International Football
Ahmad Reviews CAF’s TV Deal as Court Postpones Hayatou Trial
Contentious decisions on African football’s television rights and tournament hosting agreements will be reviewed in the coming months, Egyptian publication; Ahram quoted the new Confederation of African Football president, Ahmad as saying on Friday.
The Egyptian government had been at loggerhead with the ousted CAF leadership over a television rights deal signed.
Ahmad said he was concerned about a 12-year television deal that CAF signed last year with French-based Lagardere Sports.
“This contract is the subject of a judicial challenge in the Egyptian courts at the moment and it was to protect the integrity of CAF in this issue that the general secretary Hicham (El Amrani) submitted his resignation, which we accepted,” he said.
“We will investigate but I am concerned about the length of the contract. I would never sign anything for longer than three years.”
Lagardere Sports hold the television and marketing rights over all CAF’s major properties and have guaranteed African football a minimum of $1-billion in income over the next 12 years. Last month’s CAF Congress was told this could be more in the region of $1.5-billion.
Meanwhile, the Egyptian economic court, the Nigerian equivalent of Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC), has postponed the trial of former CAF boss, Issa Hayatou.
The former president faces charges of violating the country’s competition law by granting exclusive broadcasting rights to a single company without a tender
The Egyptian Competition Authority (ECA) has accused Hayatou and the confederation’s Secretary-General Hisham El-Omrani of violating the competition law by granting exclusive broadcasting rights without a tender.
The ECA referred the case to the prosecution early this year, asking for the suspension of the commercial contract between CAF and French company Lagardère Sports, saying it violates Egypt’s anti-monopoly laws.
Egypt maintains that since Cairo is home to the CAF headquarters, the decisions of its officials are subject to the country’s laws.
Carlo Ancelotti will become Brazil’s manager after leaving Real Madrid at the end of the season, the Brazilian FA (CBF) said on Monday.
The 65-year-old Ancelotti has enjoyed four hugely successful years in his second tenure at the Spanish giants, but they are set to finish this season without a trophy.
“The president of CBF Ednaldo Rodrigues has announced on Monday the signing of Italian manager Carlo Ancelotti,” it said in a statement.
“Bringing Carlo Ancelotti to coach Brazil is more than a strategic move. It is a statement to the world that we are determined to regain football’s top spot,” Rodrigues said in the statement.
“He is the greatest coach in history and now he is at the helm of the greatest national team on the planet. Together, we will write new chapters in the glorious history of Brazilian football.”
Brazilian soccer sources said Ancelotti will sign a one-year deal to become the world’s highest-paid national team coach ahead of the 2026 World Cup, with the option to extend his contract. Real have yet to announce Ancelotti’s departure.
He is set to be replaced by former Real midfielder Xabi Alonso, with sources close to the 41-year-old former Spain international saying he has agreed a three-year deal.
Alonso, 43, who announced earlier this month that he was leaving Bayer Leverkusen after guiding them to a domestic double last term, will join Real before the inaugural Club World Cup in the United States from June 14 to July 14, club sources said.
Ancelotti had a year remaining on his contract but Real’s underwhelming season and his desire to coach Brazil have led to a mutual agreement to part ways, the sources added.
Second-placed Real are seven points adrift of Barcelona, who could secure the league title on Wednesday without kicking a ball if Real fail to win at home to Mallorca.
Regardless of Real’s result, a Barca victory in the city derby away to Espanyol on Thursday would clinch the title.
-Reuters
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Zamalek ended Portuguese coach Jose Peseiro’s contract by mutual consent, the Egyptian soccer club said on Wednesday, after less than three months in charge due to poor results.
“An agreement has been reached between Zamalek and coach Jose Peseiro to mutually terminate the contract,” the club said on Facebook. “We wish you the best in your future endeavours.”
Former Porto and Sporting Lisbon coach Peseiro, 65, joined Zamalek on February 14 to become only the fifth coach to lead both Egyptian rivals, Zamalek and Al-Ahly.
However, Zamalek, the defending champions, were eliminated from the CAF Confederation Cup and the Egyptian League Cup under Peseiro, and a poor run in the league saw them slip to third place, seven points adrift of leaders Pyramids.
Peseiro has previously coached the national teams of Nigeria, Saudi Arabia and Venezuela, as well as the Saudi club Al-Hilal and United Arab Emirates’ teams Al Wahda and Sharjah.
-Reuters
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International Football
Former Brazil coach Tite taking break to take care of mental, physical health
Former Brazil coach Tite said he is taking an indefinite career break in order to take care of his mental and physical health.
The 63-year-old, who led Brazil to the 2019 Copa America title, was hospitalised due to a heart issue last August. He was sacked by Flamengo the following month and had most recently been linked with the Corinthians job.
“I realised that there are times when you have to understand that, as a human being, I can be vulnerable and admitting that will certainly make me stronger,” Tite said in a statement posted on his son Matheus Bachi’s Instagram on Tuesday.
“I’m passionate about what I do and I’ll continue to be so, but after talking to my family and observing the signals my body was giving off, I decided that the best thing to do now is to take a break from my career to look after myself for as long as it takes.
“As has become public, there was a conversation in progress with Corinthians, but it will have to be paralysed by a difficult but necessary decision.”
Tite, who stepped down as Brazil coach after their quarter-final exit from the 2022 World Cup, has previously coached a string of Brazilian sides including Gremio, Atletico Mineiro and Palmeiras.
-Reuters
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