Other Sports

ANOCA: Cameroon’s Presidential Candidate Disqualified

Published

7 years ago

May 7, 2017

Cote d’Ivoire’s Lassana Yakire Palenfo, the president of the Association of National Olympic Committee of Africa (ANOCA) is set to be elected unopposed as his sole challenger, Hamad Kalkaba Malboum of Cameroon has been disqualified over unethical practices.
The elections are holding in Djibouti, East Africa. In formation reaching www.sportsvillagesquare.com has it that the executive committee of ANOCA came into possession of documents that implied that finances had been made available by the Cameroonian Government to aid the candidacy of Hamad Kalkaba Malboum and to “motivate National Olympic Committees.”
The documents were also allegedly indicating that more funds was being sought to “continue the exercise”.
Consequently, an emergency executive committee was conveyed on Saturday which excluded the president as he was an interested party. The meeting was chaired by the first vice president, Mustafa Berraf of Algeria.
Information reaching the Sports Village Square has it that Hamad Kalkaba Malboum who apart from being the President of Cameroon’s national Olympic committee, also heads the country’s sports committee admitted that the documents tendered were authentic but vehemently disputed that the funds that had been provided by the government had or were being used to illegally “motivate” any person with influence over the elections, or NOCs.
ANOCA board members concluded that “the direct involvement of the government had the effect of creating conflict between NOCs and their ministries of sport. This was due to the fact that the Cameroonian ministry of foreign affairs had instructed its embassies in Africa to directly appeal to their host governments to ask NOC to vote for the candidate.
“At the same time, the ministry had also directly written to all ministries of foreign affairs in Africa requesting them to contact their ministries of sport with the same message”.
ANOCA, which has its headquarters in Nigeria’s capital, Abuja, was of the view that the actions of the Cameroonian government had the capability of creating a potential conflict between ministries and NOCs.
It ruled that the action was a clear infringement of the very tenets of the autonomy of Olympic sport. Consequently, Kalkaba Malboum was asked to withdraw from the presidential race, a move he rejected.
As a result, he was disqualified and will also face the IOC Ethics Commission for unethical behaviour and violating autonomy of sport by inviting and directly involving government interference in the campaign for presidency of an Olympic organisation.
He is also suspended from all activities and positions related to the Olympic Movement in Africa pending the outcome of the investigation by the Ethics Commission. He will not be allowed to represent the NOSC in the 17th Ordinary Session of the General Assembly. However, any other delegates may represent Cameroon.

Other Sports

Stolen Ferrari Recovered Almost 30 Years Later –

Published

5 months ago

March 5, 2024

Kunle Solaja

Stolen Ferrari Recovered Almost 30 Years Later -

A Ferrari Testarossa sports car stolen from Austrian Formula One driver Gerhard Berger during the 1995 San Marino Grand Prix weekend has been recovered by London police almost 29 years later.

The Metropolitan Police said on Monday the red F512M, worth some 350,000 pounds ($444,325.00), was tracked down in four days after Ferrari reported it was the one being sold through a British broker to a U.S. buyer.

Police enquiries found it was shipped to Japan shortly after being stolen from the Italian city of Imola and then arrived in Britain in late 2023.

The Organised Vehicle Crime Unit said enquiries were ongoing and no arrests had been made.

A second silver Ferrari F355 that belonged to Berger’s French former team mate Jean Alesi, which was stolen on the same weekend in the Italian city, remains missing.

Alesi finished second in the race won by Williams’ Damon Hill with Berger third, in the Ferrari drivers’ final season at the Italian team before the arrival of Michael Schumacher and Eddie Irvine.

Berger had caught the thief in the act of stealing his car but after jumping clear and then giving chase in a friend’s Volkswagen Golf, according to a news report at the time, was unable to prevent it from getting away.

-Reuters

Other Sports

Bayelsa State are National Para Games champions

Published

7 months ago

December 15, 2023

Kunle Solaja

The resounding success of the 2nd edition of the National Para Games culminated in an exhilarating and grand closing ceremony at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium, Abuja.

The week-long celebration of talent, resilience, and sportsmanship concluded on December 14th, leaving an indelible mark on the landscape of para sports in Nigeria.

The Minister of Sports Development, Senator John Owan Enoh, lauded the remarkable display of talent and dexterity exhibited by the para athletes throughout the Games. Expressing his delight, he commended the spirit of competition and the dedication of all participants.

“The National Para Games have once again showcased the incredible abilities and unwavering spirit of our para athletes,” Senator Enoh said. “The level of talent and determination displayed by these athletes is truly inspiring. They embody the essence of sportsmanship and perseverance.”

“Through sports, we celebrate unity, resilience, and determination. The National Para Games have proven to be a platform that not only showcases exceptional talent but also fosters inclusivity and breaks barriers.”

From December 8th to 14th, the stadium played host to representatives from all 36 states of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). The atmosphere was charged with excitement as athletes showcased their skills, determination, and unwavering spirit, captivating audiences and leaving spectators in awe.

Bayelsa State emerged as the champions of the Games, winning 30 gold, 24 silver and 20 bronze medals. Abia, Kano Lagos, and Oyo states completed the top five in that order. Their athletes’ dedication and outstanding performances solidified their position at the pinnacle of para sports excellence.

The closing ceremony was a spectacle of pomp and pageantry, featuring captivating performances, cultural displays, and heartfelt tributes to the athletes who epitomized perseverance and triumph over adversity.

As the curtains drew to a close on this momentous occasion, the legacy of the National Para Games continues to inspire a new era of inclusivity, empowerment, and recognition for para athletes across Nigeria.

Other Sports

A football club gets record! Sixteen yellow cards in a game

Published

9 months ago

November 7, 2023

Kunle Solaja

Czech football club TJ Sokol Upohlavy had 16 players booked in in their match last weekend. PHOTO: TJ SOKOL UPOHLAVY/FACEBOOK

A Czech football club playing in the lowest division has made the sports pages across the country after 16 of its players were booked at the same time last weekend.

TJ Sokol Upohlavy’s players decided to make a splash as they were trailing TJ Sokol Libochovany 6-0 in their game in the lowest district tier last Saturday.

When Martin Blizil scored to make it 6-1 in the 82nd minute, all 11 of the team’s players on the pitch took off their shirts in celebration – a deed punishable by a yellow card.

Five substitutes came off the bench to celebrate with them, also taking off their shirts and earning a booking.

“The last game didn’t really go our way, but our players maybe set a world record,” the team said on Facebook after losing the game 6-2 in the end.

“When you underperform, what’s left is a sense of humour.”

The referee did not book each player individually – also because with the players’ shirts off, he could not see the numbers.

But he did enter the bookings in the match report. The transcript, with a yellow rectangle next to each Upohlavy player’s name, has since gone viral on local social media.

The village of Upohlavy, where the club is based, has a population of 276 people and lies about 50 kilometres northwest of the Czech capital Prague.

–AFP