2023 AFCON qualifiers: Black Stars coach Chris Hughton leads first training ahead of Angola double-header     

Eight players have commenced training with Ghana's Black Stars in preparation for their 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Angola.

Newly-appointed coach Chris Hughton oversaw the training session at the Accra Sports Stadium after being unveiled earlier in Kumasi.

The players in attendance were Andre Ayew, Joojo Wollacott, Inaki Williams, Daniel Amartey, Joseph Aidoo, Antoine Semenyo, Joseph Paintsil, and newcomer Ransford-Yeboah. The remainder of the team is expected to arrive later and join the squad in Kumasi for Tuesday's training session at the Baba Yara Stadium.

Goalkeeper Jojo Wollacott, who suffered an injury before the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, trained separately with goalkeepers' trainer Richard Kingston.

The rest of the group engaged in stretching exercises and a light kickabout. Hughton also held a team talk with the players, as well as a one-on-one chat with Abdul Fatawu Issahaku and Daniel Afriyie Barnieh, who are currently with the Black Meteors.

The Black Stars will play back-to-back qualifiers against Angola, with the first match at the Baba Yara Stadium on March 23 and the reverse fixture in Luanda four days later. This will be Hughton's first game in charge since being appointed as coach.

Source Ghanasoccernet

Ghana’s Junior Para Athlete Benedict Opoku Abebrese wins gold in the long jump category in the ongoing South African Championships jointly hosted by the South African government and the Commonwealth Sports. The Para-athletic games brought together athletes from 9 commonwealth countries including England, Kenya and Nigeria.

This event is in preparation for the the 2023 Trinidad & Tobago Commonwealth Youth Games to be held in in August 2023.

He will be the only Junior Para Athlete representing Ghana in the Commonwealth Junior Games.

A report from Dr Abena Tannor (Team Doctor, an international classifier for Para-sports and leader of Ghana contingent at the Commonwealth Federation GAPS program on going in Cape Town South Africa said “He beat the South Africa top long jump athlete who had a lot of experience. But again he can do better and win more medals with training and support.

Benedict’s Coach, Coach Emmanuel Anum Sowah who is a Para- Athletic coach says Benedict can do better than this when he puts in more effort with training before the 2023 Commonwealth Youth Games in Trinidad & Tobago

Source  Henry Larbi

NPC Ghana ???????? Board Member (20/3/23)

New Black Stars coach, Chris Hughton is proud to be named the head coach of the national team of Ghana.

The former Brighton and Hove Albion manager has been handed a 21-month contract and will be in charge of the Black Stars until December 2024.

The Northern Irishman has strong ties to Ghana with his father hailing from the Central Region.

"To represent Ghana and the Black Stars as the head coach is something I am incredibly proud of," he said at his unveiling.

"It’s something I’ll give everything to make the team as successful as possible. I’ll give everything to make sure the communication and relationship I have with this association and the supporters," he added.

Hughton's first job will be to lead Ghana in the AFCON qualifier against Angola, and the ex-Premier League gaffer is calling on fans to come out in their numbers to support the team on Thursday.

"Our game is about support – from the association, but mostly, the support from the huge array of fans we have and that starts with a very difficult game at Kumasi on Thursday," said Hughton.

Source Ghanasoccernet

Newly appointed Ghana Black Stars coach Chris Hughton has said that he was able to build a good relationship with the current players whilst serving as technical advisor of the national team.

The former Brighton manager was handed the technical advisory role last year March before the 2022 World Cup playoff against Nigeria.

He served in that capacity until the 2022 World Cup before the technical team was disbanded after Otto Addo's resignation.

According to Hughton, he was able to build a good relationship with the players and people around the national team during that period.

"Being a technical advisor allowed me to get a good feel of the squad and also get to build relationships with the players and people around the national team.", he said at his official unveiling ceremony.

Coach Houghton was unveiled today at the Kumasi Baba Yara Sports Stadium ahead of the African Nations 2023 Qualifier against Angola.

