SPORT - The African Mirror

Oct

03

2023

Presidential honour for exceptional 2023 Special Olympics South Africa national team

SPORT, SPECIAL OLYMPICS, MULTIMEDIA

IN a historic moment of recognition, the 2023 Special Olympics South Africa (SOSA) National Team, which won 49 medals at the recent World Games, has received presidential honour. President Cyril Ramaphosa hosted a special ceremony at the Union Buildings in Pretoria to honour the athletes. The event, a significant milestone in South Africa's history, is especially poignant given the late President Nelson Mandela's support for Special Olympics South Africa. The event at the Union Buildings marked the first time the Government of South Africa officially acknowledged and celebrated the extraordinary achievements of individuals with intellectual disabilities in the realm of…

Oct

03

2023

By The African Mirror

Talking points from European soccer

FOOTBALL

Talking points from the weekend in European soccer leagues: GERMANY UNION MUST END LOSING RUN A year ago Union Berlin was launching what would become their most successful Bundesliga season, culminating in a fourth-place finish and a spot in this season's Champions League. But their 1-0 loss at promoted Heidenheim on Saturday confirmed the Berliners are now in freefall with their fifth straight defeat in all competitions. Having dropped to 11th with six points from six games, Urs Fischer's team have little time to recover as they host Braga in the Champions League on Tuesday and then visit Borussia Dortmund…

Oct

02

2023

By The African Mirror

VAR officials replaced after offside error in Liverpool defeat

FOOTBALL

VIDEO Assistant Referee (VAR) officials Darren England and Dan Cook have been replaced for two games this matchweek after Liverpool wrongly had a goal disallowed in their 2-1 Premier League defeat at Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday. Liverpool went down to nine men as Curtis Jones and Diogo Jota were sent off in the feisty clash before an own goal by Joel Matip sealed a stoppage-time win for Spurs. The Merseyside club thought they had taken the lead in the first half through Luis Diaz who got behind the defence and fired into the bottom corner past goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario. However, the goal…

Oct

03

2023

By The African Mirror

2023 Royal Bafokeng Jr. NBA finals conclude in North West

BASKETBALL

THOUSANDS of Bafokeng youth gathered at Royal Marang in Phokeng, North West on Saturday, September 30, to cap off a week-long celebration of the 11th Jr. NBA basketball season as six boys and girls teams won their championship games in the 2023 Royal Bafokeng Jr. NBA Finals. Lebone Primary School U14 (Girls) Bonwakgogo Primary School U14 (Boys), HF Tlou Secondary School U16 (Girls), Tshukudu Secondary School U16 (Boys), Kitsong School U18 (Girls) and Lebone II College U18 (Boys) were crowned the 2023 Royal Bafokeng Jr. NBA champions in their respective primary school and secondary school age categories. The final day…

Oct

06

2023

By ROHITH NAIR and DANIELA DESANTIS

FIFA WORLD CUP IN AFRICA: Morocco, Spain and Portugal to host 2030 World Cup

FOOTBALL

IN a surprise announcement a year earlier than planned FIFA allocated the 2030 World Cup to Morocco, Spain and Portugal but also said Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay will host three matches to mark the tournament's centenary. FIFA said the joint bid from Morocco, Portugal and Spain was the sole candidate to host the tournament. The inaugural World Cup in 1930 was held in Uruguay and won by the hosts after they defeated Argentina in the final in Montevideo. Spain was awarded the World Cup weeks after their disgraced former chief Luis Rubiales was forced to step down following his allegedly unsolicited…

Oct

02

2023

By The African Mirror

Brilliant Akliouche’s brace gives Monaco 3-2 win over Marseille

FOOTBALL

AS Monaco beat Olympique de Marseille 3-2 to move top of Ligue 1, thanks to a brace from French midfielder Maghnes Akliouche and a powerful strike from Folarin Balogun. Marseille appointed Italian coach Gennaro Gattuso this week but he could not earn a debut victory and his side remained eighth in the table after their second defeat of the season. Marseille took the lead 30 seconds into the game when Iliman Ndiaye's goal caught the hosts off guard, only for them to respond minutes later when midfielder Akliouche fired a low shot past Pau Lopez. The visitors regained the lead…

Sep

30

2023

By The African Mirror

Napoli say they never intended to offend Osimhen amid row

FOOTBALL

NAPOLI said they never intended to offend their striker Victor Osimhen with mocking social media videos, but the Serie A champions stopped short of apologising to the Nigeria international. The Italian side posted a video on TikTok with a high-pitched voice showing Osimhen missing a penalty in their 0-0 draw against Bologna on Sunday, which was later deleted. Osimhen's agent Roberto Calenda later threatened legal action, while the 24-year-old player removed all images of himself in a Napoli shirt from his social media accounts. "To avoid any potential exploitation of the matter, Napoli would like to explicitly state that the club never intended to…

Sep

29

2023

By FERNANDO KALLAS

Barcelona under investigation for suspected bribery in refereeing case

FOOTBALL

SPANISH soccer club Barcelona are under investigation for suspected "active bribery" as part of a probe into suspected corruption spanning two decades at the refereeing committee, according to a court document seen by Reuters. Police also searched the offices of the Spanish Refereeing Committee (CTA) inside the football federation (RFEF) headquarters in Madrid on Thursday, the Barcelona court said, as part of the ongoing inquiry into "possible systemic corruption" within the CTA. Spanish football and the RFEF in particular are going through a moment of reckoning amid allegations of sexual abuse against former RFEF chief Luis Rubiales. Rubiales kissed World Cup winner…

Sep

28

2023

By The African Mirror

Top Nigerian striker threatens legal action against Napoli

FOOTBALL

NAPOLI striker Victor Osimhen's agent said he "reserves the right to take legal action" against the club after a video mocking the player was posted and then deleted from the Serie A side's official TikTok on Tuesday. Roberto Calenda released a statement on messaging platform X, formerly known as Twitter, saying the video caused "very serious damage to the player". "What happened today on Napoli's official profile on the TikTok platform is not acceptable. A video mocking Victor was first made public and then, but now belatedly, deleted," said Calenda. "We reserve the right to take legal action and any…

Sep

28

2023

By The African Mirror

China to host opening two events in 2024 Diamond League

ATHLETICS

The 2024 Diamond League will begin its 15-stop season with two meets in China, in Xiamen and Shanghai, in April while Brussels will stage the two-day season finale in September, organisers said. Last year's Diamond League was also scheduled to have 15 meets but the Shanghai stop was cancelled after COVID-19 restrictions caused delays in the renovation of the venue. Xiamen will host the opening event on April 20, a week before Shanghai returns to the calendar for the first time since 2019. Meetings in Doha and Rabat are scheduled for the following month before the U.S. stop, the Prefontaine…