Category: Sports

The Eritrean National Cycling Team will participate in the 2021 UCI World Road Championship that will take in Belgium from 19 to 26 September. Speaking at the sending-off ceremony held today, Ambassador Zemede Tekle, Commissioner of Culture and Sports, expressed the expectation that the athletes demonstrate strong competitiveness on the international stage and register commendable success.

Mr. Samson Solomon, coach of the National Team, on his part said that the team has been making extensive preparations for the competition and expressed conviction that the team will register the expected result and preserve the competitiveness the national team under 23 has registered in the past.

The 12 member National Team comprises athletes Merhawi Kudus, Natnael Berhane, Metkel Eyob, Dawit Yemane, Biniam Ghirmay, Natnael Tesfatsion, Henok Mulubrhan, Petros Mengis, and Efrem Gebrehiwet will participate in the under 23 elite while athletes Desiet Kidane, Bisirat Gewbremeskel, and Adiam Tesfa’alem will participate in the women category.

Source: Ministry of Information Eritrea

For decades, African athletes have traveled all over the world to take part in the Olympic Games. At the recent Tokyo Games, they took home gold, silver and bronze medals. And yet Africa has never hosted the Games, and some people are asking what it would take for the Olympics to be held on African soil.  

In Kenya, thousands cheered on one of their favorite long-distance runners, Eliud Kipchoge, who won the gold medal in the men’s marathon. One Kipchoge fan had a special request for the government: Develop the country’s sports infrastructure.   

“We are very happy, all of us from Rift Valley and Kenyans as a whole. … [But we] just [want] to implore our leaders to address the issue of stadiums. … The Kipchoge Keino Stadium is dilapidated. And today, Kipchoge has shown the world that we are more than capable,” said Mandela Kiplimo, a resident of Eldoret, about 40 kilometers from the Olympic champion’s hometown of Kapsisiywa.

Having subpar sports facilities that don’t meet international norms is one of the biggest challenges for countries that want to host the Olympic Games. For many of them, it’s just too expensive, said Smith College economics professor Andrew Zimbalist, who edited the book Rio 2016: Olympic Myths, Hard Realities.

“You might read, for instance, that in Tokyo they spent roughly $15 billion, or that in Brazil or Rio 2016 they spent $12 to $15 billion. But the real numbers in Tokyo are above $35 billion, and the real numbers in Rio are above $20 billion,” Zimbalist told VOA.

Zimbalist said developing countries face even higher costs. 

“They don’t have the necessary transportation, communications, and security and hospitality infrastructure, so the amount of money they have to invest to do it is much, much larger,” he said. “Sochi spent somewhere between $51 to $65 billion to host the Winter Olympics in 2014. … China — Beijing — spent somewhere north of $44 billion to host the Games in 2008. And the problem is that more often than not, you are constructing infrastructure for the purpose of hosting the Games, not for the purpose of solving development bottlenecks in your country.” 

Youth Olympic Games

For now, Senegal is preparing to host its first Youth Olympic Games (YOG) in 2026.

The YOG were added to the Olympics in 2010 to give athletes ages 14 to 18 the chance to compete.

Experts say the YOG in Buenos Aires in 2018 had an Olympic Village with about 4,000 athletes from 260 countries. That contrasts with the estimated 12,000 athletes for the larger Olympics. Generally, experts say, the YOG will require about one-third of the investment needed for the Olympic Games.

While Senegalese officials say they are excited and honored to make history as the first African country to host the YOG, they also understand the responsibility that comes with it.

“There are expectations from the whole African continent, and Senegal has to organize games that would live up to the standards of previous Youth Olympics. And because of that, Senegal is going to make sure it’s a success and serves as a catalyst for mobilizing and engaging Senegalese youth in particular, and African youth in general,” Babacar Makhtar Wade, president of the Senegal Judo Federation, told VOA.

Wade, who is also treasurer of the Senegal National Olympic and Sports Committee, said renovation plans are well under way. 

“We are planning to first renovate three main venues — the Iba Mar Diop Stadium, which will host track, rugby and other sports. There’s also our Olympic pool, which needs to be renovated. It has an adjacent park, which will host a few events such as the BMX freestyle, basketball 3 on 3 and hockey games. And there is also the Caserne Samba Diery Diallo, where the equestrian-related activities will take place,” he said.

There will also be venues in hubs outside Dakar including a popular seaside resort that will host beach volleyball, boating and other events, and Diamniadio, site of a new 50,000-seat multipurpose stadium and other facilities. President Macky Sall said at last year’s groundbreaking ceremony that the stadium will be available for future local and international competitions.

Source: Voice of America

Somali-born Dutch runner Abdi Nageeye encouraged his friend to keep up the pace moments before the duo finished second and third in Sunday’s men’s marathon at the Olympics in Tokyo.

