The African > Sport

Will and Persistence: The destruction of sports infrastructure in Gaza won’t stop sports

Thu, 27 Jun 2024 03:00:00 GMT

Palestinian girls take part in a sports competition in Gaza. Sport is an integral part of Palestinian culture and history. It has always been Israel’s nightmare and a thorn in its side as long as it bears the symbol of the Palestinian people, flag and name, the writer says. – Picture: Mahmoud Ajjour / The Palestine ChronicleBy Issam KhalidiIt has been demonstrated throughout history that every time Israel attempts to destroy the Palestinian people, their history and culture, they come back stron. . .

Sport has potential to bridge racial, political divide

Mon, 13 Nov 2023 04:30:00 GMT

Picture: Yoan Valat / EPA / Taken on October 28, 2023 – South Africa captain Siya Kolisi lifts the Webb Ellis trophy after the team won the Rugby World Cup 2023 final between New Zealand and South Africa in Saint-Denis, France. South Africa is a sporting nation. As it transitioned into a new political dispensation in the 1990s, the new political leadership envisioned sport as one of the avenues to unite the people of South Africa, the writer says.

The Rugby World Cup puts a fake happy face on a weeping nation

Fri, 22 Sep 2023 05:15:00 GMT

Picture: Peter Cziborra/REUTERS/September 10, 2023 – South Africa's Siya Kolisi celebrates with fans after the South Africa v Scotland rugby match, Orange Velodrome, Marseille, France. By Kim HellerThe past few weeks saw a festive flamboyance of South African flags joyfully dancing through many of the nation’s potholed streets.

Olympic sports have Russia dilemma – ‘neutrality’ is a cop-out

Tue, 12 Sep 2023 05:45:00 GMT

Picture: Julien de Rosa/AFP/Taken on June 20, 2023 – The entrance of the headquarters of the Paris 2024 Olympics (Cojo) headquarters in Saint-Denis, northern Paris. Sport is always political, the writer says, in the face of the dilemma the Olympics face on inclusion or not of Russia in the 2024 games.

A pivotal role in mobilising resistance to apartheid era sport

Sun, 03 Sep 2023 07:09:00 GMT

Picture: ANA Archives - The South African Council on Sport’s (Sacos), 7th Biennial Conference was held in Johannesburg from April 4 to 5, in 1987. The failure of Sacos to come to terms with the tectonic shifts is probably the point at which it lost its relevance as the authentic sports wing of the liberation movement, says the writer.

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Victor Osimhen: Lagos street hawker to cult figure in Naples

Wed, 26 Jul 2023 03:00:00 GMT

Picture: Isabella Bonotto/AFP/April 23, 2023 – Napoli's Nigerian forward Victor Osimhen celebrates after winning in the Italian Serie A football match between Juventus and Napoli at the Juventus stadium in Turin. By Oluwaseun Tella and Akinlolu AkinolaThe Stadio Diego Armando Maradona resounded with triumphant chants of “Victor Osimhen!” as Napoli celebrated a 1-0 victory against Fiorentina on May 7.

How Pelé made the beautiful game of soccer beautiful in America

Sat, 31 Dec 2022 22:00:00 GMT

Picture: Photo: BARTLOMIEJ ZBOROWSKIBy Bill SaporitoThe great Brazilian soccer star Pelé, who died Thursday at 82, made his unlikely American debut with the New York Cosmos of the North American Soccer League on June 15, 1975. His mission was to make soccer a major sport. Those of us who showed up at a drab and dingy Downing Stadium in New York City that day already knew that soccer was a major sport.

Tanzania’s meat exports increase by 125% during FIFA World Cup

Thu, 22 Dec 2022 02:30:00 GMT

Picture: Hannah Mckay/REUTERS – FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022. France's Olivier Giroud and Kylian Mbappe in action with Argentina's Angel Di Maria during the final – Argentina v France – at Lusail Stadium, Lusail, Qatar on December 18, 2022. By Maria KonokhovaAs the World Cup 2022 recently concluded in Qatar, positive spillover effects are now being registered around the world.

For Morocco, a World Cup run that transcends the sport

Thu, 15 Dec 2022 02:30:00 GMT

Picture: EPA/Friedemann Vogel – Goalkeeper Yassine Bounou of Morocco saves the shot from Sergio Busquets of Spain during the penalty shoot-out in the FIFA World Cup 2022 round of 16 soccer match between Morocco and Spain at Education City Stadium in Doha, Qatar, December 6, 2022. By Graham CornwellThis World Cup is a reminder that colonialism is hardly a distant memory.

Why doesn't Argentina have more Black players in the World Cup?

