3x Champions League winner

5x Premier League winner

3x Bundesliga winner

3x LaLiga winner

3x UEFA Supercup winner

2x DFB-Pokal winner

2x FA Cup winner

2x Copa del Rey winner

4x English League Cup winner

3x Spanish Supercopa winner

Dr. Kwaku Ofosu - Asare inspires Ghana Swimmers at National Open

Dr. Kwaku Ofosu - Asare, Chairman of the Local Organising Committee (LOC) of the 13th African Games dubbed 'Accra 2023' who was a special guest at the 2023 Ghana Swimming Association (GSA) National Open Championship held last Saturday at the University of Ghana, Legon commended the young swimmers and urged them to display their talents and possibly earn a call up or position in the National team.

He described the Championship as very exciting and chance for the swimmers to be exposed to tough and high standard competition.

According to him, Ghana will host the next African Games, and the whole nation must contribute to the hosting and winning of the Games. He stressed that Ghana will be counting on the swimmers to win medals in Swimming.

He entreated all swimmers to aspire to win and encouraged coaches also to devote their time and energy to train the swimmers to become champions.

He announced that a new aquatic center is being built for the African Games at Borteyman, and it is a motivation for swimmers to come out and shine.

He noted that for 15 days in March next year, Ghana will host 55 African countries, and urged the swimmers to use the chance to make name for themselves and their nation.

"The Games coming home for the first time is an opportunity, so you guys must train hard to win gold for Ghana, we are very proud of you and know you can make it" he said.

The successful Swimming Open attracted swimmers from the GH Dolphins, Marlins, Legon Sharks, GH Aquatic Masters, African Sharks, Tema Seals, Ghana Blue Fins and Dolphins Swim Center.

National coach and father of Abeiku Jackson, Ghana's top swimmer, Papa Jackson told Yours Truly in another interview,  the event was fine, despite the fact that most of the swimmers were writing exams, thus could not attend.

"We were not many, but it was a fine event and I believe the Ghana Swimming Association has achieved it's aim and objective for the Championship" he expressed.

Mrs. Delphina Quaye, President of the GSA said Ghana has potential, but the investment in sports is not enough. She called on corporate Ghana to support the sports federations. She congratulated parents who have been supporting their kids to swim.

Ms. Farida Iddriss, an International Technical Officer and Administrator of the GSA and Ghana Olympic Committee (GOC) said Swimming has proved to be a very attractive sport and has marketed Ghana at many international programmes, especially the Olympic Games. She was happy that more kids are interested in the sport.

She was hopeful that Ghana will take Swimming to the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

Mr. Charles Mensah, also an executive of the GSA said they are preparing for the 13th African Games and believes Ghana will do well and win many medals.

By Sammy Heywood Okine

The former undisputed junior welterweight champion takes on the former unified lightweight titleholder on Saturday night

Just two years ago, the idea of a clash between Josh Taylor, then the undisputed junior welterweight champion, and Teofimo Lopez, then the unified lightweight champion, would have had the boxing world buzzing. The two now clash on Saturday night with only one world title on the line and both men seeing their stock dip after recent outings.

Taylor (19-0, 13 KO) will be defending his WBO junior welterweight title when the pair meet in the Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City. He has forfeited or been stripped of the three other world titles he held after refusing mandatory title defenses, all in the wake of a disastrous fight against Jack Catterall in February 2022.

The fight with Catterall was Taylor's first defense of his undisputed title after unifying the WBO, WBA, WBC and IBF titles with a win over Jose Ramirez. After struggling with the weight cut, Taylor looked flat while also struggling with his cardio. Most observers felt Catterall had done enough to win the fight, but Taylor escaped with a split decision victory while defiantly claiming there was no need for a rematch because he felt he clearly won the bout.

"He means what he says, and I mean what I say. There is genuine dislike here. He's been disrespectful," Taylor said at the final press conference. "I'm going to make him pay for his words on Saturday. I can't wait to get in there. You will see a Josh Taylor win, possibly by KO, and nice and early as well.

