International Olympic Committee (IOC) Vice President Yu Zaiqing speaks during the series of China Red Spring Festival at the Olympic Museum in Lausanne, Swizterland, Feb. 4, 2019. (Xinhua/Xu Jinquan)

The determination of Japan and the International Olympic Committee to host, as scheduled, the Tokyo Olympics has not changed, said IOC vice president Yu Zaiqing.

The COVID-19 challenges have not compromised Japan and the International Olympic Committee's determination to host, as scheduled, the Tokyo 2020, which was already postponed for a year due to the pandemic, IOC vice president Yu Zaiqing said.

The remarks were made in an interview with Xinhua on Friday, during which Yu confirmed that the IOC and its Japanese partners' determination to host the Tokyo Games "remains unchanged" and urged for "spreading accurate information."

Earlier on Friday, Dick Pound, the longest-serving IOC member, told UK's state broadcaster BBC that "I can't be certain because the ongoing elephant in the room would be the surges in the virus," raising concerns about whether the postponed Games will be staged.

The illuminated Olympic rings, Rainbow Bridge and Tokyo Tower return to Tokyo Bay area on Dec. 1, 2020, about four months after being removed for safety and maintenance checks. The Rainbow Bridge is specially illuminated in rainbow colors. (Xinhua/Du Xiaoyi)

Tokyo 2020 organizers said in a statement on the same day that they will continue to "proceed carefully with all necessary work" under "required safety and security measures" in preparation for the Games that is due to be held from July 23 to August 8.

Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga promised that "a safe and secure games" would be held as scheduled despite declaring on Thursday afternoon a state of emergency for Tokyo and three neighboring prefectures from January 8 to February 7 as the capital city reported a record 2,447 new COVID-19 cases that day.

Source: Xinhua

CAF announce candidates for presidency

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) have announced on Thursday the candidates for the presidency of the African association in the elections which will take place in March, with no Egyptian figures running for the position.

CAF released a statement on Thursday disclosing a list of five candidates that have presented the paperwork to run for the role, including suspended president Ahmad Ahmad.

The continent’s football governing body’s chief Ahmad was recently handed a five-year ban from all football related activities after being found guilty of misusing CAF’s finances for his own benefit.

CAF stated that his candidacy will be looked into as investigations regarding his wrongdoing is still in progress.

The five candidates are:

Ahmed Yahya – Mauritania

Jacques Anouma – Ivory Coast

Patrice Motsepe – South Africa

Ahmad Ahmad – Madagascar

Augustin Senghor – Senegal

The African association also made the names of the nominees for CAF’s Executive Council, which included 16 officials:

Wadie Jary (Tunisia)

Mustapha Ishola Raji (Liberia)

Djibrilla Hima Hamidou (Niger)

Edwin Simeon- Okraku (Ghana)

Adoum Djibrine (Chad)

Suleiman Waberi (Djibouti)

Isayas Jira (Ethiopia)

Feizal Ismael Sidat (Mozambique)

Elvis Raja Chetty (Seychelles)

Maclean Cortez Letshwithi (Botswana)

Kanizat Ibrahim (Comoros)

Patricia Rajeriarison (Madagascar)

Lawson Hogban-Latré-Kayti Edzona (Togo)

Additionally, there are three candidates that require verification over the eligibility of their candidacy, which are Mamadou Antonio Souaré from Guinea, Cameroonian Seidou Mbombo Njoya and Arthur De Almeida E. Silva from Angola.

Elections are set to be held on March 12 in Rabat, Morocco.

From Sammy Heywood Okine

Former Amidaus Professionals midfielder Olokwei Commodore has completed a move to Rwandan giants Rayon Sports after successful two weeks trial,.

The Ghanaian is joining as a free agent and has signed a two-year contract with an option to extend at end of the season.

Commodore is reportedly going to be earning a salary of Rwf600,000 in addition to bonuses.

He has been without a club since leaving the division three side Gaddafi Football club of Agona Swedru.

The 22-year-old Mamprobi born star has featured for Amidaus Professionals on loan in 2014.

From Sammy Heywood Okine

Major League Soccer (MLS) outfit, New England Revolution has completed the signing of experienced Ghanaian midfielder Emmanuel Boateng.

The exciting attacking midfielder since 2016 has consistently played in the American top-flight league where he has enjoyed successful stints with a number of clubs.

During the 2020 Campaign, Emmanuel Boateng played for Columbus Crew and played various roles to help the team lift the MLS Cup title at the end of the campaign.