“Stay with me, we are going to make history! Don’t fall behind,” Nageeye urged Bashir Abdi, a Somali Belgian.

Somalia sent two athletes to the Tokyo Olympic Games, but it was the Somalis running for their adopted countries who made headlines.

Somali-born Canadian Mohammed Ahmed won silver in the men’s 5,000 meters, the first distance medal for Canada in this race. But the event that captured the attention of global audiences came in the final moments of the 42-kilometer marathon, won by Eliud Kipchoge of Kenya with a time of 2:08:38.

Footage showed Nageeye encouraging his friend Abdi to cross the finish line with him. The two had trained together in France and in Ethiopia in preparation for the Games.

Speaking to VOA’s Somali service by phone Tuesday, Nageeye said he wanted to help Abdi, who suffered a muscle cramp. With 3 kilometers to go, Nageeye said he again shouted at Abdi to keep up.

“‘Bashir, stay with me. We are making history,'” Nageeye repeated in the interview.

Nageeye said his friend kept pace but fell behind again. He said television viewers only saw the race’s final moments, but he said he encouraged Abdi three times late in the race.

Nageeye said he wanted to sprint for the last 800 meters but held off, waiting for Abdi, until the final 400 meters. Cameras captured Nageeye gesturing toward Abdi to keep up. Nageeye came in second, winning a silver medal with a time of 2:09:58. Abdi came in next, at 2:10:00, earning bronze.

“I was not doing it to be famous but was doing it for my friend and brother,” Nageeye said.

“I risked my position,” he said. “Even Bashir could have overtaken me or the Kenyan” — Lawrence Cherono, who finished fourth — “could have taken advantage of it. But I had that feeling; I did not want to leave him behind.”

Helping his friend and competitor was instinctive, Nageeye said. “I knew something was wrong because he was also a little stronger than me in training, and he is a good athlete. Amazing that I did that. It was a natural reaction from me toward him because of our brotherhood, our heritage. We are both Somali. We are both friends. We train together.”

The public’s response left him happily surprised, Nageeye said.

“After one day, it was crazy. The whole world is talking about it. I just came from the king of the Netherlands — he was talking about it,” Nageeye said of Willem-Alexander. “Every person is talking about that moment and not about my medal. I’m very happy for that.”

Source: Voice of America

A German cycling official has been suspended and will be sent home from the Tokyo Olympics after using a racist slur during the men’s time trial.

German cycling federation sports director Patrick Moster had been overseeing the cycling squad at the Tokyo Games. He used the slur while urging German rider Nikias Arndt to catch up to riders from the African nations of Algeria and Eritrea during Wednesday’s time trial. It was heard on TV broadcasts and widely condemned in Germany.

Moster later apologized and the German team initially indicated he would stay in Tokyo but said Thursday he would be sent home.

German Olympic committee president Alfons Hörmann said he considers Moster’s apology to be “sincere” but that he “breached the Olympic values.”

Hörmann added that “fair play, respect and tolerance … are non-negotiable” for the German team.

The International Cycling Union later said it had provisionally suspended Moster ahead of a full hearing.

“The UCI Disciplinary Commission urgently examined the matter and considered that Mr. Moster’s remarks were discriminatory and contrary to basic rules of decency,” the UCI said. “The UCI condemns all forms of racist and discriminatory behavior and strives to ensure integrity, diversity and equality in cycling.”

Algerian rider Azzedine Lagab told German news outlet Der Spiegel that he had not received a personal apology for Moster or the German team. Lagab added he had repeatedly faced racist comments during his career.

Arndt, condemned the official’s comments.

“I am appalled by the incident at the Olympic time trial today and would like to distance myself clearly from the sporting director’s statements,” the German rider wrote on social media Wednesday. “Such words are not acceptable.”

On Thursday, Arndt posted a picture of the Olympic rings with the message “Cycling against racism!”

Source: Voice of America

KAMPALA, UGANDA – Ugandan authorities have detained weightlifter Julius Sekitoleko after he disappeared last week from the Olympic Games in Japan. His case is odd, as Sekitoleko did not qualify for the Ugandan Olympic team, and no one can explain why he was flown to Tokyo.

Ugandan authorities say they will likely grant bail to the 20-year-old weightlifter after he spent four days in detention but that he still may face charges.

Sekitoleko was deported to Uganda last week, after he was arrested by police in Japan’s Mie Prefecture. Police went looking for him after he disappeared from the Ugandan Olympic team’s training camp in Izumisano, in Osaka, Japan.

Sekitoleko competes in the elite category of 56 and 57 kilograms and has previously represented Uganda in tournaments in Kenya, Morocco and Australia. He did not qualify for this year’s Olympics.

Charles Twiine, spokesperson for Uganda’s Criminal Investigations Department, told journalists Monday that an investigation was launched to determine why Sekitoleko was flown to Japan with his coach.