"I know he's a good fighter. The version that beat Lomachenko is a very good fighter. That's the version I'm preparing for. It's all about your preparation. I've prepared diligently and to the best of my ability. You'll see the best of me on Saturday night."

During the same period Taylor was facing his struggles, Lopez (18-1, 13 KO) saw his own empire crumbling. After defeating Vasiliy Lomachenko in October 2020 to unify the IBF, WBA and WBO lightweight world titles, Lopez was on top of the boxing world.

Can't get enough boxing and MMA? Get the latest in the world of combat sports from two of the best in the business. Subscribe to Morning Kombat with Luke Thomas and Brian Campbell for the best analysis and in-depth news.

The first defense of Lopez's status as unified champion came against lightly-regarded George Kambosos Jr. The Aussie got in Lopez's head before the two men ever stepped in the ring, dropped Lopez in the first round and took a clear decision victory in a shocking upset.

Lopez did not handle the loss well, claiming there was a conspiracy to take away a deserved win despite the logic of conspiring against the young champion with years of promotional weight behind him in favor of a fighter only known by hardcore boxing fans being outside any version of reality. Lopez also claimed he entered the ring with a tear in his esophagus that could have killed him during the bout.

Lopez followed up the loss to Kambosos by moving up to junior welterweight and scoring wins over Pedro Campa and Sandor Martin. Lopez was dropped by Martin in their fight and barely edged out a split decision win before being caught on camera asking his team "Do I still got it?"

Unsurprisingly, Lopez later tried to flip the candid moment into an intentional attempt to either trick the media or bait big-name fighters into coming after him. It was yet another in an increasing number of situations that call Lopez's mental state into question.

Since the Kambosos fight, Lopez's behavior has become increasingly strange while dealing with flat performances in the ring and increasingly volatile situations involving his family and wife.

Taylor has been trying to worm his way into Lopez's mind ahead of the fight, walking out on interviews and making little digs while Lopez has unapologetically repeated his desire to kill Taylor in the ring, a taboo subject in the world of boxing where death is an ever-present risk.

"What is 'The Takeover' if he doesn't take over the guys that are the kingpins of the division? So, when it comes to Josh Taylor and the junior welterweights, he is the guy," Lopez said. "That's the guy that you have to beat to be the greatest. That's what we aim for all the time.

"I worked my ass off. Eleven weeks of camp. This is going to be the best version of me. Practice makes improvement. We've improved since my last fight. We're ready to put on a show. I'm going to be a two-time lineal world champion."

With the mix of personalities and the need for in-ring redemption for both supremely talented fighters, Saturday night promises to be a fascinating fight that will say much about where both men stand in the sport.

The undercard sees the return of heralded prospect Xander Zayas when he takes on Ronald Cruz at junior middleweight. Zayas is still building himself up as a pro at just 20 years old. He scored three wins in 2022 with one TKO. Saturday marks his first fight of 2023 against an opponent coming off a loss and a draw in his most recent appearances.

Let's take a closer look at the rest of the undercard before getting to a prediction and expert pick on the main event.

Taylor vs. Lopez fight card, odds

Odds via Caesars Sportsbook

FAVORITE          UNDERDOG       WEIGHT CLASS

Josh Taylor (c) -200       Teofimo Lopez +170      WBO junior welterweight title

Xander Zayas        Ronald Cruz         Junior middleweight

Omar Rosario -230         Jan Carlos Rivera +190  Junior middleweight

Prediction

There's nothing but negatives following Taylor into this bout. He's dropped three of his titles -- along with undisputed status -- of his own volition and his most recent outing left a ton to be desired while he also struggled to make weight. Still, the bulk of this preview has been about Lopez because the issues he has been dealing with are that bad.