Leaving the club at the end of the season, the 26-year-old has inked a 2-year contract with New England Revolution as he links up with former manager Bruce Arena.

“The New England Revolution have signed midfielder Emmanuel Boateng as a free agent.

“Boateng joins New England for his ninth professional season and sixth MLS campaign after stints with Columbus Crew SC, D.C. United, and the LA Galaxy, in addition to three years in Sweden’s first-tier Allsvenskan with Helsingborgs IF,” an official announcement from the MLS club has said.

The former Right to Dream Academy attacker is now focused on helping his new club achieve success in the 2021 MLS season.

ModernGhana

 Stephan Ambrosius [Right] with Hamburg SV sporting director Michael Mutzel [Left]

Ghanaian defender Stephan Kofi Ambrosius has signed a new contract with Hamburg SV that will see him playing for the German Bundesliga 2 outfit until the summer of 2024.

The centre-back born in Germany joined the club as a teenager in 2012 and has since significantly developed his game to become a key asset for the team.

On the back of successful negotiations, Stephan Ambrosius has signed a contract extension deal to continue playing for Hamburg SV.

“Another talented youngster from the HSV academy has committed his long-term future to the club. After the contracts on Aaron Opoku, Josha Vagnoman, and Jonas David were extended last summer until 2024, fellow academy graduate Stephan Ambrosius has followed suit.

“The 22-year-old central defender’s contract, which initially ran out this summer, has been extended by three years until the 30th June 2024,” an official announcement from the Bundesliga 2 club has said today.

The youngster is expected to be integral for Hamburg SV in the remainder of the 2020/2021 Bundesliga 2 season as they push for promotion to the top-flight league.

ModernGhana

H.E Jean-Yves Le Drian, the French Foreign Minister on Thursday, January 7, 2021 was Special Guest at the Kawukudi branch of Decathlon (the Biggest Sports Shop In West Africa) in Accra, Ghana,.

He visited the Volleyball and Basketball courts as well as watched Football by some community selected players.

He then interacted with some youth at the Dunk Community Basketball Court and the children of the Decathlon Ghana Read and Play Club. before visiting Ghana's preferred sports retailer, Decathlon

Three times Africa best Footballer of the year, Abedi Pele Ayew was there to inspire the young boys and girls with his table tennis skills..

The success story of  the Dunk / Decathlon partnership which involves recruiting from the community was revealed

H.E Anne Sophie Ave, Hajia Salma Mohammed, Dr Akosua Abdallah, Municipal Head, Alfred Twumasi – Ankrah, Mohammed (DUNK NGO Founder), Pamela Asare-Saforo (Decathlon), Hajia Salma Mohammed (Municipal Chief Executive), Kwasi Tabury, country manager of Decathlon and the media who were present were really elated and impressed.

By Sammy Heywood Okine

Ghana’s biggest Sports Retail giant, Decathlon Ghana, hosted France’s Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, Mr. Jean-Yves Le Drian, on Thursday 7th January 2021, at their flagship Kawukudi Store which will soon be opened to the general public in April, 2021.

As part of a working visit to Ghana, the French Foreign Minister took time off his busy schedule to visit Decathlon Ghana’s Kawukudi Store, and to observe how the Retail giant is using Sports as a tool to improve the quality of life of members of the Kawukudi Community, through the several social projects they have initiated in the Community.

The CEO of Decathlon Ghana, Mr. Kwasi Tabury, explained the Company’s Project in Ghana and how they are running their business as a Mission-Led Company with the main mission of ‘Changing People’s Lives through Sports’.

He talked about the various Social Projects the Company is engaged in, with the support of external partners from the Communities where Decathlon Ghana Stores are located, that is Junction Mall in Nungua and the new Store in Kawukudi, which he indicated will be opened to the general public on the 24th of April, 2021.

Some of their social projects include;

1. Community Sports Activation;

Decathlon Ghana provides Sports Coaches to activate various forms of Sports activities such as Aerobics, Fitness, Football, Basketball, Ballet, Cycling, amongst others for members of the communities around all Decathlon Ghana Stores for as little as GH¢1.00 a session. They can boast of more than a 1000 active members who join them everyday to practise Sports.

