Sports

SA Rugby team to go ahead with World Cup quarter final match after doping clearance

Published

7 months ago

October 11, 2023

The South African Rugby team has been cleared to play host, France in the quarter final of the ongoing Rugby World Cup after a clearance by the World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada).

The African country had faced the ignominy of being thrown out of the tournament after Wada said sanctions would be imposed if the country did not update its anti-doping legislation by October 13.

However, the country’s Sports Ministry filed an appeal which went in their favour.

“Wada has received formal notification from the South Africa National Anti-Doping Agency (NADO) that it disputes that allegation of non-compliance against it, as well as the proposed consequences,” Wada said in a statement on Wednesday.

“Wada will shortly refer the matter to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) for its consideration. As such, the allegation of non-compliance is put on hold and the consequences will not apply until such time as CAS makes its ruling,” the statement added.

A celebratory statement by the South African sports ministry said the country’s “flag will fly proudly at Sunday’s highly anticipated Rugby World Cup quarter-final between hosts France and the Springboks.”

“The allegation of non-compliance is put on hold and the consequences will not apply until such time as CAS makes its ruling,” the ministry said.

The CAS hearing is likely to take place in a few months, while the South African government has undertaken to pass the amended anti-doping legislation by May.

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Sports

Al Ahly, Esperance to clash in CAF Champions League final

Published

19 hours ago

April 27, 2024

Akanimoh Etim

Two of Africa’s club giants, Egypt’s Al Ahly and Esperance of Tunisia, will do battle next month over two legs for the right to be crowned champions of the TotalEnergies CAF Champions League.

Title-holders Al Ahly and their long-standing rivals Esperance both booked their places in the final with dramatic semi-final victories over DR Congo”s TP Mazembe and Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa respectively on Friday night.

While Al Ahly, winners of five of the last seven editions of the continent’s top draw tournament, with a record 11 in total, overcame TP Mazembe with a 3-0 aggregate victory in the semi-final second leg after a goalless first leg last Saturday, Esperance surprised Sundowns with a 1-0 victory in Pretoria to wrap up a 2-0 aggregate win.

The two-legged final will mark the third encounter between Ahly and Esperance in the Champions League final, with the Egyptians winning in 2012 and the Tunisians triumphing in 2018.

In 2023, the two clubs clashed in the semi-finals with Ahly emerging victorious home and away, securing a 4-0 aggregate triumph.

Esperance who are aiming for a fifth Champions League title, will host the first leg in Rades on May 18, with the return fixture scheduled in Cairo seven days later.

Sports

Former Zambian captain Rainford Kalaba discharged from hospital after near-fatal accident

Published

2 days ago

April 26, 2024

Akanimoh Etim

Former Zambian national team captain, Rainford Kalaba, has been discharged from hospital weeks after he was involved in a near-fatal accident where he sustained serious injuries.

The accident which involved a head-on collision between a Mercedes-Benz car in which Kalaba was in, and a truck, had initially sparked fears for his life and has since been in the Intensive Care Unit of the Zambian University Teaching Hospital (UTH).

The good news on the footballer’s progress was released by the UTH Public Relations Officer, Nzeba Chanda, who informed that the Chipolopolo legend has been discharged after showing positive signs of recovery.

“Mr. Rainford Kalaba has been discharged from the UTH-Adult where he was admitted after being involved in a road traffic accident two weeks ago,” Chanda said, adding that Kalaba will continue his recovery at his family home.

According to local media reports, the 37-year-old was a passenger in a Mercedes Benz when it collided with an oncoming truck in the south-eastern Zambian town of Kafue a week and five days ago.

In his active playing days, Kalaba spent the majority of his club career at TP Mazembe of the Democratic Republic of Congo, winning the CAF Champions League with the club in 2015 and the CAF Confederation Cup in 2016.

He also had a spell with clubsides in Portugal including FC Braga, and was a major part of the Zambian squad that won the Africa Cup of Nations in 2012 under Frenchman, Herve Renard.