African Games 2023: Akufo-Addo cuts sod for $145 million Borteyman sports complex
The President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has cut the sod for the commencement of work for the construction of the one hundred- and forty-five-million-dollar ($145 million) sports complex at Borteyman, in the Greater Accra Region, which will be used for the 2023 African Games. The Complex will be fitted with a one thousand (1,000) seater competition swimming pool, that is a 10-lane competition swimming pool; an 8-lane warm-up swimming pool; a one thousand (1,000) seater multi-purpose sports hall for basketball, badminton, boxing, table tennis and weightlifting; and a five-hundred-seater (500) temporary dome for handball, volleyball, judo, karate and taekwondo. The rest are a five (5) tennis court complex, including a one thousand-seater (1000) centre court; a 6-lane warm-up athletics track; one FIFA standard football training field; and a 6-kilometre single lane road, and a 3-kilometre double lane road. Speaking at the ceremony on Tuesday, 31st August 2021, at Borteyman, President Akufo-Addo stated that, since the inception of the African Games in 1965, Ghana has never won a bid to host the games. “It is in light of this that I instructed the Ministry of Youth and Sports, on 8th May 2018, to prepare, bid and win the hosting rights of the 13th African Games. At the meeting of the African Union’s Specialized Technical Committee on Youth, Culture and Sports in Algiers, capital of the People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria, on Thursday, 25th October 2018, our bid was endorsed, and Ghana was officially declared host of the 13th edition of the Games. COVID-19 notwithstanding, I am confident that Ghana will organize the best ever African Games in history,” he said. With Government determined to bring back the glory days of Ghanaian sports, in athletics, boxing, football and table tennis, the President explained that “the provision of the requisite infrastructure, to this end, is critical if our nation is to regain its pride of place in sports on the continent and in the world”. The President continued, “Hosting the 13th African Games will afford Ghana the opportunity to address capacity deficiencies, by providing the relevant human resource capacity to run and manage sports in Ghana. Most importantly, this will give us state-of-the-art sporting facilities, that will support the development of sports”. He also announced that the 2023 African Games will be a very special landmark games in the annals of the African Games, as it will, for the first time, serve as the qualifiers for the participation of African countries in the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. With the onset of COVID-19 delaying the start of the Project by a year, President Akufo-Addo explained that Government has decided to act on a proposal from the Ministry of Youth and Sports to adopt a hybrid system of facility development, where upgrade existing infrastructure in Accra, to supplement new ones to be built here in Borteyman for the Games. He stated that the initial plan of Government was to construct all the sports facilities for the African Games on this 100-acre plot of land, released to the Ministry of Youth and Sports by the University of Ghana. The project was to comprise a fifty thousand (50,000) capacity Olympic Stadium Complex for the opening and closing ceremonies, as well as for the athletic and football competitions. However, the period lost due to COVID-19 has made it impossible to construct the Olympic Stadium Complex in time for the African Games in 2023. “In place of the Olympic Stadium Complex here at Borteyman, the University of Ghana Sports Stadium, which was abandoned during the eight years of NDC rule from 2009 to 2017, will be upgraded to international standards for some events for the African Games. I say a big thank you to the acting Vice Chancellor and management of the University of Ghana for this opportunity,” he said. Following the completion of the games, he stated that the tendency of sporting infrastructure becoming ‘white elephants’ is high, stressing further that these facilities eventually deteriorate, either due to lack of maintenance or underutilisation. “That is why the model we have adopted for this Games is a framework of the Ministry of Youth and Sports, the University of Ghana and the University for Development Studies, to be involved in managing and maintaining the facilities to ensure sustainability and continuity,” he added. These, the President said, “for us, are the best legacies for the games to justify the total investment of one hundred and ninety-five million dollars ($195 million), and ensure sustainability well into the future. The initial phase of the development here, in Borteyman, is one hundred and forty-five million dollars ($145 million).” He expressed the gratitude of Government and people of Ghana to the African Union for honouring Ghana with the right to host and organise the 13th African Games in 2023. “I assure the African Union that Ghana is ready, willing and able to host the most successful and most memorable of African Games. I also thank all Members of Parliament for seeing the hosting of the African Games in Ghana as a national project, and for working expeditiously on all matters concerning the African Games Project that came to the House,” President Akufo-Addo said. —Daily Mail GH Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: +2335555568093