“What is visibly clear here, is that there’s a probable fraud of airlifting a person with full knowledge that he had not qualified. To go and participate well knowing he is not going to participate. Now the fundamental question is, was he part of the fraud as a conspirator and it’s the reason why we are having him,” Twiine said.

The athlete’s wife, Desire Nampeewo, who is five months pregnant, told VOA she hoped that the government would “rehabilitate” her husband. Nampeewo said she was surprised that officials want to charge him instead.

She said life has not been easy for the athlete as he he isn’t financially stable, his life has been a struggle, he sleeps on the floor and doesn’t have enough food suitable for an athlete. She said he really wanted to participate but lost his mind when he was told he didn’t qualify and started wandering unconsciously. She said he even wanted to kill himself.

Mark Namanya, a Ugandan sports analyst, says the athlete’s disappearance from the training camp is not a new thing. He argues that many athletes who represent Uganda at the highest level come from very deprived backgrounds and see tournaments as a way out.

“It’s an opportunity for them to start a new life. I was in Australia three years ago. Uganda sent, I think it’s biggest team to the Commonwealth Games and five athletes vanished. I can tell you with certainty that Sekitoleko’s case is neither the first nor the last,” Namanya said.

It is not clear what charges may be filed against Sekitoleko.

Investigating officers say they continue to record statements from the Olympic Committee and will wait for officials currently in Japan to return to explain why Sekitoleko was allowed to travel.

Source: Voice of America

The West African country of Guinea has reversed an earlier decision to pull out of the Olympics and will send a delegation of five athletes to the Tokyo Games.

Minister of Sports Sanoussy Bantama Sow made the announcement Thursday after national and international outcries that followed an earlier declaration that Guinea would not send athletes to Tokyo, blaming the coronavirus and its variants.

“The Minister of State, Minister of Sports has the true pleasure of informing the people of Guinea and the whole sports family, that the government, after obtaining guarantees from the health authorities, agrees to the participation of our athletes in the 32nd Olympics in Tokyo,” the minister said in a statement.

Guinea had announced late Wednesday that it was canceling its participation to protect the health of its athletes.

Only days before the statement, Guinean Olympic committee secretary general Ben Daouda Nassoko had told The Associated Press that funds had been released for the delegation to go to Tokyo.

Fatoumata Yarie Camara, a freestyle wrestler, was one of the five athletes affected by the decision.

She confirmed, through tears of joy, that she would be departing for Tokyo. She had earlier questioned the decision to pull out.

“The question I ask myself is why has Guinea decided not to participate in the Olympic Games on the grounds of coronavirus when the organizing country like Japan hasn’t canceled these Games because of this sickness,” she told the AP. “Why? That’s what I ask myself and I still can’t find an answer.”

The other Guinean athletes are swimmers Mamadou Tahirou Bah and Fatoumata Lamarana Toure, 100-meter runner Aissata Deen Conte and judo competitor Mamadou Samba Bah.

Guinea has participated in the Olympics 11 times but has never won a medal. North Korea is the only country to pull out of the Tokyo Olympics, also citing concerns related to COVID-19.

Source: Voice of America

The Nigerian D’Tigers basketball team’s stunning victories this past week in friendly matches with the United States and Argentina has pushed it further into the Olympic spotlight.

D’Tigers beat the United States NBA stars 90-87 on Saturday in Las Vegas, making international basketball history as the first African country to beat the U.S.

On Monday, the team beat the world’s fourth-ranked team, Argentina, by a score of 94-71.

But the Nigerian team was later slammed by Australia 108-69. It was the team’s first loss in the tune-up games for the Olympics.

Despite that, Nigerian basketball fan David Moge says he’s optimistic about the team’s performance at the Games in Tokyo.

“I see them having a chance to do great things in the Olympics because they have a coach who has a lot of NBA experience and background, so he’ll be bringing a lot of structures in terms of offensive plays, defensive plays and keep the team going,” Moge said.

Nigeria is one of 12 men’s teams — and the only African team — that qualified for the Olympic tournament.

The team is studded with former NBA stars, including Gabe Vincent, Chikezie Okpala and Precious Achiuwa of the Miami Heat. The squad is led by award-winning NBA coach Mike Brown.

The secretary of the Abuja basketball club, Anthony Ekpenkhio, says the diaspora experience is an advantage for the Nigerian team.

“We have players that will match them pound for pound, height for height,” Ekpenkhio said. “I think it’s great that we took our time to select some of our tallest and best players.”

Nigeria’s D’Tigers must do well in Group B competition against Australia, Germany and Italy to reach the quarterfinals.

Meanwhile, a Nigerian Olympic delegate was hospitalized Thursday in Tokyo after testing positive for COVID-19.

The coronavirus has infected athletes and delegates, and experts warn that the situation could worsen.

Source: Voice of America