1. Clean & Play Project;

The Decathlon Ghana Clean & Play Project was started in 2017 at the Junction Mall Store in Nungua. Their main goal with this project is to protect, preserve and sustain the environment by engaging the Community in Clean Up activities and practising Sports with them afterwards. They have cleaned Beaches such as the Titanic, Sango and Coco Beaches in the Nungua and Sakumono areas and communities such as Kawukudi, Adjiriganor and inside the Nungua township.

iii. Read & Play Project;

The Read & Play Project, also known as the Library Project was developed by Decathlon Ghana to empower and educate the Youth living in the communities around the Decathlon Ghana Stores. The main idea of the Library project is to impart both soft and hard skills to the youth, using Sports as the main tool to help them become better people in their communities.

1. Decathlon & GFA Social Projects;

Decathlon Ghana has also partnered with the Ghana Football Association to use Football as a means to develop and empower the Youth in the Kawukudi Community. The two projects they have collaborated  on are the ‘Women in Football Project’, which seeks to empower and develop women through football, and the ‘Kipsta to the Street Project’ which promotes the development of the youth in the area using Street Football as the main tool.

During his visit, the Minister toured the sports fields around the Decathlon Kawukudi Store, which were occupied by several young sports lovers from the Community. He also interacted with some youth at the Dunk Community Basketball Court and the children of the Decathlon Ghana Read and Play Club. before visiting Ghana's preferred sports retailer, Decathlon

Present at the ceremony were the French Ambassador Madam Anne Sophia Ave and her entourage, CEO of Decathlon Ghana, Mr Kwasi Tabury  and his team and the maestro himself Abedi Ayew Pele, members of the Press, amongst several other dignitaries and invited guests.

Decathlon Ghana is Ghana's number ones sports retailer with over forty sports at your convenience. The company which was just announced the official retail partner of the Ghana Football Association is set to open one of the biggest sports stores in West Africa by April 2021 at Kawukudi .

From Heywood Okine

Ghana football legend Asamoah Gyan aka “Baby Jet’  has emerged as the most attractive player in the Ghana Premier League (GPL)  this season.

The Legon Cities striker has barely played games for his side so far this season but remains the player with the most attention.

Gyan pulled out an incredible 52% in a survey report conducted by Ghanaian data and research firm African Sports Centre for Data, Research & Technology.

The 35-year-old came top ahead of Medeama SC midfielder Justice Blay, Felix Annan, Yahaya Mohammed, Patrick Razak, Fabio Gama and Emmanuel Gyamfi.

Since joining the Ghana Premier League side, the ex-Sunderland and Udinese star has been able to make just three appearances for the Club so far this season.

Asamoah who has been combining tennis and football to maintain his fitness has also been nominated for the Athlete of the Month (December) by the popular African Sports Media Network, producers of the African Sports Monthly Magazine.

Other nominees are Lewis Hamilton of UK, Moroccan Youssef En- Nesryi and Mohammed Salah of Egypt .

From Sammy Heywood Okine

Burkina Faso striker, Ahmed ‘Simba’ Toure has expressed his delight after returning to Ghana to sign for Medeama SC.

The former Asante Kotoko forward was announced as a new signing of the Tarkwa-based club on Tuesday to provide a squad boost for the team in the ongoing Ghana Premier League season.

Speaking to the media team of the club, Ahmed Toure says he is excited to have sealed his move to Medeama SC to continue his career.

"I am extremely happy to return to a place I call home – Ghana again and I look forward to my time in Tarkwa,” the striker said as quoted on the website of the club.

According to Ahmed Toure, he has seen how the Medeama SC brand is fast growing and wants to play a part to help the club achieve success in the foregoing.

 “Medeama is fast-growing brand and I have been impressed with the project they are embarking on.

“I want to be part of history and so will contribute m quota to the success of the team,” the player who has returned to Medeama SC for a second stint added.

Before returning to Ghana, Ahmed Toure played for clubs including ASEC Mimosas and AS Vita Club.

From Sammy Heywood Okine

Striker Asamoah Gyan has returned to training with Legon Cities teammates after sitting out for the past two weeks.

Cities are preparing for their week 8 Ghana Premier League encounter against WAFA at the Accra Sports Stadium on Friday night.

WAFA have lost couple of games on the road this season but Cities are winless in all seven matches this campaign having lost four times and drawn the other three games.

Gyan has made three appearances – all coming from the bench – and is yet to score in his second season in the country’s top flight.

The record Ghana national team goalscorer scored 10 goals in the 2003 league season with Liberty Professionals.

He has been nominated for Athlete of the Month (December 2020) by the African Sports Media Network and he is expected to inspire his team to their first victory, but WAFA does not come cheap.

WAFA will certainly give Cities a worth of good foorball.

Cities have been poor in the ongoing season leaving them at the bottom of the league log with just three points.

By Sammy Heywood Okine