Source Ghanasoccernet

General Nasser expressed his appreciation to the Presidents of WAF and AFA for their continuous support in making Africa a hub for the sport and urged them to speed up processes in registering the sport as part of the 25 sporting disciplines.

The Association of African Sports Confederation (UCSA) and the World Armwrestling Federation (WAF) have supported the inclusion of armwrestling in the 13th African Games, dubbed Accra 2023.

General Ahmed Nasser who is the President of UCSA and Assen Hadjitodorov, President of WAF have thrown their collective weight behind armwrestling to be part of the 25 disciplines selected for the March 2024 African Games.

The leadership of the World Armwrestling Federation and the Association of Africa Sports Confederations known as UCSA in separate statements during a joint meeting in Cairo, Egypt acknowledged the speed and development of armwrestling in Africa as the reason for consideration for Africa to play and experience the ever popular and traditional sport.

Speaking at the meeting, General Nasser said there had been consultations with Ghana’s Minister for Youth and Sports Hon. Mustapha Ussif, and the Local Organising Committee for the 13th African Games as well as African Armwrestling Federation (AFA) President Charles Osei Asibey to register the sport in the 13th Africa Games.

“I think you are going to have the support from the Local Organising Committee, the African Union (AU) has no problem so we will still be waiting for the Association of African Olympic Committee (ANOCA) so, at the end of the day, you have a good chance to be in the game,” General Nasser stated.

According to him, he is excited to see the sport gain recognition at the continental level and said he is committed to helping develop the sport in the world’s second-largest and second-most-populous continent.

General Nasser expressed his appreciation to the Presidents of WAF and AFA for their continuous support in making Africa a hub for the sport and urged them to speed up processes in registering the sport as part of the 25 sporting disciplines.

On his part, Assen Hadjitodorov also applauded the President of UCSA for maintaining his support to see the growth of the sport on the continent, thereby endorsing it in the 13th Africa Games.

He pledged his support for the Games and assured General Nasser that the WAF would contribute its quota to make Africa Games Armwrestling memorable.

“Regarding the organisation of the African championships and especially the Africa games next year, I want to confirm that we give full support from the World Armwrestling Federation to the continental African federation and we will deliver a high-level performance of the athletes,” he stated.

The President of the World Armwrestling Federation intimated that he is on a mission to make Armwrestling one of the leading sports on the world stage, with the help of UCSA, ANOCA, AU, AFA, and other federations.

Osei Asibey noted that African countries are so much interested in the sport, therefore a need to champion this agenda of including it in the continental competition.

He said AFA, in collaboration with the World Armwrestling body and the Local Organising Committee of the Africa Games, was putting things in place to help host the continental championship which will serve as the qualifier for the Africa Games.

Present at the meeting were Ahmed Nasser, President of the Association of African Sports Confederation (UCSA), Assen Hadjitodorov, President of the World Armwrestling Federation (WAF), Mircea Simeonescu, Secretary General of the World Armwrestling Federation (WAF), Julien Boumsong, Secretary General of the Armwrestling Federation of Africa (AFA), Pharm. Kofi Addo-Agyekum, Vice President, Armwestling Federation of Africa (AFA).

The opening ceremony for the 13th African Games will be on March 8, 2024, with the closing ceremony slated for 23rd March 2024.

by El Akyereko 

Ace Power Promotions on Saturday staged a packed bill dubbed ‘The Rise’ at the Bukom Square in the heart of Accra where the boxers competed well and gave fans much to cheer about.

Featherweight Holy Dorgbetor aka ‘The Jaw Breaker’ stopped veteran George Krampah by a TKO in round 4.

Super lightweight Issah Awal met Hope Mawuli, and ‘The Old Boy' dropped his opponent in round 1, while Super Bantam Samuel Martei Laryea was shocked as he lost to Kouassi  Klaklevi by a unanimous decision.

Daniel Aduku, an experienced Super Welter weight also defeated Kofi Manu by TKO, while Abraham Afful won against Henry Mensah in round 3 knock of their  Super Welter weight.