John Mahama supports RTU with Ghc 50,000 as he says ‘THANK YOU’ to Northern Region
John Mahama Ghana’s former President has given GHS50,000 to Real Tamale United (RTU) to assist them to get ready for the upcoming Premier League. Mr. Mahama made the donation during his ‘THANK YOU’ in the Northern Region of Ghana. “I want to take this opportunity to congratulate RTU on qualifying to the Premier League and to say that we are all supporters of RTU”. “And, as the Regional Minister said, let us all come together to support the pride of the north”, adding: “That’s our team”. “And, so, between me and the NDC group in parliament led by leader Haruna Iddrisu, we are going to make a donation of GHS50,000 to RTU to prepare for the Premier League”, Mr. Mahama said. Mr. Mahama said they will continue to support the team to become great again. “And that’s not all; we’ll be following all of you guys who are managing the team and we’ll help you so that RTU reclaims its former glory”. Mr. Mahama has been going around regions of Ghana to thank them for their wonderful support given him during the 2020 general elections. Apexnewsgh.com/Ghana/Ngamegbulam Chidozie Stephen Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 05555568093
UER: Bolgatanga is a regional capital, so we should fight to develop the stadium, UE-Regional Minister
The Upper East Regional Minister Stephen Yakubu has said, as a Regional Minister he is working closely with the Ministry for youth and sports in making sure the old park popularly known as Bolgatanga sports stadium located in Bolgatanga the regional capital is developed – Apexnewsgh.com reports The Regional Minister made the revelation during a One on One exclusive interview with Ngamegbulam Chidozie Stephen of Apexnewsgh-Tv on Saturday. According to him, having some of these facilities in the region can easily attract investors into the region. He said Bolgatanga being a regional capital need to fight for the place to develop. “I have taken this up already and working closely with the ministry concern, is not even only in Bolga, we have the old park in Bolga and we also have a very similar one in Bawku and these are the areas i think as a country, we have left it to rot and therefore am engaging with the powers, am talking with the Presidency to see what we can do to bring these things out. You know we are building a very good one in Navrongo, this is a regional capital so we should fight for that place to be developed. And these are some of the things when we do it, will also attract the investors to come here and invest”. A regional sports stadium has been one of the priorities for the people of the Upper East Region over the years now. In the past, most politicians from the region have gotten the opportunity to construct a world-class sports stadium for the people of the region, but unfortunately, they failed due to reasons best known to them. However, Mr. Yakubu is hopeful that his engagement with the ministry concerned will yield a good result. Apexnewsgh.com/Ghana/Ngamegbulam Chidozie Stephen Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 05555568093
Real Madrid no longer had faith in me – Zidane
Zinedine Zidane says he resigned as Real Madrid manager because he felt the club “no longer had faith” in him. The Frenchman left the La Liga club for a second time in his coaching career on 27 May after they failed to win a trophy during the 2020-21 season. Zidane previously managed Real from 2016-2018 before returning 10 months later in March 2019. “I’m going, but I’m not jumping overboard, nor am I tired of coaching,” said the 48-year-old. In an open letter to fans, published by Spanish media outlet AS, he added: “I’m leaving because I feel the club no longer has the faith in me I need, nor the support to build something in the medium or long term. “I understand football and I know the demands of a club like Real Madrid. I know when you don’t win, you have to leave. “I’m a natural-born winner and I was here to win trophies, but even more important than this are the people, their feelings, life itself and I have the sensation these things have not been taken into account. “There has been a failure to understand that these