Sports

Somalia elects new Football Federation President

Published

2 years ago

February 23, 2023

In a bid to revamp its football and get back into the international soccer community the Somali Football Federation (SFF) has elected a new President for the body.

At the SFF General Assembly held at the Elite Hotel in Mogadishu on Wednesday, Ali Abdi Mohamed was unanimously elected as the new President for a period of four years.

The Assembly which was presided over by the General Secretary, Yusuf Mohudin Ahmed, officially handed over to Mohamed after an announcement by the Electoral Committee.

Mohamed was declared the President unopposed by the Electoral Committee after 34 delegates all voted yes to the new executive committee that will serve for four years out of the 46 delegates that attended the Congress while 12 did not show up for the Assembly.

The elections had been stopped twice in November last year and on February 1 by the government due to the turbulence in the country.

But after several meetings led by the Prime Minister, the Somali Football Federation (SFF) was given a go ahead to hold the General Assembly.

Mohamed, a former Vice President of the Federation who has been serving as the acting President thanked voters for having trust in him to lead football in the country.

“I thank the football Congress who have chosen us to lead the Football Federation for the next four years.

“The football community always needs to be together if we are to take football to a better level in Somalia,” Mohamed said.

“There have been challenges in Somali football in the past. Football will bring people together. I call upon everyone to be together. We are ready to work with everyone for the betterment of football in Somalia,” he added.

He made it clear that it is now time to work and make sure football in Somalia keeps growing.

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Sports

Coach of Mamelodi Sundowns female team suspended over sexual harassment allegations

Published

21 minutes ago

December 22, 2024

Isaac Dachen

The head coach of Mamelodi Sundowns women’s team, Jerry Tshabalala, has been suspended indefinitely amid allegations of sexual harassment of players.

A statement by the management of the top South African team said the 44-year-old Tshabalala, who has been in charge of Sundowns’s women’s team for over a decade, has been accused of a number of allegations, including making inappropriate sexual comments to his players, as well as entering the dressing room and refusing to leave while players are completely naked.

In a statement released on Saturday, Sundowns said they had appointed a law firm to investigate the allegations against the coach with specific instructions to unravel allegations of improper conduct by the Tshabalala.

The club said it views the allegations in a very serious light and has relieved the coach of his appointment pending when the investigations are concluded.

“Sundowns has, in the interim, put Coach Jerry Tshabalala on special leave pending the outcome of the investigation,” the club statement said.

“This is not done to pre-empt the outcome of the investigation, but to ensure that the investigation can proceed expeditiously and protect the rights of all parties.

“In the event that the investigation establishes facts that warrant action, the Board will immediately take such steps as are appropriate.

“Mamelodi Sundowns will in due course make announcements on the findings of the investigation and the action to be taken,” the statement concluded.

The Sundowns female team have been a dominant force in women’s football in South Africa and on the continent since Tshabalala took over in 2012, winning seven domestic league titles, as well as two CAF Women’s Champions League crowns.

Sports

FIFA Ranking: Nigeria ends 2024 as fifth best team in Africa

Published

2 days ago

December 20, 2024

Isaac Dachen

Nigeria’s men’s football national team, the Super Eagles, ended the year 2024 as the fifth best team in Africa in the latest FIFA world ranking for the month of December.

According to the rankings published by the world football governing body, Nigeria remains unchanged from its previous position, despite having a challenging international break.

The FIFA rankings also reveal that Nigeria suffered a significant decline this year, dropping eight places to end 2024 ranked 44th globally.

The decline follows disappointing performances during the final AFCON qualifiers for 2025, where the Super Eagles struggled against the Benin Republic and Rwanda, resulting in a lack of wins.

However, some of the Super Eagles bitter rivals like South Africa’s Bafana Bafana experienced a resurgence, climbing three positions to finish the year ranked 57th in the world, showing a marked improvement in their recent form and successful matches during the qualifiers.

It was a woeful year for West African rivals Ghana who ended the year in 77th position, which highlights the challenges the Black Stars have encountered in the outgoing year in its bid to maintain its positions among Africa’s elite teams.

Meanwhile, the Moroccan national football team, the Atlas Lion, retained its 14th position in the in the world while still maintaining its number one spot in Africa, holding the first position for the third year in a row.

In the world ranking, Morocco is followed by Senegal on 17th position, Egypt, 33rd, Algeria 37th, Nigeria, 44th, Côte d’Ivoire, 46th, Cameroon, 49th, Mali, 51st, and Tunisia in the 52nd position.

Top 10 African teams in 2024

1. Morocco – (14th)

2. Senegal – (17th)

3. Egypt – (33rd)

4. Algeria – (37th)

5. Nigeria – (44th)

6. Côte d’Ivoire – (46th)

7. Cameroon – (49th)

8. Mali – (51st )

9. Tunisia – (52nd)

10. South Africa – (57th)