The above preview barely touches on many of the darker issues in Lopez's life, from currently going through what appears to be an ugly divorce complete with custody issues, to his claims that Top Rank and ESPN favor "Black fighters" over him, to transitioning from defending his stated desire to kill Taylor to telling ESPN he "low-key" wants to die during a particularly unhinged interview. Lopez, already prone to extreme emotions, has seemed positively off the rails since the Kambosos fight and it is clearly affecting him in the ring.

Taylor is big, strong and mean. He has also proven his skills against some truly elite fighters, including Regis Prograis, Jose Ramirez and Catterall. Yes, he stumbled before and during that Catterall fight, but he should have learned and grown from it, one of the most important skills of a great boxer is that ability to adapt and grow from tough moments.

Lopez, despite having otherworldly athleticism and true boxing skills, has done the opposite, sliding further and further into conspiracies and dark thoughts while surrounding himself with the same seemingly toxic environment. He absolutely can defeat Taylor, but it feels unlikely he will. Taylor is too good for the version of Lopez that showed up against Kambosos and Martin and there's no reason to think any other version of Lopez will be in the ring come Saturday night. Pick: Taylor via TKO8

So, who wins Josh Taylor vs. Teofimo Lopez, and which prop is a must-back? Visit SportsLine now to see Peter Kahn's best bets for Saturday, all from the boxing specialist who has netted his followers a profit of $4,000, and find out.

By Brent Brookhouse / cbssports.com

Steavano Kojo Tuekpe is so much excited to host 2023 WKU African Open in Ghana and hopes for a successful event at the Korean Sports Complex at Tema Community 3.

He called on clubs and competitors to give off their best to attract more partnership and opportunity.

“It's an honour to host the First African WKU Open Tournament in Ghana 14-15.07.2023.Invoving Taekwondo, Karate, Judo, Kickboxing and MMA

Thanks goes to my wonderful team who are, and still working side by side with me.

“I call on Great African combat athletes living in the diaspora to help take this initiative to the max in the future,,I believe Africa has the potential and I won't give up on my people, especially the young ones..It is time to give back” he said.

By Sammy Heywood Okine

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has taken a significant step towards the highly anticipated Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) 2023 tournament by unveiling its official logo, marking the beginning of an exciting journey for football fans across the continent.

With the release of this emblem, CAF sets the stage for a grand celebration of African football prowess and unity, as teams gear up to compete for the coveted Afcon title.

The logo's unveiling heralds the start of a countdown towards a tournament that promises to captivate fans with its blend of sporting excellence and vibrant cultural heritage.

For the first time in more than ten years, CAF has changed the design of the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations brand.

The opening game of the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations Côte d'Ivoire 2023 is set to take place at Stade Olympic Alassane Ouattara on January 13, 2024.

Speaking about the logo, General Secretary of CAF, Veron Mosengo-Omba said:

“The unveiling of the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations Côte d’Ivoire 2023 identity marks an exciting milestone in our journey towards the tournament in 2024. We are aware that we are getting nearer and nearer to the big moment in January next year,”

Footballghana

The Ghana Tennis Federation has announced the National Female Tennis Team to represent Ghana at the Africa group 3 Billie Jean King Cup in Kenya 2023.

Captain/Coach: Richard Ayi Dartey

Annette Cruickshank

Yvonne Araba Bruce-Tagoe

Sisu Tomegah

Elizabeth Bagerbasseh

Coordinator: Hajia Zenabu Akoto

Photographer: Bernard Nii Bortey

Join us to congratulate the team for their selection to represent Ghana and wish them success at the competition.

From Sammy Heywood Okine

The President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), Thomas Bach , was welcomed by French President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday at the Élysée Palace in Paris. The two leaders discussed the preparations for the Olympic Games Paris 2024, which are going extremely well. President Bach and President Macron expressed their full support for the Organising Committee and its President, Olympic champion Tony Estanguet, who also attended the meeting.

