Sports

Libya vows to appeal CAF’s sanctions over botched Afcon match with Nigeria

Published

12 hours ago

October 30, 2024

The Libyan Football Federation (LFF) has vowed to appeal sanctions imposed on the country by the Confederation of African Football (CAF), following the October 15 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Nigeria which was cancelled.

The LFF said it would “go to the highest levels of litigation” as it seeks to overturn the sanctions imposed upon it by the continent’s football governing body.

In a ruling earlier in the week, CAF had decided to award three points and three goals to the Super Eagles after the team boycotted the match in Benghazi after their plane from Nigeria was diverted from its intended destination and the squad was stranded in an airport terminal overnight.

As part of the sanctions, CAF disciplinary board also fined the LFF $50,000 (£38,500).

The CAF’s sanctions also leaves Libya on the brink of elimination from qualifying for the tournament as the Mediterranean Knights need to win both of their remaining two games in Group D and hope that opponents Benin and Rwanda fail to pick up points.

But while promising to take its appeal to the highest level including the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS), LFF acting president, Abdunnaser Ahmed, said his country was not given a fair hearing by CAF.

“Match points cannot be awarded in this way. It is a precedent that African football has never witnessed before. Whoever refrains from playing before any match is cancelled should be considered a loser,’ Ahmed told the BBC Sports, insinuating that Nigeria should have been punished instead of Libya.

“We believe that our cause is just. We will see CAF’s response to the appeal submitted by us and we will go to Cas. We will not give up our right. Such decisions place football officials in Africa before a new phase of dramatic scenes,” he added.

Related Topics:AFCON CAF Featured Football Libya Sanctions Super Eagles

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Sports

Zambia mourns as seven footballers die in bus crash

Published

2 days ago

October 29, 2024

Isaac Dachen

The Zambian football community has been thrown into mourning following a ghastly accident on Saturday that claimed the lives of seven footballers.

The bus crash which involved a third division club side, Chavuma Town Council FC, also left some players and officials injured.

Local media said 12 other persons were injured in the accident, and five of those have been evacuated to the capital Lusaka for treatment.

The Zambian Football Federation (FAZ) which expressed its “deep shock” at the accident in a statement on Tuesday, said the accident occurred while the squad was travelling to a league game in the north west of the country.

“We are in touch with the football, civil and law enforcement authorities in the province to furnish us with full details,” Faz President, Andrew Kamanga, said in the statement.

Confederation of African Football (CAF) President Patrice Motsepe who sent his condolences to the Zambian FA, said he and the governing body hope and pray that those injured will fully recover soon.

“I convey my personal and Caf’s deepest condolences,” Motsepe added in a statement.

“May God comfort and console the family, friends and colleagues of the deceased and the Football Association of Zambia.May the souls of the departed players rest in eternal peace.”

Also commenting on the tragedy,
Artur de Almeida e Silva, the President of the Council of Southern Africa’s regional FAs, said the loss of young lives in such a manner was “truly heartbreaking”.

“Football is a sport that unites us, bringing joy and pride to communities across our region. In this tragic moment, we share in your grief and offer our heartfelt sympathies to the families and friends who are mourning this immense loss.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with those who are still receiving treatment for their injuries,” he said in a message to the FAZ President.

Sports

Ethiopian athlete Kejelcha sets world half marathon record

Published

3 days ago

October 28, 2024

Isaac Dachen

Ethiopian distance runner, Yomif Kejelcha, on Sunday, shattered the world record to win the Valencia Half Marathon in a time of 57 minutes and 30 seconds.

The 27-year-old Kejelcha who already holds the world record for the short track mile which he set in Boston 2019, broke the half marathon record which was previously held by Uganda’s Jacob Kiplimo, who achieved the feat in Lisbon three years ago.

Kejelcha beat Kiplimo’s record by a second to rewrite history in Valencia and despite wet conditions troubling the athletes, managed to maintain his pace right from the start of the race till the end to emerge triumphant.

In only his sixth half marathon, Kejelcha settled in behind the pacemakers from the start, making his move around the three-kilometre mark and eventually breaking away from Kenyans Daniel Mateiko and Isaia Kipkoech for victory.

Kejelcha is also a two-time world indoor 3000m champion but could only finish sixth in the 10,000m final at the Paris Olympics earlier this year.

In the women’s version of the race, Kenya’s Agnes Ngetich moved to second in the world all-time rankings, winning with a time 63:04.