The Europa League Results (03/10/13)

Didier Zokora

Anzhi                       0  -  2   Tottenham
Kuban Krasnoda      0  -  2   Valencia
Legia Warsaw          0  -  1   Apollon Limassol
Trabzonspor             3  -  3   Lazio
Tromso                     1  -  1   Sheriff Tiraspol
Shakhter Karagandy 2  -  2   Maccabi Haifa
AZ Alkmaar             1  -  1   Paok Salonika
Chornomor Odesa    0  -  2   PSV
Ludogorets Razgrad 3  -  0   Dinamo Zagreb
Elfsborg                    1  -  1   Standard Liege
Swansea City            1  -  0   St Gallen


Fiorentina                 2  -  1   Dnipro
Rapid Vienna           2  -  2   Dynamo Kiev
Genk                        2  -  1   Thun
Salsburg                   2  -  1   Esbjerg
E. Frankfurt             3  -   0   Apoel Nicosia
Bordeaux                 1  -  2    Maccabi Tel Aviv
Seville                     2  -  0    Freiburg
Lyon                        1  -  1   Guimaraes

Cape Verde's Play-Offs Disqualification Upheld

The appeal of Cape Verde to FIFA over their disqualification from the 2014 World Cup play-offs due to fielding an ineligible player in a match has been upheld by the football governing body in Zurich, Switzerland.

In the last World Cup, African zone qualification match, between Cape Verde and Tunisia, Cape Verde won the match 2 - 0 and finshed on top of the table. But were disqualified from participating in the play-offs, because a player, Fernando Varela, was given a four match ban in March this year and did not complete it before playing in the duel with Tunisia.

Fernando Varela

FIFA ordered the forfeiture of the match and awarded Tunisia 3 - 0 and three points which put them on top of the table instead of the Cape Verdeans. The Play-offs has been drawn, Tunisia will be playing Cameroon in a two leg encounter in October and November, the winner of both matches will qualify for the World Cup.

It was strenge, Cape Verde themselves had earlier on benefited in such FIFA punishment of Equatorial Guinea in a World Cup qualification match, in which they lost 4 - 3, but were awarded the forfeiture of the match with the same 3 - 0 and three points, because Equatorial Guinea used an ineligible player, Emilio Nsue, even though he scored a hat-trick in the match.

Cape Verde can still take the case to the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS), if they choose to, but the out come of that may not be known on time, as the play-offs is beginning next week, unless CAS will give the case priority attention and hear it immediately, which is doubtful due to many cases before them.

Kalu Uche Joins Qatari Club El Jaish

Kalu Uche (30), the kasimpasa top scorer last season and the Nigerian international, has signed a two year contract deal with the Qatari club El Jaish.

Though both the player and the club, refused to disclose the amount of the deal, the Turkish media reported that his former club, Kasimpasa, will receive an estimated amount between $4m to $5m. But the amount the player will be earning per annum was not mentioned.

According to media report, the dispute over wages with Kasimpasa prompted his departure. It was reported a couple of months ago, that Uche Kalu, who scored 19 goals in the Turkey Super Lig, last season and was the second highest scorer in the league, demanded for increase in his salary. Ineffect, a new improved contract, but both sides could not agree.

Kalu Uche for  FC Almeria

After signing with EL Jaish, Uche said, ''I have been in Europe for 12 years now and this was a great chance for me to play in another continent with such a big club.''

''I am delighted to have joined EL Jaish, because I am still hungry for success and hopeful I can make a big contribution to the club,'' he told BBC.

''I had a fantastic one season in Istanbul and Turkey. The fans and team-mates were extremely nice to me and my family.''

''I can only wish the team all the best this season and for the future.''

''Everyday is a new beginning and what you've done elsewhere is in the past.''
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''I am happy that we could sort everything out, before the end of the Qatar transfer window (which was midnight local time 30th September),'' the rejuvenated striker added.

Kalu has played in many countries in Europe - Poland, France, Spain, Switzerland and Turkey. He scored two goals for Nigeria in the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. The goals were against South Korea and Greece.

Injury kept him out of the last African Cup of Nations, but his junior brother, Ikechukwu, who plays for the Spanish club Villarreal, was part of the squad that won the trophy.

Danny Jordaan Is The New SAFA President

The former chief executive officer (CEO) of the 2010 FIFA World Cup, local organising committee, Mr Danny Jordaan (62), has been elected with a two third majority, as the new president of the South African Football Association (SAFA).

The very experienced sports administartor and former vice-president of SAFA, Jordaan, won the election by beating his opponent, Mr Mandla Mazibuko, with 162 votes to 88 votes. The out-going president, Mr Kirsten Nematandani did not contest in the election.