The Olympic Games Paris 2024 will be Games of a new era, taking the reforms of Olympic Agenda 2020 and Olympic Agenda 2020+5 fully into account. The “Games wide open” slogan will fully come to life at these Games. Paris 2024 will be the most inclusive Olympic Games, the most urban Olympic Games, the youngest Olympic Games, the most sustainable Olympic Games and the most gender-balanced Olympic Games in history, with full parity of female and male athletes.

President Bach thanked President Macron for the recent declaration at the G7 Summit in Hiroshima, Japan, concerning the autonomy of sport and the conditions for the participation of athletes with a Russian or Belarussian passport, in alignment with the respective recommendations of the IOC.

In addition, they reaffirmed that the decision on the participation of these athletes at the Olympic Games Paris 2024 will be taken by the IOC at the appropriate time, and that they will continue to cooperate in this respect, too.

The International Olympic Committee is a not-for-profit, civil, non-governmental, international organisation made up of volunteers which is committed to building a better world through sport. It redistributes more than 90 per cent of its income to the wider sporting movement, which means that every day the equivalent of USD 4.2 million goes to help athletes and sports organisations at all levels around the world.

IOC

Mr. William Ocansey flanked by S. B. Macauley, Vice President of the Ghana Tug of War Association and Samuel Patterson, executive member of the Association

Mr. William Ayiku Ocansey, Communications Director of Dreamland Sports Plus says Pillow Fight and Tug of War are not dangerous sports, but can be played by toddlers.

Explaining the organisation's proposal to introduce Tug of War and Pillow Fight as sports disciplines in the Ghana Education Service (GES) for basic and senior high schools at a press conference in Accra on Friday [June 9, 2023, Mr. Ocansey apologised to the Minister of Education, Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum and clarified that the Minister had no involvement in the sporting issue.

He said Dreamland Sports Plus wrote directly to the Director-General of GES requesting the introduction of these sports disciplines in basic and secondary schools.

In response to their letter, Dreamland Sports Plus received a reply from the Director-General of GES, Mr. Stephen Kwaku Owusu (Ag. Deputy Director-General), granting approval for the introduction of Tug of War and Pillow Fight.

The organisation was instructed to collaborate with the Physical Education (P.E.) and sports unit of the GES at the headquarters to plan and organise programmes and activities for the implementation of these sports, with the aim of discovering and nurturing young talents without disrupting the teaching and learning process.

However, Mr. Ocansey expressed surprise and disappointment regarding some media reports, which criticised the approval given to Dreamland Sports Plus. The reports made several inaccurate allegations, which Mr. Ocansey sought to refute.

First, it was claimed that there is no Tug of War Association in Ghana. Mr. Ocansey clarified that there is indeed a national Tug of War Association, which received a provisional certificate from the National Sports Authority in February 2023.

Second, the programme suggested that Pillow Fight is dangerous due to the possibility of placing a stone in the pillow. Mr. Ocansey explained that Dreamland Sports Plus provides specially-designed pillows for these fights, which are soft and certified by the International Pillow Fight Championship. These pillows pose no risk of injury.

Another false claim made in the programme was that students participating in these sports would disrupt classroom learning. Mr. Ocansey reassured that the GES has a structured timetable, and during physical education (P.E.) periods, all students participate together as a class.

Regarding the permission granted by the GES, the reports alleged that it only applied to pre-tertiary institutions and not universities. Mr. Ocansey invited the media to judge for themselves if this claim holds true because his outfit had organised many events at tertiary institutions in the past.

Mr. Ocansey concluded emphasizing the importance of sports in schools for mental development, stating that participating in sports helps improve memory and intellectual capacity, aside making the students fit and alert.

Mr, Stephen Mensah, an aspiring Assembly Member for Okaikoi Electoral Area said he has watched the two exciting disciplines and hopes to organize a massive competition very soon to involve adults and kids.

