By Michael Kachitsa African tennis achieved a major milestone, with two boys from the continent ranking in the Junior Top 20 for the first time in history. Eliakim Coulibaly, from Cote D’Ivoire, climbed 10 places in the ITF World Tennis Tour Juniors Rankings presented by IMG Academy on Monday to reach a career-high No. 16 and join South Africa’s Khololwam Montsi in the Top 20. Coulibaly and Montsi, the junior world No. 12, both enjoyed a strong end to 2019, with Coulibaly reaching the quarter-finals at the Grade A Orange Bowl event in Plantation, where it took eventual champion and Junior World Champion Thiago Agustin Tirante to stop him, while Montsi won his sixth title of the year – and first at Grade A level – in Cape Town in his penultimate tournament of the year. The two players, both 17, have received significant support from the ITF and Grand Slam Development Fund over the years. Confederation of African Tennis (CAT) (French: Confédération Africaine de tennis) is the continental governing body of tennis in Africa. It is the non-profit private organization based in Tunis and affiliated with International Tennis Federation. The main aim of the CAT is to regulate the rules of tennis in the African continent, to develop the fundamental infrastructures for the sport, and to popularize it throughout the continent. For this, CAT also recognizes the excellence of professionals in the field of tennis, including players and member associations with awards and accolades. It is the largest regional body of the tennis with 50 member countries. English and French are the official languages of the organization. According to CAT, African continent is divided into five different zones on the geographical basis with each zone has its own zonal head.
Category: Sports
Football in Asia
By Michael Kachitsa Football in Asia is growing and it is the most popular sport in many of the Asian countries like Iran. According to FIFA (Federation Internationale de Football Association), the earliest form of football (soccer) was played in China and it was dated back to centuries. The game was called cuju and it was played as the same way as soccer- without using hands or arms and a player had to kick the ball through two goal posts to score a goal where the ball was made of leather. Football in Asia is enormously diversified and it banks on various surroundings and periods. During the 21st century, football is emerging as a prominent sport in the Asian countries, with Qatar hosting the 2022 FIFA world cup, India introducing the Super League in 2013 and Qatar and United Arab Emirates’ huge investment in clubs overseas. Only one Asian team (South Korea) has made it through the quarterfinals of the FIFA World cup since the tournament expanded to 32 teams in 1998 while other Asian teams like Saudi Arabia and North Korea have suffered huge defeats in the World cup in 2002 and 2010 respectively. Asia has the largest fan following of soccer than any other continent which is approximately 800 million and it also exhibits 32 percent of the viewership for the English Premier League. The former President of FIFA, for the year 1998-2005, Sepp Blatter asserted his confidence that the future of football must lie in Asia because half of the world’s population is in Asia. AFC’s (Asia Football Confederation) official slogan is ‘The Future is Asia’ and the AFC aims to develop football in Asia even more in the coming years.
The Development of African Football
By Michael Kachitsa Association football is the most popular sport in South Africa, followed by rugby union and cricket. The governing body is the South African Football Association (SAFA). The country’s top league is the South African Premier Division, while the main cup competitions are the Nedbank Cup, Telkom Knockout, and the MTN 8 Cup. Football first arrived in South Africa through colonialism in the late nineteenth century, as the game was popular among British soldiers. From the earliest days of the sport in South Africa until the end of apartheid, organised football was affected by the country’s system of racial segregation. The all-white Football Association of South Africa (FASA), was formed in 1892, while the South African Indian Football Association (SAIFA), the South African Bantu Football Association (SABFA) and the South African Coloured Football Association (SACFA) were founded in 1903, 1933 and 1936 respectively. In 1903 the SAFA re-affiliated with English The Football Association after the Second Boer War between the British Empire and the Boer state. There was a plan to play a tournament held in Argentina, with South Africa and Fulham as guest teams, but it was not carried out. Nevertheless, South Africa traveled to South America in 1906 to play a series of friendly matches there. South Africa played a total of 12 matches in South America, winning 11 with 60 goals scored and only 7 conceded. Some of the rivals were Belgrano A.C., Argentina national team, a Liga Rosarina combined, Estudiantes (BA) and Quilmes. The only team that could beat South Africa was Argentine Alumni by 1–0 at Sociedad Sportiva stadium of Buenos Aires, on 24 June, although the South African would take revenge on 22 July, defeating Alumni by 2–0. The players were exclusively white, civil servants, government employees, bankers and civil engineers. Seven of the 15 players were born in South Africa and 8 originated from England and Scotland. South Africa was one of four African nations to attend FIFA’s 1953 congress, at which the four demanded, and won, representation on the FIFA executive committee. Thus the four nations (South Africa, Ethiopia, Egypt and Sudan) founded the Confederation of African Football in 1956, and the South African representative, Fred Fell, sat at the first meeting as a founding member. It soon became clear however that South Africa’s constitution prohibited racially mixed teams from competitive sport and so they could only send either an all-black side or an all-white side to the planned 1957 African Cup of Nations. This was unacceptable to the other members of the Confederation and South Africa were disqualified from the competition, however some sources say that they withdrew voluntarily.
