Africa Archives - Page 94 of 112 - Inside World Football

Sierra Leone suspends 15 players and officials in match-fixing scandal

Ibrhaim Kargbo

By Andrew Warshaw
July 17 – Sierra Leone is the latest country to be hit by a serious match-fixing scandal after national team captain Ibrahim Kargbo (pictured) was suspended along with 14 other players and officials. The country’s sports ministry and the Sierra Leone Football Association said the 15 are alleged to have tried to fix the outcome of a 0-0 draw against South Africa in a second round qualifier for the 2010 African Nations Cup.

Africa

Cecafa look to add to Kagame Cup with a Champions League format

Nicholas Musonye

July 17 – The Council for East and Central Africa Football Associations (Cecafa) Secretary General Nicholas Musonye (pictured) has said the regional association is thinking about starting its own Champions League.

Africa

ICSS opens match fixing workshop programme in Africa

July 16- The International Centre for Sport Security (ICSS), the Qatar-based sports integrity watchdog, has delivered the first in a series of match-fixing workshops to young players in Africa.

African players have become increasingly susceptible as victims of Asian-based gangs that deliberately target vulnerable lower-paid footballers.

Africa

FIFA extends deadline for Nigeria

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By Mark Baber
FIFA has extended the deadline for Nigeria to reinstate Aminu Maigari’s Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) board or face further sanctions from today (Tuesday, July 15) to Thursday July 17 in the light of a judicial strike which is delaying the resolution of matters in the Nigerian courts.

The extension was granted due to nationwide industrial action currently being taken by the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria.

Africa

FIFA take interim charge in Gambia after CAF suspension and GFF ‘malpractice’

Gambian team

July 11 – FIFA will appoint a temporary “normalisation” committee to run Gambian football until new federation elections are held. The move comes after the current Gambian Football Federation (GFF) board “lost the confidence of several major stakeholders.”

Africa

Nigerian football film festival tackles major social issues in its second edition

afff2013 01 screening

July 9 – The second African Football Film Festival (AFFF) takes place in Lagos, Nigeria, this weekend. Organised by PLAY!YA, the event mixes films and discussion of the social issues raised in the films, with interviews, games and music.

Africa

Nigeria face suspension as FIFA issues warning over government intervention

Nigerian fan

By Andrew Warshaw
July 7 – FIFA have given Nigerian authorities until tomorrow (Tuesday) to re-instate the board of the national association (NFF) or face being kicked out of world football for violating its rules over government intervention.

Africa

Egyptian Premier League plays out to empty stadium, but looks to 2014 restart

Egypt empty stadia

July 7 – The Egyptian Premier League finishes its 2013-14 season tonight with Al Alhy playing for an eighth successive title against Smouha in front of an empty stadium. Zmalek face Petrojet in a third place play-off, also in front of an empty stadium.

Africa

Nigerian chaos deepens as federation bosses arrested at Abuja airport

Aminu Maigari

By Mark Baber
July 4 – The president of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Aminu Maigari, and other board members were arrested by the Department of State Security Service at Nanmdi Azikiwe International Airport as they returned from the World Cup on Friday, July 4, 2014, according to reports from the NFF secretariat in Abuja.

Africa

Nigeria’s Oliseh defends African players who have bigger commitments to fulfil

Sunday Oliseh

By Andrew Warshaw
July 3 – One of Africa’s best-known footballing figures has defended the reputation of the Continent’s players at the World Cup, insisting they were not simply motivated by greed.

Africa

Ghanaian FA moves fast to deny involvement in match-fixing ‘friendlies’

Ghana flag

By Andrew Warshaw in Belo Horizonte
June 23 – The first match-fixing scam surrounding a country participating at the World Cup – though not linked to any of its actual matches here – has been fiercely denied by Ghanaian officials.

Africa

Mass-murder of World Cup fans in Nigeria likely the work of Boko Haram

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By Mark Baber
June 20- Despite there being no immediate claim of responsibility, Boko Haram militants are almost certainly behind Wednesday’s bombing in northern Nigeria which targeted football fans watching Brazil playing Mexico, killing at least 14 people and injuring dozens including men, women and children.

Africa

FIFA issues warning to Botswana: comply or face expulsion

Ian Khama

By Mark Baber
June 19 – The long-running dispute over Botswana President Ian Khama’s (pictured) constituency football tournaments has reached a new level of seriousness as FIFA insist the issue of bringing the tournaments under the authority of the Botswana Football Association (BFA) must be resolved by September 22 or the BFA faces possible suspension from FIFA.

Africa

South African FA agree to Olympic financial scrutiny but no audit

Danny Jordaan

By Mark Baber
June 12 – The South African Football Association (SAFA) agreed Wednesday to provide six-monthly progress reports on its financial affairs to the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee after worries over worries over debts amounting to a reported R100 million ($9.4 million).

Africa

Tanzania jails four penniless Nigerian players for overstaying visas

Nigerians jailed

By Mark Baber
May 16 – Four Nigerian players were imprisoned in Tanzania for overstaying their visas this week. Meanwhile Tanzanian clubs have requested they be given at least three years to reduce the numbers of foreign players to three per club.