This election was conducted by the Independent Electoral Commission which was observed by FIFA and CAF, the African football governing body.

Mr Danny Jordaan

Also elected to govern football in South Africa with Danny Jordaan are, three vice - presidents namely - Chief Mwelo Nonkonyana (197 votes),

Lucas Nhlapo (173 votes), Elvis Shishana (167 votes. The fourth vice - president for the football association is the premier soccer league chairman, Dr Irvin Khoza.

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There were also 10 national list members of the National Executive Committee. They are as follows: Mr Gladwin White, Mr Kwenzakwakhe Ngwenya, Ms Nomsa Mahlangu, Mr Poobalan Govindasamy, Mr xolile Nkompela, Mr Truman Prince, Ms Rita Ledwaba, Mr Aubrey Baartman,
Advocate Norman Arendse, and Ms Anastasia Tsichlas.

Danny Jordaan, who was newly appointed the advisor to the President of CAF,
after many attempts to be elected into the executive committee of the organisation failed, has his work cut out for him.

Mr Jordaan ran his campaign for the top job, promising to improve the over-all performance of the national team - Bafana Bafana, youth development, improve women football and the finance of the association. So now that he has got the job, the work begins. All eyes are now on him to deliver.

The Louisiana State's Boxing and Wrestling Commission, has enacted an emergency rule, banning Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) women fighters, with breast implants from competing in any state scheduled bouts.

However, the rule stated that fighters, who wants to participate in a bout in the state, must produce a clearance from the doctor, who performed their surgery.

Woman with Breast Implants (O.Shapoval - Dreamtimes)

The new rule covers boxing and mixed martial arts, but not wrestling, which is also a combating sport under the control and regulation of the commission.

The commissioner of the organisation, Mr Harold Williams, said during the meeting, that those who want to look good, should not be in the fighting ring. In order words, one cannot be aiming to appear beautiful and be combating in a brutal sport.

''If they want to look good, then they don't have to be in the ring,'' he said.

What prompted the organisation to act and make such rule now, was that a woman fighter, who was scheduled for a fight in the state, withdrew from the match, due to a problem she was having with her breast implants.

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The Commission decided to act, fearing the financial implications, if a woman develops breast implants problem in a fighting ring.

According to The New Orleans Times-Picayune, the rule was temporary (60 days), as the Commission collects more information on the issue.

Louisiana is the first state in the United Satates, to make such a ban. Maybe some of the other states will follow there example. Breast implants can be very dangerous and life threatening, if it starts to lick, or even got bursted in a bout.

I fully understand the nervousness of the commission on the issue.
It was the correct decision to take, before any disaster takes place in a fight.
What do you think? Do you think that the commission was correct to act.
Please, use the comment link to post your reaction to the ban. Thanks.

Ban On The Liberia Football Chief Lifted

The ban on the Liberia Football Association President, Mr Musa Bility, has been lifted before the six months expiration due date. The Ban was placed on him on May 2, 2013, by the Confederation of African Football (CAF), for ''Violation of statutes relating to the use of confidential documents,'' according to the organisation.

The football governing body in Africa wrote in their website, yesterday that the ban on Mr Musa Hassan Bility, has been lifted with immediate effect.

Mr Bility and his association, was opposed to CAF changing the rules of election, in order to re-elect the president of CAF, Mr Isa Hayatou, unopposed in March this year.

Musa Hassan Bility

 

The LFA president then took the case to the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS), but unfortunately he lost twice there.

In May, when the ban was announced, Mr Bility told Associated Press, that he had immediately appealed the decision, banning him for six months. He implied, that he was being banned, because of his opposition to CAF changing the rules, so that Isa Hayatou will be re-elected unopposed. He also appealed the $10,000 fine imposed on his association.

The Liberia football chief, said in May, after the ban was imposed on him that ''there was no justification'' for the punishment and that ''it was wrong''.
He added that, it was because he and his federation took the case to the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS).

CAF said, that the reason for the ban was because, Mr Bility, used confidential minutes from their executive committee meetings, without permission to do so.

The 2015 African Cup of Nations Hosts Cities Named

The host cities for the 2015 African Cup of Nations has been announced, by the executive committee of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), the football governing body in Africa.

 

The cities in Morocco to hosts the matches are Agadir, Marrakech, Rabat and Tangier, while Casablanca was named as a reserve venue. The reserve stadium in Casablanca, will be used if any of the afor-mentioned four has any kind of problem, that would make it difficult to use in the tournament.
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