Super featherweight Emmanuel Otoo and Emmanuel Quartey ended in a majority draw, as Ahmed Abdulai won by a 5th round TKO over Emmanuel Allotey in their light heavy weight Contest.

Emmanuel Baidoo Sarpey used just one round to finish off Moses Lartey in a Super Welterweight contest, and Charles Lesko Sosiya, a Super lightweight won in round 2 against Samuel Lartey.

A Super featherweight contest between Eric Asante  Isaac Odartey Lamptey ended in a majority draw, as welterweight Emmanuel Ardey Aryee beat Samuel Turkson with a second round Knockout.

Felix Mankattah, a Cruiser weight lost to experienced Dodzi Kemeh in the 5th round by TKO, while Godwin Kofi Appiah lost to Gideon Nortey in round1of their lightweight contest.

The much expected female exhibition bout between Perpetual Okaijah and Sarah Apew was called off to the disappointment of boxing fans.

Mr. Isaac Amankwah, MD of Ace Power Promotions  thanked the fans for coming to watch, and the boxers for putting up great performance.

By Sammy Heywood Okine

The President of the Ghana Bodybuilding And Fitness Association (GBFA), Alhaji Yartey on Saturday received the IFBB Gold Medal from the President of the IFBB, Dr. Rafael Santonja, during the IFBB West Africa Championship for his outstanding contributions to the International Development Of Bodybuilding, Fitness and a Healthy Lifestyle

He dedicated the award to the late Christian Atsu Twasam.

Yartey who have been re-election during the GBFA recent election was appointed onto the Executive Board of the Africa Bodybuilding Federation during last year’s IFBB Congress in Spain.

By Sammy Heywood Okine

Herbert Mensah is the new Chairman of Rugby Africa. He will be buoyed by a new Executive Committee: Kevin Venkiah, Sofian Aek Benhassen, Adama Bakhoum, Aib Azzouz, Aref Belkhiria, Jurie Roux, Paulina Lanco, Herbert Mensah, Rolande Boro and Aroon Jani.

From Sammy Heywood Okine

…at International Fitness and Bodybuilding Federation (IFBB) - West African Championship

Blond-haired Nigeria Ibrahim Olalekan emerged the best athlete at the 2023 West African Bodybuilding Championship held at the Trust Sports Emporium on Saturday evening.

He was decorated with the winner’s medal and certificate by Alhaji Abdul Hayye Yartey, President of the Ghana Bodybuilding and Fitness Association.

Some of the best bodies from West Africa were on display at the 2023 edition of International Fitness and Bodybuilding Federation (IFBB) West African Championship held in Accra, Ghana.

Some of the countries represented were Ghana, Burkina Faso, Congo, Niger, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Togo, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

Mr. Victor Hernadez of the IFBB board from Spain was the supervisor of the championship.

He said the competition would serve as a qualification for the Arnold Classic Bodybuilding championship in South Africa in May this year.

By Sammy Heywood Okine

CAF is delighted and welcomes the re-election of President Infantino as FIFA President and is confident that football in Africa and globally will continue to develop and grow

The President of the Confédération Africaine de Football (“CAF”) (www.CAFonline.com) congratulates President Gianni Infantino on his re-election as President of FIFA.

CAF and Football in Africa has had a committed and dependable partner in President Gianni Infantino and FIFA in the development and growth of African and Global Football.

The President of CAF Dr Patrice Motsepe said: “CAF is committed to developing and promoting football for boys and girls as well as amateur and professional football on the African Continent. The construction and upgrading of football infrastructure and facilities and improving the standard and quality of football in Africa is essential for African football to become globally competitive and self-sustaining. President Gianni Infantino and FIFA have been committed and dependable partners in developing, uplifting and promoting African football. CAF is delighted and welcomes the re-election of President Infantino as FIFA President and is confident that football in Africa and globally will continue to develop and grow and be a force for good, under his leadership.”

The re-election of President Gianni Infantino took place in Rwanda and was the first Elective Congress in the history of FIFA to take place in Africa.

SOURCE Confederation of African Football (CAF)