Ajawa Donates Football Uniform to Area 49 Market Rangers
By Tione Andsen Lilongwe, December 20, Mana: Grassroots football remains instrumental in shaping the future of the country’s football development. Chairperson of Central Region Football League (CRFL), Austin Ajawa make the remarks Sunday at Mkomachi Primary School grounds at Area 49 in Lilongwe when he presented a set football uniform and two footballs worth K335, 000.00 to Area 49 Market Rangers Football Team. He said the development of football at grassroots level require the provision of better infrastructures that would have an impact to its improvement. Ajawa appealed to team management to make use of the materials saying it should be utilized to the development of their game. “The items should not bring division among members of the team. The uniform should be used as a motivator to players and officials to aim high. We want to see the team play in Chipiku League in the next few years to come,” the CRFL pointed out. He pledged his continued support to the team where need would be saying there are a number of areas which require to be addressed. Area 49 Market Rangers Chairperson, Thomas Masina thanked Ajawa for donating the uniforms and balls to the team. He said the donation would help to shape the future of team in terms of its ambitions of playing in upper leagues in Lilongwe. Senior Block Leader in Area 49 market area, Fungai Piyo thanked Area 49 resident, Rockie Vashi for his initiative to source the items from CRFL Chairperson, Ajawa. He said the gesture by Ajawa has demonstrated his ability and interest to see that football develops from grassroots level. “We want to have a strong team and produce good players for various clubs and national teams. We will ensure that the materials are properly utilized and kept safely,” Piyo added. Area 49 Market Rangers Football Team is non league team.
The History of Borussia Dortmund
By Michael Kachitsa Dortmund was founded in 1909, by a group of eighteen youths unhappy with the local chaplain’s treatment of their church-sponsored football team. Being a relatively small club, Dortmund’s ambitions were moderate to start with. The club barely avoided bankruptcy in 1929, and being an anti-Nazi oriented club during the Third Reich regime certainly didn’t help matters. Their first taste of silverware came in the mid-50s, with two consecutive national titles in 1956 and 1957. Having proved themselves by winning the last German national championship ever held (1963), Dortmund were among the sixteen clubs invited to play in the newly-formed Bundesliga. In general, the 60s were a fruitful period for the club, which claimed its first DFB-Pokal in 1965 and its first and only Cup Winners’ Cup the following year. This would be their last trophy for a while, as the next three decades were fraught with continual financial troubles. The loss of Hitzfeld to Bayern Munich after the Champions League victory was a tough pill to swallow, but their financial troubles would prove an even greater hindrance. After Dortmund became the only German football club to enter the stock market at the turn of the millennium, their shares had started falling and the club found itself deeply in debt. The Bundesliga title in 2002 was not enough to turn the tide, and the club had to resort to selling their best players in order to survive. As a result of a sponsorship deal with an insurance company, Westfalenstadion would in 2005 change name to Signal Iduna Park for a limited time (until 2021). After a couple of miserable seasons, Jürgen Klopp’s arrival in 2008 would set them back on the road to greatness. Under his leadership, Dortmund would prove to be the only true challenger to Bayern; their reignited rivalry was the main talking point of German football in the years that followed. During Klopp’s seven years at the helm, Dortmund claimed two more Bundesliga titles (2011 and 2012) and their third DFB-Pokal (2012), but lost to Bayern in the 2013 Champions League final. Even with the club winning its second DFB-Pokal in 1989, the future wasn’t looking too bright. Their fortunes would finally change with the hiring of Ottmar Hitzfeld in 1992; with the genius strategist in charge, Dortmund soared to the top of German football. After winning two consecutive Bundesliga titles in 1995 and 1996, Dortmund set off to conquer the rest of Europe. In 1997, they advanced to the Champions League finals, where they handily defeated the favored Juventus 3-1.