things also keep the dynamics of a great club going. To some extent I have even been rebuked for it.” The former France playmaker, who played for Real from 2001 to 2006, won three consecutive Champions League titles and a La Liga title in his first period as manager. He secured a second La Liga title during his second spell in charge in 2019-20 and had a year remaining on his contract when he left. Zidane said his 20 years at the Bernabeu were “the most beautiful thing that’s happened” in his life and that he would “always be grateful” to Real president Florentino Perez. “I want there to be respect for what we have achieved together. I would have liked my relationship with the club and the president over the past few months to have been a little different to that of other coaches,” Zidane added. “I wasn’t asking for privileges, of course not, just a little more recollection. These days the life of a coach in the dugout at a big club is two seasons, little more. “For it to last longer the human relationships are essential, they are more important than money, more important than fame, more important than everything. They need to be nurtured.” BBC Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 05555568093
Chelsea surprises the world with a 1-0 win against Manchester City
UEFA Champions League Final 2021, Manchester City vs Chelsea Highlights: Chelsea’s Kai Havertz repaid some of his huge transfer fees as his first-half goal sealed a 1-0 win for his side over Manchester City in the Champions League final on Saturday. The German youngster, Chelsea’s record signing, latched on to Mason Mount’s pass and evaded City keeper Ederson before rolling the ball into an empty net in the 42nd minute. Premier League champions City were favorites ahead of the final but suffered a desperately disappointing night in Porto in what was their first Champions League final. READ MORE Man Utd to complete N’Golo Kante’s move in two days Pep Guardiola’s side was never allowed to play their normal fluent game and could not respond as a disciplined Chelsea sealed a second Champions League triumph. Watch the video below Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 05555568093
Why are Europe’s top managers on the move?
Antonio Conte has left Inter Milan after winning Serie A, Zinedine Zidane resigned from Real Madrid and Tottenham have sounded out Paris St-Germain boss Mauricio Pochettino. Winning the Ligue 1 title couldn’t keep Christophe Galtier at Lille, Juventus are reportedly close to sacking Andrea Pirlo and bringing back Massimiliano Allegri, while Hansi Flick’s departure from Bayern Munich triggered a domino effect in Germany. The dust has barely settled on the 2020-21 campaign, but already we’ve seen an unprecedented number of top managers on the move. From financial issues to exhaustion, BBC Radio 5 Live’s Euro Leagues experts have been examining why… Football Daily podcast: Managerial merry go round, Villareal history makers and champions Atleti ‘Fallouts caused by an extreme situation’ The coronavirus pandemic has had a devastating impact on the finances of football clubs, with Europe’s top 32 clubs seeing 6.1bn euros (£5.27bn) wiped off their value since February 2020, according to business services group KPMG. In Germany, Flick’s departure from Bayern led to a series of changes, including Julian Nagelsmann replacing him and Jesse Marsch joining RB Leipzig. It has been a similar story across Italy, Spain, England and France since. Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live, German football journalist Raphael Honigstein said: “The common theme that links these resignations is, during Covid-19, we have seen much more internal arguments about money. “A lot of these coaches have walked out because, rather than having another job lined up, they’ve had enough.” He added: “There’s an extreme situation here that is very different to what usually happens in an off-season, especially at those big clubs. We don’t see big coaches walking away in these numbers. “Flick went after a huge disagreement over transfers and the backdrop is Covid-19. Bayern couldn’t spend the kind of money Flick wanted and that’s where the argument started.” La Liga runners-up Real Madrid topped KPMG’s study into Europe’s most valuable clubs, however Zidane did not feel backed by the board and president Florentino Perez, according to Spanish football expert Guillem Balague. It was a similar story at Inter, where Conte departed after delivering a first Italian title in 11 years because the club’s financial situation means they must reduce the wage bill by 20% this summer. Italian journalist Gabriele Marcotti said: “Conte wanted investment and made demands but instead of getting one or two big signings they have to sell one or two big players. “The mood has changed. Unless you’re Pep Guardiola or Jurgen Klopp