Sports

Retired SA tennis great asks Wimbledon for apology over a 52-year-old grievance

Published

1 year ago

June 30, 2023

A retired South African tennis player, Hoosen Bobat, who was denied a chance to compete in the Wimbledon classic in the 1970s, has demanded a public apology from the organisers of the tournament 52 years after.

Bobat who was a budding tennis star had qualified for the junior tournament in 1971 at a time when apartheid was at its peak but was denied the chance to participate in the event after his invitation was revoked just one week before the tournament.

Now 52 years after the denial, he is demanding that the organisers and the sport’s international governing body tender an apology to him.

“After all those years of training and practice, I had the opportunity to play in the greatest stage in the world,” Bobat told the BBC Newsday in an interview on Friday.

“When my entry was accepted, there was great joy in Africa among black players. It would have been a gateway to my future tennis career,” he said.

According to the embittered Bobat, the real reason he was blocked from participating in the Wimbledon tournament was because of racism and the apartheid regime in South Africa which was actively supported by the British government despite international opposition to it.

He said at the time non-white players in South Africa were not allowed to play against their white counterparts, while matches at all-white tennis centres were watched from caged sections.

“Even now, nothing much has changed. There are less black – which we define as Indian, coloured and black – tennis players now than then,” he lamented.

Bobat’s demand for apology has been backed by two British MPs and anti-apartheid veterans, Peter Hain and Jeremy Corbyn, who raised the matter in parliament, while Wimbledon’s organisers, the AELTC, and tennis’ international governing body, the ITF, say they are reviewing the information.

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Sports

Coach of Mamelodi Sundowns female team suspended over sexual harassment allegations

Published

6 hours 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)