The history of Old Trafford
By Michael Kachitsa The Old Trafford stadium, commonly known as “The Theatre of Dreams,” was originally opened on February 19, 1910 with a capacity of approximately 80,000. During the Second World War, Old Trafford was used by the military as a depot, and on March 11, 1941 was heavily damaged by a German bombing raid. The stadium was rebuilt following the war and reopened on August 24, 1949. The addition of floodlighting, permitting evening matches, was completed in 1957 and a project to cover the stands with roofs was completed in 1959. After a series of additions during the 1960s, 1970s and early 1980s, capacity at Old Trafford reached 56,385 in 1985. The conversion of the stadium to an all-seater reduced capacity to approximately 44,000 by 1992, the lowest in its history. Thereafter, we began to expand capacity throughout the stadium, bringing capacity to approximately 58,000 by 1996, approximately 68,000 by 2000, and approximately 76,000 in 2006. Current capacity at Old Trafford is 75,454. In the late 1940s, we returned to on-field success, winning the FA Cup in 1948 and finishing within the top four league positions during each of the first five seasons immediately following the Second World War. During the 1950s, we continued our on-field success under the leadership of manager Sir Matt Busby, who built a popular and famous team based on youth players known as the “Busby Babes.” In February 1958, an airplane crash resulted in the death of eight of our first team players. Global support and tributes followed this disaster as Busby galvanized the team around such popular players as George Best, Bobby Charlton and Denis Law. Rebuilding of the club culminated with a victory in the 1968 European Cup final, becoming the first English club to win this title. In 1986, our club appointed Sir Alex Ferguson as manager. In 1990, we won the FA Cup and began a period of success that has continued until the present day. Since 1992, we have won the Premier League 13 times. In total, we have won a record 20 English League titles, a record 12 FA Cups, 4 League Cups, 3 European Champions Cups and 1 FIFA Club World Cup, making us one of the most successful clubs in England.
The rise of Jamie Vardy
By Michael Kachitsa Jamie Vardy, arguably has a more impressive story. From a young age, Vardy had dreams of one day being a professional footballer, but as a teenager he was released from the youth academy of Sheffield Wednesday, who currently play in English soccer’s second division (Scott). Determined not to give up, Vardy continued to play football with the Stocksbridge Park Steels, a team in the seventh-tier of English football. Working at a carbon fiber factory to make ends meet and receiving a criminal assault conviction, Vardy probably experienced his most trying years with the Steels. Vardy was an exceptional player, scoring 66 goals in 107 league games for Stocksbridge. Many teams took an interest in Vardy, and in May 2012 the 25-year old was bought by Leicester City from Fleetwood from 1 million euros. Although he had finally earned professional status, his struggles were far from over. A poor first season performance left him wondering if he should continue with football. But like he had always done in the past, he persevered. In the 2013-2014 Leicester earned back a spot in the premier league with the help of Vardy’s 16 goals, and the man was once working at a factory to get by would now be playing in the top league of English football. His first season saw him put on a spectacular performance in Leicester’s win over Manchester United as Leicester managed to retain their spot in the Premier League. Vardy started the season in fantastic form. On August 29, Jamie scored a late penalty against Bournemouth to tie up the final score. In his next match, he scored against Aston Villa. And then against Stoke. Then against Arsenal. And again against Norwich. On November 21, he scored just before halftime against Newcastle. But this goal was special. It meant that Vardy had scored in 10 consecutive Premier League matches, tying the record set by Manchester United’s Ruud van Nistelrooy. But could possibly Vardy beat the record? Perhaps there was no better opponent to stop him than Manchester United themselves. But they couldn’t, and after receiving a wonderful through ball behind United’s defence, Vardy claimed his place in the record books. The season far from over, but Vardy and Leicester City have already staged one of the greatest stories in football history. It’s a wonderful tale of hard work, perseverance, and pure talent, and it’s hard not to hope that it ends in a title for Vardy and the foxes. Source – Soccer politics
Football whilst in lockdown
By Michael Kachitsa Reflecting on the research, Marco Paans, CEO of 90/24 Media, said: ‘In these insecure times we are all trying to find means of communications. With our friends, family’s and colleagues but also with our customers. It’s good to see how football players and fans are connecting and engaging in these times. We are humble and proud that we are allowed to play a key role in this.’ Calum Hopkins, commercial partnerships, adds: ‘It’s very hard for brands to keep the continuity up in a sport that isn’t being played right now and deliver strong content that is sensitive to this difficult time we are all in. Football will return though, so how will your brand stay relevant? This will be defined by what your brand does now. At 9024 we are thankful that we are having a part to play in keeping our players connected with their fans on a daily basis by providing engaging content. Fans still need to feel connected with their heroes even though there isn’t any football being played and a brand can be part of this message by collaborating with these heroes to tell authentic stories.
