Sports

Gambian national team players escape death as earthquake rocks Morocco

Published

8 months ago

September 9, 2023

Players and officials of The Gambian national team escaped death following a magnitude 6.8 earthquake that hit the Moroccan city of Marrakech where the team camped for its Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifying match against Congo on Sunday.

The game, which was due to decide the team that will go through to the AFCON tournament in Ivory Coast next year, was to be played at the Marrakech Stadium because The Gambia’s Independence Stadium was deemed unfit to host internationals by the Confederation of African Football (CAF).

According to the head coach of the Scorpions, Tom Saintfiet, the team was rattled when the quake hit the city on Friday night, describing the experience as “shocking and terrible”.

Saintfiet who spoke with BBC World Service on Saturday afternoon, said the situation was very scary for him, the players and the officials who were all shaken.

“We heard ambulances all night and kept checking the news. It’s a terrible experience for us but most of all for all the casualties who lost their lives and the people of Morocco.

“At first I heard a lot of noise and thought it was someone knocking on my door. A few seconds later I thought that a plane had crashed into the hotel because we’re close to the airport but a second or two later, I knew it was an earthquake.

“It seems it was only 30 seconds but it felt endless. It was really scary. The walls were really shaking and things were falling down from the ceiling and the walls. I never in my life saw a building moving like that. When it stopped, I started running and checking if my team members were also out of their rooms.

“Then we ran outside the hotel and all went to the pool area and slept there in the open air with the other guests as we were told that we couldn’t return to our rooms”, he said.

Saintfiet added that some of his players who play in Turkey had also experienced February’s earthquake in the European country which killed Ghanaian footballer, Christian Atsu, and were still in shock, but opined that they were willing to go ahead with the match.

“I know that several players who want to play the game tomorrow. We are sportsmen and want to qualify and to be fair but a lot of players, their mindset is totally not on football. If there are so many casualties in this city is it wise to let us play football? Maybe we could play in October?

“At the moment the focus is not on football but the welfare of the players and all the people in Morocco and Marrakech,” he said.

Meanwhile, CAF says it is in talks with the Moroccan FA about whether the game will take place, though Saturday’s qualifier between Morocco and Liberia which was due to take place in Agadir, has already been called off.

Related Topics:Earthquake Featured Football Morocco The Gambia

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Sports

Cameroon’s boxing icon Francis Ngannou loses 15-month-old son

Published

24 hours ago

April 30, 2024

Akanimoh Etim

Cameroon’s heavyweight boxer and former UFC champion, Francis Ngannou, has been thrown into mourning with the loss of his 15-month-old son, Kobe.

The boxer who announced the demise of the infant in a post on X on Monday, he and his family have been hit by the blow following the death of the toddler.

“Too soon to leave but yet he’s gone,” Ngannou wrote.

“My little boy, my mate, my partner Kobe was full of life and joy. Now, he’s laying without life. I shouted his name over and over but he’s not responding.

“I was my best self next to him and now I have no clue of who I am. Life is so unfair to hit us where it hurts the most.”

The fighter’s manager, Marquel Martin, who also confirmed the death of the boy, posted online saying that he along with millions of others will be praying for the Cameroonian.

As the sad news continued to spread, martial arts colleague, Conor McGregor, was among the first to send his condolences to the 37-year-old boxer and former Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) star.

“I am so sorry to hear of your loss Francis, my prayers are with you and your family at this time,” the Irishman wrote on X.

Ngannou’s former MMA coach, Eric Nicksick also sent an emotional message too.

“It’s been a heavy few days, words can’t express the pain we all feel for the Ngannou family during this time,” Nicksick said.

Sports

Nigeria’s football federation appoints Finidi George as Super Eagles coach

Published

2 days ago

April 29, 2024

Akanimoh Etim

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has approved the appointment of former international, Finidi George, as the new head coach of the Super Eagles.

The board of the Federation
on Monday, approved the recommendation of its Technical and Development Committee to appoint George, a former Eagles winger, as the manager of the Nigeria’s men national football team.

Before his appointment, George, served as assistant to José Peseiro before the Portuguese voluntarily resigned from post after leading the Eagles to the final of 2023 Africa Cup of Nations where they lost 2-1 to host Cote d’Ivoire.

Following Peseiro’s departure, George took charge of the squad in interim capacity during two friendly matches in Morocco last month.

He led the squad to a 2-1 victory over Ghana in the first match but lost 0-2 to Mali in the second game.

The 52-year-old George was a member of the Eagles team of the early 90s fondly called the “Golden Generation” that won the 1994 Africa Cup of Nations tournament in Tunisia and qualified Nigeria for its first ever senior FIFA World Cup in 1994.

During his playing career, George starred for Sharks of Port Harcourt and Calabar Rovers in Nigeria before moving abroad where he played for Ajax Amsterdam in the Netherlands and Real Betis of Spain.

He won 62 caps for Nigeria, including featuring at the 1994 and 1998 FIFA World Cup finals and also won gold, silver and bronze medals from the 1992, 1994, 2000 and 2002 AFCON tournaments.

George’s immediate task will be to guide the Super Eagles to victory in two 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying matches against South Africa and Benin Republic in Uyo and Abidjan respectively, in a little over five weeks.