International Football

Cameroon, Africans Get Anti Racism Protection

Published

8 years ago

June 18, 2017

Cameroon, and indeed Africans can heave a sigh of relief as FIFA appears set to combat racism which is believed to be prevalent in Russia as regards to players of African origin. Monkey chants are common when Africans are on the field.

It is feared that such chants may come up when Cameroon take on Germany in Sochi next Sunday. Cameroon will open their 2017 Confederations Cup account this Sunday with a match with Chile in Moscow, but the greatest concern is the match next week in Sochi.

Just last month, in a Russian government sponsored public parade to herald the 2017 Confederations Cup, Russians in Sochi wore black painted faces and afro wigs to depict Cameroonians and were seen holding bananas as if they were monkeys.

The incident in Sochi, Russia has already triggered off what Cameroon should expect in Russia this year and the expectations of the five African teams that will feature at Russia 2018 World Cup.

But the world football governing body, FIFA, is taking steps to douse what could lead to potentially explosive situation.

The Olympic Games in the past had witnessed boycotts, even after teams’ arrivals as it happened in 1976 in Montreal, Canada and also in Moscow, Russia in1980.

FIFA events are yet to experience such. So, for the first time, Sports Village Square has gathered, in an official tournament, FIFA will use a three-step procedure in case of discriminatory incidents and also deploy anti-discrimination observers at all matches of the ongoing FIFA Confederations Cup 2017.

First, referees have been empowered to first stop a match and request a public announcement to insist that the discriminatory behaviour must stop.

The referee will suspend the match until the behaviour stops following another warning announcement, and finally, if the behaviour still persists, the referee will call off the match.

According to a media statement from FIFA, “anti-discrimination observers, meanwhile, are a natural continuation of the monitoring system that FIFA has put in place to monitor FIFA World Cup qualifiers and selected friendlies.

“The match observers are coordinated and trained by the Fare network, an organisation with a long track record of monitoring and fighting discrimination in football. Based on Fare’s ‘Global guide to discriminatory practices in football’, the match observers will monitor the behaviour of fans from both teams, as well as any spectators who are not affiliated to a particular team playing in the match.

“Should any discriminatory incidents occur during a match, the evidence collected by the match observers will be forwarded to the FIFA Disciplinary Committee for review and potential action.

International Football

Ancelotti to leave Real Madrid and take over Brazil national team

Published

19 hours ago

May 12, 2025

Kunle Solaja

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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International Football

Former Nigeria coach, Peseiro, leaves Egypt’s Zamalek after three months

Published

6 days ago

May 7, 2025

Kunle Solaja

Africa Cup of Nations - Nigeria Press Conference - Abidjan, Ivory Coast - February 10, 2024 Nigeria coach Jose Peseiro during the press conference REUTERS/Siphiwe Sibeko/File Photo

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

Published

3 weeks ago

April 23, 2025

Kunle Solaja

Brasileiro Championship - Gremio v Flamengo - Arena do Gremio, Porto Alegre, Brazil - September 22, 2024 Flamengo coach Tite REUTERS/Diego Vara/File Photo

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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