The History of The Melbourne Vixens Netball Team
By Michael Kachitsa The Melbourne Vixens is Netball Victoria’s representative team competing in Australia’s national netball competition, Suncorp Super Netball. The Vixens franchise was launched in 2008 during the formation of a new Trans-Tasman competition, the ANZ Championship, with the amalgamation of two Victorian teams – the Melbourne Phoenix and Melbourne Kestrels. During the ANZ Championship’s nine-year the Vixens claimed two premierships – in 2009 and 2014. Prior to the ANZ Championship, the Commonwealth Bank Trophy was the premier netball competition in Australia. Two teams were operated by Netball Victoria – the Melbourne Kestrels and the Melbourne Phoenix. Both teams hosted the cream of Victoria’s netballing elite. Names such Shelley O’Donnell and Simone McKinnis led the teams who blooded new talent with names that are legendary in today’s netball world; McMahon, Chatfield, Corletto. With the beginning of the new competition in 2008 both teams were merged to form what was considered the dream team, a mixture of the Phoenix’s experience and success, and the new, upcoming talent of the Kestrels. The letters PKNC feature on the back of each Melbourne Vixens dress, standing for Phoenix Kestrels Netball Club, celebrating our rich history of netball success. The Melbourne Vixens has a short but proud history of being one of the premier teams in Suncorp Super Netball (formerly the ANZ Championship), arguably the world’s best netball league. In 2015 the Melbourne Vixens Club was established as a way to recognise and acknowledge the athletes who have worn the Vixens dress with pride since the team was formed in 2008. All players who have been contracted or taken the court for the Vixens have a number allocated to them corresponding with their time in the team.
The Zinedine Zidane Headbutt
By Michael Kachitsa In the 2006 World Cup final in Berlin on July 9, 2006, with France and Italy locked at 1-1 in extra time, the great Zinedine Zidane — playing in his last-ever match as a player — wandered past Azzurri defender Marco Materazzi. Amid the din of a tense Olympiastadion, thousands in Berlin and millions worldwide watched on as the Frenchman exchanged words with the Italian. Time seemed to freeze as Zidane held his opponent’s gaze, locked, loaded, and unleashed an extraordinary headbutt straight into Materazzi’s sternum. It earned Zidane — one of the most decorated players of his time and a god among Les Bleus and Real Madrid fans alike — a red card as he marched furiously past the World Cup trophy, an ignomous end to his playing career. What was said between the two? Rumours and allegations of a slur against Zidane’s sister have long since done the rounds as football fans speculated what could prompt such an incredibly volatile reaction. As fate would have it, the incident involved both goal-scorers in the 1-1 draw. Zidane scored the opener with an audacious penalty kick that went in off the crossbar, before Materazzi equalised with a thumping header (ironic?) from a corner. Italy, which had beaten the Socceroos in the round of 16, went on to win the final 5-3 on penalties to clinch a fourth World Cup title. Materazzi told French daily L’Equipe he used “stupid words” to rile Zidane. “If you go to a football pitch in the suburbs of Rome, Naples, Turin, Milan or Paris, you’ll realise that what I said was quite soft compared to what you hear there,” he said.