit detailed activity plans for all team members.
7. Movement of all participants will be restricted to accommodation points and games/training venues.

LOCAL PREPARATIONS

1. Nine (9) Para Powerlifting and Four (4) Para athletics athletes are currently in camp in Cape Coast at the Cape Coast stadium.
2. With the cancellation of the Paris 2021 Para Athletics Grand Prix, discussion and consultations are being made to have a select of the Para Athletics athletes participate in the Marrakech – Morocco Para Athletics Championship in June 2021.
3. Blind Judo athlete to undergo medical examination ahead of planned qualifier in Antalya.

Source - NPC

Ghana Olympic Committee (GOC) led by it's President, Mr. Ben Nunoo Mensah  on Wednesday paid a courtesy call on the National Sports Authority (NSA) Director General.

The visit was to expresses appreciation to the Authority for supporting the Committee to successfully conduct their electoral congress to elect new officers for another term of four years.

The newly elected executive members were introduced to the Director General and they sought the Authority's support and cooperation to deliver on their mandates.

The meeting also discussed other pertinent issues including participation of Ghana in the forthcoming Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.

The President used the occasion to formally invite the Director General of NSA Prof. Peter O. Twumasi  to attend their Board meetings to enhance the relationship between the NOC and NSA (government agency).

The Director General assured GOC of the Authority's undiluted support in diverse ways to sustain the existing relationship.

He wished the new Executive Committee a successful term. Other officers present at the meeting were Mr Isaac Abogye Duah, President of Ghana Tennis Association who is the Treasurer, Mrs Delphina Quaye, Vice President of Ghana Swimming Association , a board member, and Mr Albert Papa Asante, NSA's Head of HR Department.

FromSammy Heywood Okine

The nine highest-ranked teams, including host country Qatar, will join the seven winners from the qualifying stage in the final tournament

The draw for the FIFA Arab Cup Qatar 2021™ was conducted at Katara Opera House in Doha tonight.

The nine highest-ranked teams, including host country Qatar, will join the seven winners from the qualifying stage in the final tournament. The 16 teams have been drawn into four groups of four, as follows:

Group A: Qatar, Iraq, Winner of Oman v. Somalia and Winner of Bahrain v. Kuwait

Group B: Tunisia, UAE, Syria and Winner of Mauritania v. Yemen

Group C: Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Winner of Jordan v. South Sudan and Winner of Palestine v. Comoros

Group D: Algeria, Egypt, Winner of Lebanon v. Djibouti and Winner of Libya v. Sudan

The four group winners and four group runners-up will proceed to the knockout stage: quarter-finals, semi-finals, third-place play-off and final. The matches will take place at six Qatar 2022 stadiums, with the venues set to be confirmed in due course.

The tournament will take place later this year – during a similar timeslot to the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™. It is seen as a vital opportunity to test operations and facilities exactly a year before Qatar hosts the first World Cup in the Middle East and Arab world.

Ahead of the draw, FIFA (www.FIFA.com) confirmed the pairings for the qualifying matches. The 14 lowest-ranked teams will take part in single-leg matches, based on the April edition of the FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking:

Oman (FIFA world ranking: 80) v. Somalia (197)

Lebanon (93) v. Djibouti (183)

Jordan (95) v. South Sudan (169)

Bahrain (99) v. Kuwait (148)

Mauritania (101) v. Yemen (145)

Palestine (104) v. Comoros (131)

Libya (119) v. Sudan (123)

Source - FIFA

Dr. Manly-Spain Interacts With Boxing Coaches

Ghana Boxing Authority (GBA) Presidential hopeful, Dr. Henry Manly-Spain on Tuesday had fruitful deliberations with boxing coaches in Accra.

The meeting took place on Tuesday at the Attoh Quarshie Boxing Gym which shares the same premises with the Will Power Gym.

The First Vice President declared that it is his turn to occupy the Presidential  Seat and promised to continue with the good work of current President Lawyer Peter Zwennes who was able to get the nation three world champions and put Ghana Boxing on a higher level where all skate holders will be happy.

According to Dr. Manly-Spain, he holds the coaches and trainers in high esteem because they are always with the boxers, and they know what is good for the boxers as well as how to prepare and produce world champions.

He promised to listen to them in order to know their needs, and ensure that coaches are well catered for in contracts and will make sure the boxing gyms have basic equipment.

He reiterated that Boxing is big investment and must be operated in a serious business like manner with discipline and dedication as the watch words because there are prospects in the sport.

He urged the coaches not to rely on hear say or rumours, but always dwell on the truth.

He also promised to use his influence to move the GBA forward to have an address, by acquiring a new secretariat like that of the Ghana Football Association where all executives have their offices and a conference hall where they can host international meetings

“Boxing can also boast our tourism and we can reap much foreign exchange because we have great champions and rising stars” he said.

“I am a team player, I will not work alone because am not a tyrant, I love people and will make sure Ghana Boxing is respected supported by corporate bodies and the government” he added.

The coaches were very happy with the visit as they had the opportunity to quiz him and got the right answers.

By Sammy Heywood Okine

Ghana’s Lawrence Nyanyo Nmai is in the news again as he prepares to fight for the WBC African Challenge Muay Thai Championship Title Belt.

The two times SWAG Award winner  takes on Tanzanian Emmanuel Shija  in a Muay Thai bout at the La Palm Royal Beach Hotel on May 15, 2021.

The bout is under the banner of Michael Annan’s Don’s Promotions and would feature top female boxers from Switzerland and Tanzania.

Nyanyo Nmai who holds other titles said he has been preparing feverishly under the tutelage of his brother / trainer in Switzerland at the DFC Gym towards the fight and will be happy to fight and win in front of his people in James Town, Bukom, Osu, La and East Legon.

He said sports has much to offer the world, and people as well as governments should take sports very serious by investing and reaping richly.

He called on Ghanaian boxers and sportsmen to reach for great ambitions and aspirations.

He also appealed to private businesses to invest in sports to support talents and change lives to compliment government effort.

Lawrence Nmai commended the Black Bombers who have qualified for the Tokyo Olympic Games and wished them success.

By Sammy Heywood Okine

The Ministry of Youth and Sports in collaboration with National Sports Authority (NSA) have secured travel tickets and released USD$10,000 for the 14-member national men and women 4*100m Relay teams who are expected to depart on Wednesday for the World Athletics Relay in Silesia, Poland.

The national men and women 4*100m Relay teams will be eyeing qualification to the upcoming Tokyo Games when they partake in the World Athletics Relay scheduled for May 1-2, 2021.

Ghana’s men quartet team is made up of Joseph Paul Amoah, Benjamin Azamati, Sean Safo-Antwi, Martin Owusu-Antwi, and would be facing the challenge from Brazil, France, Japan, and Netherlands, among other nations who have fielded teams for the championship.

The women’s quartet comprising Gemma Acheampong, Hor Halutie, Flings Owusu-Agyapong, and Persis Williams-Mensah are among 16 teams who entered the Championship.

The women’s quartet would be looking to make their second successive debut at the Tokyo Olympics after making an appearance at the Rio Olympics in 2016.

From Sammy Heywood Okine