Sat, 10 Dec 2022 07:18:00 GMT

REUTERS/Kai Pfaffenbach - Soccer Football - FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 - Quarter Final - Netherlands v Argentina - Lusail Stadium, Lusail, Qatar - December 10, 2022 Argentina players celebrate as Argentina progress to the semi finals. By Erika Denise EdwardsAs fans keep up with Argentina's success in this year's World Cup, a familiar question arises: Why doesn't Argentina's team have more Black players? In stark contrast to other South American countries such as Brazil, Argentina's soccer team pal. . .

While football may unite nations, unity is important for Africans too

Mon, 05 Dec 2022 11:03:00 GMT

Picture: REUTERS/Dylan Martinez - Cameroon's Vincent Aboubakar and teamates celebrate scoring their first goal against Brazil at the Lusail Stadium, Lusail in Qatar on December 2. By Wesley SealeDespite some of the controversies that have surrounded the hosting of the 2022 Soccer World Cup by Qatar, the world has once again gathered around their television sets, laptops and in the stadia to see the teams compete against each other.

Why is Liberia's president's son playing for the U. S. in the World Cup?

Sat, 03 Dec 2022 06:52:00 GMT

File picture: Reuters/John Sibley - Soccer Football - United States Training - Wembley Stadium, London, Britain - November 14, 2018 Timothy Weah of the U. S. during training. By Glenn C. AltschulerOn Tuesday, millions of Americans rejoiced as the United States advanced to the knockout rounds of the World Cup, defeating Iran by a single first-half goal - only its second of the tournament.

Regimes have long used the World Cup to hide human rights abuses

Tue, 22 Nov 2022 03:30:00 GMT

Picture: INDRANIL MUKHERJEE/AFP - Art school teacher Sagar Kambli draws a painting of Brazil's football player Neymar Jr. ahead of the Qatar 2022 World Cup football tournament in Mumbai on November 18, 2022. By Ulices PiñaThe FIFA World Cup kicked off in Qatar on Sunday, and over 1 million spectators are expected to attend.

East African footballers are a rarity on the global stage: we examine why

Tue, 06 Sep 2022 06:00:00 GMT

Reuters / Amr Abdallah Dalsh Livepic – Cameroon's Christian Bassogog in action with Ghana's Frank Acheampong, Daniel Amartey and Wakaso Mubarak, at the African Cup of Nations semi-finals (Cameroon v Ghana), Gabon in February 2017. Unlike West and North Africa, the region hasn’t produced many players who perform consistently at high levels in Europe, the writer says.

Serena Williams insists audiences see her, not just her stats

Thu, 01 Sep 2022 05:13:00 GMT

Picture: EPA/Jason Szenes – Serena Williams of the United States returns a serve from Danka Kovinic of Montenegro at the US Open Tennis Championships in Flushing Meadows, New York, on August 29, 2022. She wore black – the antithesis of tennis whites. Her skirt fluttered as she ran and leaped. Her bloomers glittered.

A lucrative new African football league is coming: the pros and cons

Thu, 18 Aug 2022 05:49:00 GMT

Picture: Supplied – There are pertinent questions that need clarifying, but even at this early stage it’s clear that there are strengths and weaknesses to the shiny new Africa Super League, the writer says. By Chuka OnwumechiliThe Confederation for African Football (Caf) recently announced plans for a Continent-wide Africa Super League.

Banyana return home, now spotlight falls on transformation of women’s football

Tue, 26 Jul 2022 06:17:00 GMT

Picture: Supplied/SAFA - Banyana Banyana celebrate at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat they beat Morocco on Saturday to be crowned WAFCON champions. By Herman GibbsEver the bridesmaids, South Africa's national women's team Banyana Banyana were finally crowned queens of African women's football on Saturday night.

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First black athlete and national champion: Legacy of Titus Mambabolo

Thu, 21 Jul 2022 03:30:00 GMT

Picture: Supplied: Titus Mamabolo with Hand Peter. By Matshelane MamaboloFor a man who was the first black athlete to become a national champion, a pathfinder for his oppressed nation, Titus Mamabolo’s attitude towards apartheid and its impact on black South Africans is surprising. Unlike most South Africans, Mamabolo harbours no anger or hatred towards the perpetrators who denied him a chance to be a world superstar.

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Patrice Motsepe - a lucky charm for African football

Fri, 08 Jul 2022 15:13:00 GMT

File picture by Muzi Ntombela / BackpagePix: CAF president Patrice Motsepe speaks during a press conference at Ahmadou Ahidjo Stadium in Yaounde, Cameroon on 25 January 2022. By Herman GibbsIn many respects, and justifiably so, South African mining billionaire businessman Patrice Motsepe, was hailed as the saviour of African football following his ascension to the CAF (Confederation of African Football) throne in March 2021.