Sports
2019 AFCON: Doubts Over Cameroon As Hosts
Doubts over Cameroon’s readiness to host the 2019 AFCON has resurfaced and reports suggest CAF could be close to taking a vote of no confidence.
After a two-day meeting at the Egyptian holiday resort city of Sharm El Sheikh, which concluded at the weekend, the CAF Executive Committee reported that a projected video report on Cameroon’s preparation for the competition ‘showed a significant delay in the realization of the infrastructures’.
The slow pace of facility development is not the only reason being put up for the possible conciliation of the earlier hosting rights to Cameroon.
The on-going crisis in the Central African Country, between the largely Anglophone western Cameroon people and the majority French speaking parts of the country, is also a cause for concern.
The CAF Executive Committee report states that a joint CAF and FIFA commission will travel to the Country this month to study the security issues.
CAF was expected to declare their final position on Cameroon’s Afcon hosting rights this week but the executive committee postponed the announcement to November.
The Africa Cup of Nations with its new 24-team format will be held from June 15 to July 13 next year.
Caf said it had also sent an inspection team to the Ivory Coast, which is due to host the 2021 Nations Cup.
“Of the six stadiums required for the competition, four are to be built and two undergoing major renovations. For accommodation, three out of five cities have no infrastructure,” a Caf statement said.
Meanwhile, Caf has confirmed that the eight-team Women’s Nations Cup finals are set to take place from 17 November to 1 December in Ghana as planned with Accra and Cape Coast scheduled to host the matches.
Africa’s football body stated that “the Caf Secretariat will closely monitor the progress of preparations.”
Questions had been raised about whether Ghana was ready to host the Women’s Nations Cup especially in light of the recent crisis in the country’s football association.
The top three will all qualify for next year’s Women’s World Cup in France.
However Equatorial Guinea cannot play at the World Cup following a ban by Fifa “for fielding ineligible players and for the use of forged and falsified documents by two of its players.”
The ineligible players were used in the qualifiers of the Women’s Olympic Football Tournament for Rio 2016
Nigeria is the defending champion after beating hosts Cameroon 1-0 in the 2016 final.
The Super Falcons have won eight of the 10 tournaments played so far with Equatorial Guinea winning in 2008 and 2012.
The Bayelsa State government, yesterday, announced that the marathon will be held on Saturday, April 4, 2026.
The inaugural race is owned by the Bayelsa State Government and will be organised by Nilayo Sports Management Limited, a sports management company.
Under the theme “The Reveal,” the race represents a bold unveiling of Bayelsa’s immense human and cultural potential to the international community, inviting the world to witness the resilience, grit, and talent rooted in the heart of the Niger Delta.
According to the organisers, the race will be flagged off at 9:30 a.m., at the Opolo Roundabout, guiding participants through a carefully designed 10-kilometre route that highlights the scenic beauty and vibrant atmosphere of Yenagoa.
The course will culminate at Peace Park Square, where athletes will cross the finish line into a grand celebration of endurance, unity, and community spirit.
To elevate the experience for runners and spectators alike, the finish venue will host a high-energy post-race concert featuring performances from top A-list artistes, blending sport and entertainment in a festival-style atmosphere.
The organisers directed all registered participants to collect their race bibs and kits at the designated Peace Park Square between March 30 and April 3, 2026, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. daily.
The race, according to them, is currently on track for World Athletics accreditation, underscoring the commitment of both the Bayelsa State Government and Nilayo Sports Management Limited to delivering an event that meets the highest global standards.
The Director General of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Bukola Olopade, on Friday continued the Commission’s nationwide appreciation tour with a visit to Abeokuta, where outstanding junior athlete, Majekodunmi Afusat Bisola, was presented with a cheque of N3 million.
The presentation forms part of the NSC’s initiative to recognise and reward exceptional junior athletes who distinguished themselves in 2025 and contributed significantly to Nigeria’s medal haul.
Majekodunmi delivered an impressive run of performances on the track. At the last edition of the National Sports Festival, she stormed to gold in the 400m and the 4x400m relay. She replicated the double triumph at the Confederation of African Athletics (CAA) Junior Championship, in Abeokuta, before emerging as one of the standout stars at the African Youth Games in Luanda, Angola.
Speaking during the presentation, Olopade explained that the Commission deemed it necessary to extend financial appreciation to grassroots athletes after elite performers had earlier received grants running into thousands of dollars.
“A few weeks ago, after paying grants to our elite athletes, we agreed tthere was a need to also appreciate these young, budding talents who made Nigeria proud last year,” he said.
He disclosed that of the 376 medals recorded by Nigerian athletes in 2025, more than 200 were won by grassroots talents, underscoring the importance of sustained investment in youth development.
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