it’s very hard for you to make those demands. Marcotti added: “It’s cheaper to bring in a new manager than a bunch of new players. Obviously there is a chain reaction but undeniably a lot is about money, investment and the economy post-coronavirus. “It’s a part of why Zidane is no longer at Real, why Conte is no longer at Inter. It’s our reality for this transfer window which for managers and players will be very different.” Some are exhausted, others want new challenges Raised internal tensions are perhaps to be expected following an exhausting season that has forced clubs across Europe to contend with congested fixture schedules, after the previous campaign was disrupted by the pandemic. And despite some, such as Conte, bringing success despite those challenges, disagreement over transfer funds has proven a tipping point. Zidane failed to win a trophy but led an ageing Real side to within a point of the La Liga title, and a Champions League semi-final in which they were beaten by Chelsea. French football journalist Julien Laurens said: “This was a special season for Zidane because of everything that happened. He caught coronavirus. He took this Real team so far. “Maybe he felt it would be hard to do better than this. Perhaps this is what is at the heart for a lot of these managers changing – ‘Can we do better than we have done this season?’. “Galtier thought there’s no chance Lille would win Ligue 1 again next season. Why stay when you have other options? For Conte, maybe it’s the same.” Balague added: “The big clubs are changing managers and because big jobs are coming available, there are two or three managers who want to be available to be chosen. “Zidane got tired, he got exhausted. It has affected a lot of managers – certainly Zidane – even though they expect he will go to another job.” Who is heading where? With so many big-name managers on the move, there’s been no shortage of speculation surrounding who might end up where. Conte has been linked with Real Madrid and the vacancy at Premier League side Tottenham. Spurs have made contact with Paris St-Germain regarding former manager Pochettino – though Marcotti told BBC Radio 5 Live Pochettino is also Real’s top target. It appears Inter may have Conte’s replacement lined up, after Simone Inzaghi left fellow Serie A side Lazio on Thursday. Who knows what is next for Andrea Pirlo, who Juventus will reportedly sack and replace with former boss Allegri. Galtier, who said he had a “deep belief that my time is up here” in leaving Lille, has been linked with the managerial jobs at French sides Nice and Lyon – while former Wolves boss Nuno Espirito Santo is also looking for a new club. BBC Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 05555568093
Man City v Chelsea – all you need to know about all-English Champions League final
It’s an all-English Champions League final – but will it be Manchester City or Chelsea who will be crowned champions of Europe on Saturday? Premier League champions City are looking to win the prestigious competition for the first time. Chelsea, European champions in 2012, have beaten Pep Guardiola’s side twice in the league and FA Cup in 2020-21. Up to 16,500 people will be allowed inside Porto’s Estadio do Dragao ground to watch. Both sides have fully fit squads to choose from, although City midfielder Ilkay Gundogan looked like he took a minor knock in Friday’s training session after a collision with Fernandinho. ‘Win you’re a hero – lose you’re almost a failure’ “I know exactly the way we want to play, with who we’re going to play and I’m not going to bother them much,” Guardiola said. “It’s an incredible experience to be here. I know exactly what I’m going to tell them. The guys who are anxious and nervous, I will tell them that’s normal. “I’m pretty sure we have to suffer to win the final. It’s nice to say enjoy it but sometimes it’s not possible. You have to be resilient and adjust.” City midfielder Kevin de Bruyne said: “If you win, you’re a hero. If you lose, you’re almost a failure. Coming to this stage is incredibly well done by the team but if you don’t win it’s something you don’t want to experience. “It’s been one of the goals of the club and the players. Being able to be there tomorrow [Saturday] and to perform on the highest stage in the world is something of a privilege.” City’s Spanish boss Guardiola is looking to win the Champions League for a third time after steering Barcelona to triumphs in 2009 and 2011. Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel is seeking his first Champions League success. Last season, the German took Paris St-Germain to the final, losing 1-0 to Bayern Munich. “I have full trust that everybody wants it,” said Tuchel. “It is about hunger and always on the highest level in sport it comes down to how bad do you want it? I have felt us very concentrated, focused and disciplined in the build-up this week. “It’s always tough to play against City, Bayern or Barcelona when Pep is on the sidelines. He creates huge belief and success and has a huge winning mentality. “Maybe in the moment they are the strongest team in Europe, in the world, and they have built a huge gap between us in the league but we closed the gap for 90 minutes in Wembley and closed the gap again in Manchester.” The final will be decided on the day, with 30 minutes of extra time and then penalties if required. Each side will be allowed five substitutions, with a sixth permitted for each side if the final goes to extra time. Tuchel said: “The penalty shootout [in the Europa League final] was fantastic in terms of quality from the takers. I don’t think I have ever seen something like this – 20 penalties in a row with no miss and so well taken. “We have identified the guys who should take the penalties for us but I don’t know who is in the end on the pitch so we need to be well aware but if we go to penalties we go in together and out together.” The video assistant referee (VAR) system will be used, while City have been designated the ‘home’ team, which means they will play in their traditional sky blue and white colours. This year’s final will air in over 200 countries around the world, with the opening ceremony taking place about 10 minutes before the biggest game in European club football kicks off. § Champions League final: Pick your combined Man City v Chelsea XI § Chelsea return unsold Champions League final tickets § Champions League final: Should Uefa be more flexible for environmental reasons? § Guardiola does not care about referee § ‘Winning Champions League will acknowledge their greatness – Gullit on Foden & Mount Where is it taking place? The final was due to be staged at Istanbul’s Ataturk Olympic Stadium in Turkey but was switched earlier this month to the Portuguese city of Porto because of coronavirus restrictions. Portugal is on England’s green list for travel, so players and fans can attend without having to quarantine on their return home. Turkey is on the red list. It is the second successive year the final has been held in Portugal, with Lisbon the location for the delayed final stages of last season’s competition. The Estadio do Dragao hosted the 2019 Nations League final and was built for Euro 2004. City have played at the venue in this season’s Champions League, with Pep Guardiola’s side held to a goalless draw by Porto in the group stage in December. Chelsea also played Porto on their way to the final but both legs of their quarter-final in April were played in Spain at Sevilla’s Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan Stadium because of coronavirus travel restrictions between Portugal and the UK at that time – the country was moved to the green list on 17 May. How many fans will be at final? The 2020 final between Bayern Munich and Paris St-Germain was played behind closed doors in Lisbon. However, there will be up to 16,500 supporters present for this year’s edition – about one-third of Estadio do Dragao’s capacity – with Manchester City and Chelsea each receiving an allocation of approximately 6,000 tickets. Chelsea have returned more than 800 unsold tickets. There was a high demand for 2,800 tickets which were sold with independent travel. However, the unsold tickets were part of a charter package, which included subsidised flights at £200. Meanwhile, a further 1,700 tickets made available by Uefa for the general public sold out on Tuesday. How to follow on the BBC BBC Radio 5 Live will have full commentary of the final from 20:00 BST with commentator John Murray and former Chelsea and Blackburn striker Chris Sutton at the ground. Fans will be able to give
Fury ordered to fight Wilder again, placing proposed bout with Joshua in doubt
Tyson Fury has been ordered to fight Deontay Wilder for a third time, casting doubt over a proposed August super bout with Anthony Joshua. Fury, 32, won the WBC world heavyweight title from Wilder in a rematch in February 2020 after an initial draw. The pair were due to fight again but delays caused by the Covid-19 pandemic prompted Fury to seek an alternative. On Monday a US judge ruled in mediation that Wilder has a right to face Fury for a third time before 15 September. The American’s team had long argued their fighter had a contractual right to a third fight with Fury. But after delays caused by the pandemic led to a July 2020 contest being postponed, Wilder’s team sought to move the bout to 2021. Fury refused the 2021 date and said he would move on. That prompted mediation overseen by American judge Daniel Weinstein, who has now sided with Wilder and set a 15 September deadline for a third contest. “Until we can reach an accommodation with Deontay Wilder’s people, I can’t say that [Fury’s fight with Joshua] will definitely happen,” Fury’s promoter Frank Warren told BBC Radio 4’s Today Programme. “But we are working hard to get that over the line. We were talking last night and hopefully we can do that. If not then Tyson, if he wishes, will go to the fight with Wilder. They’re the only two options.” Fury’s US promoters Top Rank did not wish to comment on the development when contacted by BBC Sport. Just 24 hours before Monday’s arbitration hearing, Fury confirmed he had agreed to fight fellow Briton Joshua – holder of the IBF, WBA and WBO belts – for all four heavyweight world titles in Saudi Arabia on 14 August. Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn has also said several times that the August bout was in place, with terms agreed. The mediation outcome does not necessarily mean a Fury-Joshua fight cannot take place in August but fresh deals will now need to be struck for it to do so. That could mean Wilder being offered money to allow Fury-Joshua to take place. “It’ll cost quite a bit of money. He will want as much as possible so I think it’ll be about the negotiation if we go down that road,” said Warren. Saudi authorities are reportedly putting forward around £106m just to stage the Fury-Joshua contest. Pay-per-view sales and ticket sales will serve to substantially add to the total revenue of the contest. If it goes ahead, Joshua versus Fury will be the first bout in heavyweight history where all four world titles are on the line. ‘Expect a deal’ – analysis BBC Sport’s Luke Reddy Just 24 hours after Fury said he had been in conversation with Saudi organisers and agreed to seal the deal, this Wilder news will come as a blow. How big of a blow is not yet clear. With so much money to be made from Joshua v Fury, one would think a deal will be struck with Wilder whereby he steps aside and perhaps even gets told he can face the winner in 2022. It may suit him to do so given he can pocket a sizeable sum and prepare against an opponent of his choosing short-term – he has been out of the ring for 15 months. There were already countless moving parts to a Joshua-Fury deal, with three promoters, several broadcasters, four sanctioning bodies and a host venue all needing to co-operate to get the fight done. But any postponement would be highly damaging for the sport given so many fans from outside boxing’s hardcore support will tune in to watch it. It is a golden opportunity to draw new people into the sport, and fights with such a crossover appeal are rare. Source: BBC Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 05555568093
Lewis Hamilton says Formula 1 is a ‘billionaire boys’ club’
Lewis Hamilton says Formula 1 has become a “billionaire boys’ club”. The seven-time champion told Spain’s AS newspaper it would not be possible for him to break into the sport from his background if he tried to do so now. “Growing up in a normal working-class family, there is no way I could be here – the guys you are fighting against have that much more money,” he said. “We have to work to change that to make it more accessible, for the rich and for people with more humble origins.” The Mercedes driver was raised on a council estate in Stevenage in Hertfordshire, while his father Anthony worked several jobs to fund his junior career before he was picked up by McLaren and Mercedes aged 13. They funded the rest of his career as he made his way through the ranks to F1. Of the current grid, Canadians Lance Stroll, Nicholas Latifi and Russian Nikita Mazepin, who have all joined F1 in recent years, are the sons of billionaires. And both Max Verstappen, Hamilton’s title rival this year, and Mick Schumacher, who made his debut in 2021, are the sons of former F1 drivers. Hamilton and Mercedes have set up a foundation to try to attract more people from an ethic minority background into motorsport, and he has set up commission to look into why minorities are under-represented. Source: BBC Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 05555568093
Salifu Zida appointed Chairman of Black Starlets c’ttee
Executive Council Member of the Ghana Football Association, Alhaji Shaibu Salifu Zida has been appointed as Chairman of the Black Starlets Management Committee. This decision was taken by the Executive Council on Thursday, April 8, 2021. The Upper East Regional Football Association Chairman replaces Vice President Mark Addo who has been in charge of the national male U-17 team since 2019. Vice Chairman of the Committee John Ansah has been retained. The two, are joined by Eric Delali Senaye, CEO of Inter Allies, Odeneho Appiah and Abubakar Nallah. Black Starlets Management Committee: Alhaji Shaibu Salifu Zida – Chairman John Ansah – Vice Chairman Odeneho Appiah – Member Eric Delali Senaye – Member Abubakar Nallah – Member Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 0555568093