85 years old Alhaji Abdullah Showumi Williams, a former Vice President of the Ghana Boxing Authority (GBA)  and official of Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) said sports is good for kids and even some dangerous sports like boxing which he was involved in for many years has given the country more laurels, medals and champions than any sport.

From Sammy Heywood Okine

Black Meteors Coach Ibrahim Tanko has announced a provisional list of 29 players for camp in preparation for the TotalEnergies U-23 Africa Cup of Nations tournament in Morocco.

The Ghana Under 23 team is set to depart from Accra on Monday, June 12, 2023, and will spend two weeks in Cairo, engaging in friendly matches before the competition.

The Black Meteors have been training at the Ghanaman Centre of Excellence in Prampram, fine-tuning their skills and tactics ahead of the trip to Cairo.

Two key players, Kamal Deen Sulemana and Ransford-Yeboah Koniigsdoffer, who are currently part of the Black Stars squad for the Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Madagascar, will join the U-23 team after the match on June 18, 2023.

Coach Tanko is assisted by Godwin Attram and Michael Osei.

The full squad list;

Player         Club

Danlad Ibrahim     Asante Kotoko

Emmanuel Esso    Legon Cities

Aziz Dari     Bechem United

Dominic Nsobila   Accra Lions

Emmanuel Apau   GoldStars FC

Ashie Quaye         Great Olympics

Samari Abass        Accra Lions

Hafiz Ibrahim        Attram De-Visser

Sylvester Simba    Dreams FC

Godfred Wakii      Aduana FC

Augustine Randolf         Karela United

Ebenezer Addae    Dreams FC

Emmanuel Adjei   Attram De-Visser

Aaron Essel Bechem United

David Oppong      King Faisal

Fatawu Issahaku   Sporting Lisbon

Ernest Nuamah     FC Nordsjælland

Daniel Afriyie Barnieh    FC Zurich

Jordan Amissah    Sheffield FC

Zubairu Ibrahim    Jedinstvo FC

Ransford Königsdörffer  Hamburger SV

Emmanuel Essiam FC Basel

Nathaniel Adjei     Hammarby FC

Edmund Arko Mensah   FC Honka

Terry Yegbe          SK

Emmanuel Yeboah         Cluj FC

Kamal Deen Sulemana   Southampton FC

Salim Adam          FC Cincinnati

Kwadwo Poku Mahala   LAFC

Ghana has been paired in Group A alongside hosts Morocco, Guinea, and Congo. The Black Meteors will kick off their tournament campaign against Congo on June 25, followed by matches against Morocco on June 27 and Guinea on June 30.

The finalists and the winner of the third-place playoff in the tournament will secure qualification for the men's football tournament at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, France.

The fourth-placed team will compete in the AFC-CAF playoff to determine the final Olympic slot.

Meanwhile, Ghana has not participated in the Olympic Games, football event since 2004.

By Sammy Heywood Okine

The Sports Writers Association of Ghana (SWAG ) has received a strategic support from Turkish Airlines.

The imperative support ensures two SWAG members, Messrs Kwabena Yeboah and Augustine Ohene Bampoe Brenya will be in Istanbul on Saturday for the grand finale of the UEFA Champions League between England's Manchester City and Italy's Inter Milan.

Spelling out the rationale behind the support, the General Manager of Turkish Airlines Ghana, Mr Aytekin Serbest stressed the importance of Sports journalism in the broader context of Ghana as a passionate football nation.

" As the foremost Airline in Europe,  we have a responsibility to aid Sports Journalists who we consider strategic partners.

In this regard we feel committed supporting SWAG for the upcoming UEFA Champions League," he said.

The President of SWAG Mr Kwabena Yeboah thanked Turkish Airlines for their collaboration and hoped this will spell the beginning of a long standing relationship.

Turkish Airlines is regarded the best Airlines in Europe as it operates scheduled services to 340 destinations in Europe,  Asia, Africa and the Americas, making it the largest Airline carrier in the world by number of passenger destinations.

Source SWAG