Benin Preparing For AFCON Qualifier Despite FIFA Ban

Benin have been preparing to host Equatorial Guinea in an 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers on Sunday despite being banned from global football.

The West African Nation were suspended from global football after a court ruling in the country blocked upcoming elections of the Benin Football Federation (FBF).

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) is yet to make a decision on whether to cancel the Group C fixture or not as FIFA Council has been given the power to readmit Benin.

The suspension can be lifted when a new FBF Executive Committee has been installed.

But speaking in an interview, Benin’s minister of sport, Oswald Homeky said his outfit is in dialogue with all stakeholders to solve the crisis.

“We are still in discussions with the protagonists of the crisis in the football federation. We remain hopeful”, he said.

The Squirrels squad is currently in Cotonou training for the match while the already eliminated Equatorial Guinea cancelled a friendly against Uzbekistan in Tashkent on Thursday, because of the qualifier.

If there is no word from FIFA then Benin will be disqualified from the Nations Cup campaign.

 

Benin Preparing For AFCON Qualifier Despite FIFA Ban

Benin Suspended By FIFA

FIFA has suspended the Benin Football Federation (FBF) from global football after a court ruling in the country blocked upcoming elections.

A statement from football’s world governing body said: “The Benin Football Association (FBF) was suspended with immediate effect due to a recent injunction by a local judicial court which impeded the holding of the due election.”

It means Benin are set to miss June’s 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Equatorial Guinea.

The decision was made at the inaugural meeting of the FIFA Council, which has replaced the Executive Committee, meeting, which is being held in Mexico.

A court ruling in Benin on 4 May prevented the FBF from holding presidential elections and the suspension will be lifted only once a new Executive Committee has been installed.

The FBF has been overseen by a FIFA-appointed normalisation committee since September 2015 and they had been tasked to organise elections.

Benin are currently second in Group C, two points behind group leaders Mali.

The Squirrels are due to host Equatorial Guinea on the weekend of 3-5 June and then travel to face Mali in September.

Only the group winners are guaranteed a place at the 2017 finals in Gabon but Benin are currently the best of the second-placed teams and could qualify as one of the two best runners-up.

The FIFA Council meeting also ratified a recent decision of the bureau of the Council to appoint a normalisation committee to run the daily affairs of the Guinea Football Federation.

BBC

Benin Suspended By FIFA

I Enjoy Coahing Outside Ghana Because... - Abdul Razak

Abdul Karim Razak, former Ghana international says he doesn’t enjoy coaching in Ghana because of the poor treatment meted out to trainers by local clubs.

The 1978 African Footballer of the Year has not coached in the country since he was appointed as the Asante Kotoko trainer in 2004.

He has had stints outside the country including Benin and Mali and many other African nations.

And he says the lack of respect for local coaches has contributed largely to his decision to stay away from the local scene.

“I enjoy coaching outside because sometimes in Ghana things are not put in the right place. Sometimes clubs don’t want to give the coach a contract so that they can pay you nicely,” Razak told Starr FM.

“The local clubs deny coaches the facilities but want the results,” he added.

I Enjoy Coahing Outside Ghana Because... - Abdul Razak

I"ve The Dead Goat Syndrome - WAFU Chairman

I’ve Been Involved In Many Elections But … Kwesi Nyantakyi

Kwesi Nyantakyi has followed in the footsteps of the president of Ghana, John Dramani Mahama after repeating perhaps his most arguably controversial comment when he compared his state of mind when the votes for the WAFU zone B  elections were been counted to that of him feeling immuned to the knife like a dead animal.

 

 

The GFA boss was re-elected as chairman of the west African football union zone B after members attended congress at the Movenpick Ambassador Hotel. Kwesi pulled a total of 4 – votes whilst his immediate contender from Niger, Gibrilla Amidu had 3 votes.

Celebrating his victory with a press briefing, Nyantakyi said to the gathered press, he was delighted to be re-elected and honoured with the confidence imposed in him.

Nyantakyi narrated his ordeal when 3 straight votes were counted for contender, Gibrilla Amidu whilst he had none. He said, “When you win a match, whether penalty shootout or the goal score in injury or offside goal it s still a win. i didn’t think it will be this close but well it showed a level of awareness and interest people have in taking part in governance. Four thought I should continue, three thought otherwise.

 

 

He added, “If you lose an election does not mean you’ve lost it all, there is life after death. Don’t go into an election creating so much anxiety within you to the extent that you might falling sick after losing the election. I could have lost and knew could have won as well.”

“I’ve the dead goat syndrome, I’ve contested many elections so I was not afraid of losing.”

I"ve The Dead Goat Syndrome - WAFU Chairman

Burkina Faso Will Host WAFU U17 Competition

WAFU U17 Will Go On As Planned After Ebola Scare – Kwesi Nyantakyi

The president of the West African Football Union – WAFU, Kwesi Nyantakyi has confirmed this year wafu u17 tourney will go on as planned.

 

 

The event which was scheduled for last year did not see day light due to the ebola virus that hit sub region hard and took away human lives.

 

Nyantakyi was speaking at the ongoing West African Football Union’s Congress at the Movenpick Hotel.

 

He said, “Burkina Faso Will remain as host of this year’s wafu u17 tournament.

The tournament was called off due to the ebola epidemic last year but the Burkina Football federation has confirmed it’s readiness to host the juvenile competition which will be the first organised in the sub-region, ” He added.

 

Burkina Faso Will Host WAFU U17 Competition